Mureau

Title

Mureau

Also Known As

Meurcau, Mira Vallis, Mirceuvault, Mirevault, Mirovault, Mirvaldum, Mirvalt, Mirvalx, Mirvalz, Mirvath, Mirvaul, Mirvault, Mirvaulz, Mirvaust, Mirvaut, Mirvaux, Mirwal, Mirwalt, Mirwath, Mirwault, Mourcau, Murcaux, Muriaulx, Murovault, Murvault, Myrovault, Myruaut, Myrvault

Dates

Founded by 1147; dissolved 1790

Dedication

Mary

Medieval Diocese

Toul

Circary

Lorraine

History

Mureau was founded by 1149, and was initially a double house. The abbey was badly damaged during the Hundred Years' War.

It became a commendatory abbey in 1541. It was abandoned due to warfare in 1636, but rebuilt and reoccupied ca. 1685. It underwent further reconstruction work in the 18th century, but was suppressed at the Revolution. Much of the former monastic complex was subsequently demolished, and only partial ruins survive today.

Heads of Community

Abbots

Guillaume I, ca. 1149-ca. 1169
Guillaume II, ca. 1200-ca. 1211
Robert, fl. 1215
Hugues, fl. 1220
Herman, ca. 1236-ca. 1240
Jean, ca. 1254-ca. 1277
Jacques, ca. 1286-1290
Mascelin de Midrevaux, 1290-ca. 1314
Gérard, ca. 1317-ca. 1352
Regnaul, fl. 1358
Nicolas I, ca. 1368-ca. 1370
Pierre de Mazo (or de Masothecelini), ca. 1377-1378
Philibert de Bauffremont, 1378-ca. 1398
Hugues II de Germay, ca. 1400-ca. 1436
Gérard II Huel (or Houel), ca. 1444-1475
Didier Gautier de Port, 1475-1499
Etienne Bazelaire, 1499-?
Claude de Haulcourt, fl. 1510
Nicolas II Morizot (or Morisel or de Coussey), ca. 1515-ca. 1523
Claude d'Anglure, ca. 1529-1541

Status

Abbey

Archival Sources

Bar-le-Duc, Archives départementales de la Meuse

30 H 1-3 (12th-18th c.)

Chamarandes-Choignes, Archives départementales de la Haute-Marne

23 H 1-3 (13th-18th c.)

Épinal, Archives départementales des Vosges

4 Fi 344 1 (20th c.; postcard)

10 Fi 4 35 (ca. 1920; photograph)

20 H 1 - 20 H 140 (12th-18th c.)

41 H 44 (1307)

Nancy, Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle

H 1087-1093 (12th-18th c.)

COCF: ChLor n°385 (1172); ChLor n°486 (1218); ChLor n°634 (1161); ChLor n°635 (1197); ChLor n°636 (1204); ChLor n°637 (1183); ChLor n°638 (1212); ChLor n°641 (1180)

Bibliography

Hilaire, Guy. “L’abbaye de Sainte-Marie de Mureau de l’ordre de Prémontré au XIIe et XIIIe siècle; étude du temporel abbatial.” Mémoire de Maîtrise, Université de Lorraine, 1992. https://ulysse.univ-lorraine.fr/permalink/33UDL_INST/1f89f8a/alma991007724759705596.

Litzenburger, Ludwig. “Die Benediktinerabtei Weißenburg und die Prämonstratenserabtei Mureau beenden am 24. Februar 1281 einen Streit wegen der Salzgewinnung in Vic.” Archiv für mittelrheinische Kirchengeschichte 18 (1966): 307–12.

Marot, Pierre. Études sur l’abbaye de Mureau. Épinal: Impr. vosgienne, 1924.

Philippe, André. “Les archives de l’abbaye de Mureau en Champagne.” Le Bibliographe moderne: courrier international des archives et des bibliothèques 25 (1931): 184–98.

Sesmat, Pierre. “Restituer l’abbatiale romane de Mureau (Vosges)?” In Ex quadris lapidibus: la pierre dans l’art médiéval ; mélanges d’histoire de l’art offerts à Eliane Vergnolle, edited by Yves Gallet, 235–43. Turnhout: Brepols, 2011.

Image Credit

The former gatehouse of the abbey of Mureau, 2009. Wikimedia.

Files

Collection

Lorraine

Citation

“Mureau,” A Premonstratensian Atlas, accessed October 16, 2026, https://yvonneseale.org/atlas/items/show/391.

Geolocation

Item Relations

This Item DependentOn Item: Septfontaines en Bassigny
Item: Radru DependentOn This Item
Item: Bonneval DependentOn This Item