Author Description

By tradition, the city of Lille, in the north of France, was founded in 640, and during the late Middle Ages it emerged as one of the major cities in Flanders. Ruled by the counts of Flanders and then the dukes of Burgundy, it became French in 1668. On account of its location, it has long been fought over with the city being subjected to eleven sieges, being captured by the Dutch and the British in 1708, withstanding attack by the Austrians in 1792, and falling to the Germans in 1914, and again in 1940. The city was a major industrial centre from the mid-nineteenth century, and with the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994, Lille has become a major tourist centre, being chosen as the European Capital of Culture in 2004. It is the fifth-largest urban area in France. This book is the first major historical work on Lille in English, and includes entries on Charles de Gaulle and Pierre Mauroy, and many other people from Lille who played major parts in French history, the many historical buildings, and aspects of Lille's heritage and culture. It has over 500 illustrations, many of which have never been published before.