a settlement there. The site overlooks the nearby hill of Saint Eulalie, a place of pilgrimage dedicated to the 3rd-century Spanish martyr Saint Eulalie. Since before Roman times, Uzerche was situated at the intersection of two trade routes: one connecting Brittany with the Mediterranean Sea, the other allowing people to cross the river Vézère. The importance of this crossroads during antiquity is evidenced by the presence of a castra, or small fortification. Between the 5th and 8th century AD the town developed as an important administrative, religious, and political centre. Due to its defensible location, the town was able to resist many attacks through the centuries. After being looted and destroyed by Visigoths in the 6th century, it was rebuilt in the 7th century with a fortified perimeter wall that enhanced its defenses. In the 8th century, a Saracen force defeated by Karel Martel attacked and besieged Uzerche during their retreat. The siege lasted seven years, but the Saracens ultimately gave up after a last desperate action by the inhabitants. On the point of starvation, they had fattened up the last two of their cattle with the last of their food. They then chased the animals out of the town towards the besiegers. The Saracens, upon seeing the animals, concluded that the city was too well provisioned for them to waste any more time trying to starve them out. To the present day two bulls can be seen on the coat of arms of Uzerche as a reminder of the siege. After the siege against his half-brother Waifer, Pepin the Short, King of the Francs (751- 768), was convinced of the strategic importance of Uzerche and had no fewer than eighteen towers built in the town, the most impressive being Leocaine, which was established as a royal residence. Frankish fortress to the Abbey of Saint Pierre A castrum (fortress) was intended to be a centre for all decisions: military, political and religious. The administrative function of the fortress at Uzerche is verified in the 7th century by the gold coins of that date minted there. Coins continued to be minted there until the 9th century. Uzerche also had an important religious role, with its own curate, as part of the territorial administrative sub-division of the authority of the Count of Limoges. Politically it was the capital of the Gallic-Roman area surrounding it. With permission of both pope and king, a