Roman remains have been discovered at
Bourg, but little is known of its early history. Raised to the rank of a free
town in 1250, it was at the beginning of the 15th century chosen by the dukes
of Savoy as the chief city of the province of Bresse. In February 1535—1536 new
style—it passed to France, during a full-scale French invasion of Savoy, but
was restored to Duke Philibert Emmanuel in 1559, when he married Henri II's
sister Marguerite. The Duke later built a strong citadel, which afterwards
withstood a six-month' siege by the soldiers of Henry IV. The town was finally
ceded to France in
