Château de Brissac is a castle located in the commune of Brissac-Quincé, the department of Maine-et-Loire, France. The castle is recorded to have been built during the 11 ^th century, and has a long and interesting history. Like many castles around the world, the Château de Brissac is said to possess its own resident ghost. This is the ‘la Dame Verte’ or Green Lady, who is said to be the ghost of an unfaithful wife murdered by her husband during the 15 ^th century.

Dubbed as the ‘tallest castle in France’, the Château de Brissac is said to have originally built as a castle by the Counts of Anjou during the 11 ^th century. During the 15 ^th century, the château was rebuilt as a fort-like structure by one of Charles VII’s ministers. During the French Wars of Religion, which broke out during the 16 ^th century, the château was made into his possession by Henry of Navarre (who would later reign as Henry IV of France). When Henry became the King of France, the château was given to Charles II of Cossé as a reward for his support. Charles was also awarded the title ‘Duke of Brissac’.

The Green Lady : One of the most infamous residents of the Château de Brissac is the ‘la Dame Verte’ or Green Lady, who is the château’s resident ghost. The Green Lady is said to be the ghost of a woman by the name of Charlotte de Brézé, who was the illegitimate daughter of King Charles VII and his mistress, Agnes Sorel.

She was also the half-sister of King Louis XI. In 1462, a marriage was arranged between Charlotte and Jacques de Brézé, a nobleman. It has been claimed that the marriage was politically motivated, and that the two did not love each other. Additionally, it has been said that the two individuals had quite different characters. For instance, Jacques is said to have enjoyed outdoor activities such as hunting, whist Charlotte was more inclined to a sophisticated life.

On May 31, 1477, Jacques is said to have returned from a hunting trip, had dinner with his wife, and then went to his room. It seems that the couple did not sleep in the same bed, and in the middle of the night, a servant woke Jacques up to inform him that his wife was having an affair with a man by the name of Peirre de Lavergne. Jacques caught his wife and her lover red-handed, and in a fit of rage, murdered the adulterous couple. Apparently, Jacques moved out of the château shortly after the murder, as he could not stand the moaning of his late wife’s and her lover’s ghosts.

Today, it is claimed that only the ghost of Charlotte remains in the Château de Brissac, as there are no reported sightings of Pierre’s ghost (who perhaps might have moved on at some point of time). The dukes of the château and their families are said to have grown accustomed to her presence, though it is claimed that guests have been frightened by her. Her favorite haunt is said to be the tower room of the chapel, where she can be found in her green dress, hence the name ‘Green Lady’. Additionally, it has been claimed that the ghost’s face has holes in place of her nose and eyes, perhaps a reflection of what was done to her when she was murdered. Her moans are also said to be heard throughout the château in the early hours of the morning.

The Library of Alexandria stands as one of the most iconic symbols of human intellectual achievement and one of the greatest cultural tragedies in history. Founded in the 3rd century BCE in Alexandria, Egypt, the library was envisioned as a center for learning and a repository for all the world’s knowledge. Its rise and mysterious fall have captivated historians, scholars, and the public for centuries, largely because it represents both the heights of scholarly ambition and the fragility of human achievement in the face of conflict and change.

The origins of the Library of Alexandria trace back to the reign of either Ptolemy I Soter or his son Ptolemy II Philadelphus. These rulers, successors to Alexander the Great in Egypt, sought to establish a hub of learning that would rival Athens. Situated in one of the most powerful cities of the ancient world, the library quickly became a magnet for scholars, scientists, philosophers, and poets from across the Mediterranean. At its peak, the library may have housed between 400,000 and 700,000 scrolls, covering subjects such as mathematics, astronomy, medicine, literature, and philosophy. Figures such as Euclid, Archimedes, and Eratosthenes are believed to have studied or worked there, contributing to its reputation as the greatest scholarly institution of the ancient world.

Despite its grandeur and influence, the Library of Alexandria did not vanish in a single cataclysmic event. Instead, it appears to have suffered a slow decline through a series of unfortunate incidents and political upheavals. One of the earliest and most cited episodes occurred in 48 BCE during Julius Caesar’s civil war. As Caesar set fire to ships in Alexandria’s harbor, the flames are believed to have spread to parts of the city, potentially damaging the library or associated storage facilities nearby. However, sources vary on the extent of the destruction, and it is unclear whether the main library building was affected.

The Roman era brought further instability. While the library may have continued under Roman rule, there is evidence of neglect and possible damage in subsequent centuries. A significant blow came in 391 CE when the Serapeum—an annex of the Library and a temple to the Greco-Egyptian god Serapis—was destroyed by Christian zealots during a period of religious upheaval. This act marked a turning point, as the rise of Christianity increasingly clashed with pagan institutions and knowledge systems that had flourished under earlier empires.

Another oft-cited but controversial account involves the Muslim conquest of Alexandria in the 7th century. According to later Islamic sources, the Caliph Omar allegedly ordered the destruction of the remaining books, claiming that if the writings agreed with the Qur’an they were unnecessary, and if they disagreed, they were heretical. However, this account is widely debated and considered by many historians to be apocryphal or fabricated long after the fact. There is no contemporary evidence to support it, and some scholars argue that by the time of the conquest, the Library had already ceased to exist in any meaningful form.

The true story of the Library of Alexandria’s destruction is ultimately a tale of gradual erosion rather than dramatic obliteration. A combination of fires, wars, religious conflict, political instability, and cultural shifts contributed to its decline over centuries. Its loss was not just the destruction of a building, but the disappearance of vast quantities of ancient knowledge—some of which may never be recovered.

Despite the mystery surrounding its fate, the legacy of the Library of Alexandria endures. It has become a powerful symbol of intellectual curiosity and a cautionary tale about the vulnerability of knowledge. In 2002, Egypt inaugurated the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina near the site of the ancient library, aiming to rekindle the spirit of learning and scholarship that once defined the city. In the digital age, efforts to preserve information globally—through digital archives, cloud storage, and open-access platforms—echo the library’s original mission to gather and safeguard the world’s knowledge.

In conclusion, while the precise details of the Library of Alexandria’s destruction remain unclear, its impact on human history is undeniable. The dream it represented continues to inspire generations, reminding us that knowledge is a treasure worth protecting at all costs.