- Muret
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Muret
Town hall 
MuretAdministration Country France Region Midi-Pyrénées Department Haute-Garonne Arrondissement Muret Canton Muret Intercommunality Muretain Mayor Alain Barrès
(2001–2008)Statistics Elevation 152–305 m (499–1,001 ft)
(avg. 169 m/554 ft)Land area1 57.84 km2 (22.33 sq mi) Population2 23,297 (2008) - Density 403 /km2 (1,040 /sq mi) INSEE/Postal code 31395/ 31600 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. Coordinates: 43°27′40″N 1°19′36″E / 43.4611111111°N 1.32666666667°E
Muret (in Occitan Murèth) is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.
It is an outer suburb of the city of Toulouse, even though it does not belong to Greater Toulouse, which it has declined to join. It lies southwest of Toulouse and is the largest component of the intercommunality of Muretain.
Contents
History
On September 12, 1213 the Battle of Muret took place between Simon de Montfort and a coalition force under the control of Count Raymond of Toulouse, and King Pedro II of Aragon.
De Montfort had been fighting Albigensian heretics during the Albigensian Crusade, when he was besieged by the vastly superior coalition forces. Refusing to surrender or be starved into submission, de Montfort went instead on the offensive. Leading his knights out of the town, he proceeded to disperse them into a wide arc before falling upon the Toulouse cavalry with a noise like a whole forest going down under the axe. Next to fall victim to such arcing tactics was the Aragonian cavalry where King Pedro himself fell to the sword. After this, all that was left was to scatter the remaining cavalry defending the coalition camp before falling upon the infantry besieging Muret's walls. Despite overwhelming numbers,the coalition army numbering almost 34, 000 men and de Montfort's army only 2 100, the siege of Muret was lifted.
7,000 coalition troops were killed compared to minimum casualties for de Monfort's army.
Population
Historical population of Muret 1793 1800 1806 1821 1831 1836 1841 1846 1851 1856 3000 3258 3284 3286 3787 3972 4000 4308 4196 4125 1861 1866 1872 1876 1881 1886 1891 1896 1901 1906 4130 4050 3852 3956 4056 4145 4142 4064 3911 3712 1911 1921 1926 1931 1936 1946 1954 1962 1968 3654 3218 3482 3725 4013 4368 5204 6693 13,039 1975 1982 1990 1999 2008 14,778 15,844 18,134 20,735 23,297 Sights
The Château de Rudelle is a 16th and 17th century castle. Privately owned, it is listed as a historic site by the French Ministry of Culture[1].
Geography
The Louge flows northeast through the commune, then flows into the Garonne in the town.
The Garonne flows north through the commune and forms part of its northern border.
Transport
Communication
South of Muret, there is a mediumwave broadcasting station, which works on 945 kHz with 300 kW.
International relations
Muret is twinned with:
See also
- Battle of Muret
- Communes of the Haute-Garonne department
- Parc naturel régional des Landes de Gascogne
References
- ^ www.culture.gouv.fr, accessed 17 March 2008
External links
- Official website (in French)
Categories:- Communes of Haute-Garonne
- Subprefectures in France
- Haute-Garonne geography stubs
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