Rely is a Communes of France, commune in the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France region of France.
INSEE commune file
/ref>
Geography
Rely is situated some west of Béthune and southwest of Lille, at the junction of the D341 (an old Ancient Rome, Roman road, the Chaussée Brunehaut) and the D90 road. The A26 autoroute passes by the commune.
History
The village of Rely existed during the Gallo-Roman period and was located on a Roman road, the ‘’Chausée (carriageway) Brunehaut’’, that connected Thérouanne, Arras and Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Many villages on or near this Brunehaut road have the same origins, such as Blessy, Estrée-Blanche, Ligny, Auchy-au-Bois and Ferfay. Originally small Roman stations where troops or convoys came to rest and eat on their travels between Rome, Arras, Thérouanne and Boulogne, these stations then developed and became the villages of today.
The castle, built on a hill surrounded by a wide and deep moat served as a refuge against the successive invasions and plundering of the Normans, Flemish and Spanish armies.
Rely has followed the fate of the volatile Artois region over the centuries:
* In 863 it was part of Flanders.
* In 1180 it became French territory.
* In 1226 it was given to Robert I of Artois, son Louis VIII of France, Louis VIII.
* In 1384 it belonged to Charles the Bold of House of Burgundy, Burgundy.
* In 1493 it passed to the House of Habsburg.
* In 1640 Artois was reconquered by France, however only a portion of it was returned to France, the other part, which included Rely, stayed in Flanders.
* In 1679, all of the region of Artois was finally ceded to France.
Population
Places of interest
* The church of St.Martin, dating from the sixteenth century.
* The Motte-and-bailey, motte and moat of a feudal castle.
See also
*Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department
References
Communes of Pas-de-Calais
{{PasdeCalais-geo-stub