Montargis

Montargis, a town in the French department of Loiret, 47 miles E. by N. of Orleans, with a fine church (12th century—1868) and ruins of a vast castle, once 'le berceau des Enfants de France.' Here in 1371 is said to have occurred the famous judicial combat between 'the dog of Montargis' and Macaire its master's murderer. The dog not only showed the spot in the forest of Bondy where its dead master was buried, but singled out the murderer, and, when Charles VI. granted the ordeal of battle to test his guilt, the dog flew at his throat and so proved its charge upon his body. Pop. (1872) 8196; (1886) 10,984.