1. In 1466 King Louis XI decided to develop a national silk industry in Lyon.

2. France's Louis XI hid his toilet behind curtains and used herbs to keep his bathroom scented; England's Elizabeth I covered her commode in crimson velvet bound with lace.

3. We Parisians generally make a mistake as to the ground which we think that we have gained, since Paris has not increased much over one-third since the time of Louis XI.

4. Nevertheless, he was appreciated by the "miner" of Europe; he plotted familiarly with Louis XI. , and often lent a hand to the king's secret jobs.

5. Subsequently lost all autonomy, subject to the House of Anjou who ruled the territory from 1245 until 1482, when the region fell under the rule of King Louis XI of France, being annexed in 1486.

6. In the Middle Ages France was split into numerous fiefdoms and kingdoms, most of which were incorporated into the royal domain by the time of Louis XI (reigned 1461-1483).