Читать книгу Lille Before and During the War - Pneu Michelin - Страница 3

The marvellous tales of "Liliane" and the forest rangers Phinœrt and Lyderic, which take Lille back to the days of Julius Cæsar, are mythical. The first mention of Lille in history dates back to the 11th century, when the town was divided into the "castrum" or entrenched camp of the Counts of Flanders (where Baudoin V. erected the Basilica and Forum in about 1050), and the "forum" (to-day the Grand' Place), where the church of St. Martin already existed.

The "forum" grew rapidly in the 12th century; the suburb of Fives, with its two churches of St. Saviour and St. Maurice, being enclosed within the new wall. There were no further changes of importance until the 17th century, when the Vauban fortifications to the north further enlarged the town. It was only in 1858 that Moulins, Vazemmes and Esquermes were included in the southern portion of the town, leaving the important suburbs of Fives and St. Maurice outside the ramparts.

Its situation on the frontier embroiled Lille in all the great wars. In 1213, Philippe-August took it twice from Count Ferrand, burning it completely the second time, to punish the inhabitants for having received their former chief. Philippe le Bel took it in 1297, and built the Château de Courtrai to commemorate the event. The Flemish conquered it in 1302, but were defeated in 1304 at Mons-en-Puelle by Philippe, who forced them to abandon the town after a month's siege. Then, for half-a-century, Lille belonged to the Kings of France, but the marriage of the Duke of Burgundy, Philippe le Hardi, with the Heiress of Flanders, in 1369, restored it to the counts. When Maximilian of Austria espoused Marie of Burgundy, daughter and Heir of Charles the Bold, last Duke of Burgundy, Lille became part of his dominions.

At the head of his armies, Louis XIV. besieged and took it in 1667 after "nine days of trench fighting," and the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle confirmed the capture.

As an advanced citadel, it defended the northern frontier, but in 1708, the Spanish were before its gates, and Marshal de Boufflers, after exhausting his supplies and ammunition, was obliged to surrender to Prince Eugène and the Duke of Marlborough. After a five years' occupation, the Treaty of Utrecht gave it back to France in 1713.

In 1792, it was besieged by 30,000 Austrians under Albert of Saxe-Coburg, who bombarded it day and night for nine days. The famous Lille gunners beat off the enemy, who raised the siege, and the Convention having decreed that "the town deserved well of the country," a commemorative column was erected in the Grand' Place (p. 26).

In the Franco-German War of 1870–1871, Lille remained outside the battle area, and the only local souvenir connected with that struggle was a visit from M. Antonin Dubost (now Président of the French Senate) in October, 1870. Leaving Paris, which was besieged, in a balloon named "The Universal Republic," he landed between Rocroi and Mézières, going thence on foot to Belgium, and from there to Lille. He was received by the Commissary of the Government for National Defence (Mr. Testelin) (p. 50) and General Bourbaki, who had escaped from Metz, and harangued the people from the steps of the Grand' Garde (Place de la Bourse, p. 29).

In 1914, the victorious Germans were at its gates, and the Capital of Flanders was destined to suffer a four years' occupation.

THE NORTHERN FRONTIER