Nogent-le-Rotrou is, of bourse, the
Mecca of tlu* Percheron pilgrim, and
whether the visitor goes to buy or to
study t.ie little province and its incom
parable equine products, it is at No
gent, the largest and most important
center of the horse producing industry
in the Perche, that he will logically
make his headquarters. This town it
so ancient that i's earl/ History is best
in oblivion. We know’ that the North
ern barbarians overran the Perche in
the ninth century, putting eveything
to sack at Nogent, as well as other
towns in the Perche. In the twelfth
century the town was destroyed by
fir'1, being at that time built of wood.
At different times during the four
teenth and fifteenth centuries the Png
lish took possession of the town. Here
the great Sully. Minister of Ib nry IV.,
made his residence during the early
part of the seventeenth century. Hut
the most romantic period of Nugent’s
history was during the age of chivalry,
Ir was from here that Rotru HI, Count
of Mortagne and the Perche, went
forth in company with Robert, IHikf
of Normandy, and oilier noblemen ol
the region on the first Crusade in 1096.
