LAGNY-SUR-MARNE, ABBEY OF

Former royal benedictine abbey in the canton of Lagny, arrondissement of Meaux (Seine-et-Marne), France; in the old Diocese of Paris, present-day Meaux (Lat. Latiniacum ). It was founded c. 644 by (St.) fursey, a noble Irishman, on land belonging to Archambaud, mayor of the palace under Clovis II. Burned by the normans, it was restored during the 10th century. In 933 the abbots became the counts of Lagny. Thanks to the protection of the counts of Champagne and the kings, as well as to the friars of Champagne and Brie, which were held in Lagny, the abbey became very prosperous. In 1396 Abbot Peter II started the construction of a new abbey church, of which only the choir was erected. In 1485 the abbey was placed in commendation. In 1512, under the cardinal of Narbonne, it underwent the reform of Saint-Martin-des-Champs. In 1562 it was plundered by the Huguenots. The maurist reform of 1641 included Lagny among its member abbeys. When the abbey was suppressed by the french revolution, it was paying £9,000 to the commendatory abbot and £ 7,000 to the 15 or 16 religious who were living there. The abbey church is now used as a parish church; the monastic buildings have been appropriated for municipal use.

Bibliography: beaunier, La France monastique, v. 1 of Abbayes et prieurés de l'ancienne France, ed. j. m. l. besse, 12 v. (Paris 1905–41). l. h. cottineau, Répertoire topobibliographique des abbayes et prieurés, 2 v. (Mâcon 1935–39) 1:1538–39.

[h. tardif]