After the Battle of Pavia on the 25th of February 1525, King Francis of France was forced to surrender his two sons Henri and Francois as hostages to the Emperor Carlos V, and Ampudia was one of their comfortable prisons during that captivity.
Today the restored castle is managed by the Eugenio Fontaneda Foundation, and contains his varied collection ranging from art works to medieval toys and medicinal artefacts.
This businessman, well known for the biscuit brand that bears his name, died in 1991.
The castle is now the summer residence of the Fontaneda family, and we were shown around by his son Eugenio, who attentively explained the far ranging collection that his father built up.
Each room of the collection, which is open to the public for guided tours, has a theme, such as an apothecary, and is a visual deluge of images and objects almost impossible to take in on a single visit..
