Editing Limoges (section)

== History ==
{{see also|Timeline of Limoges}}
[[File:Limoges - Limòtges.jpg|thumb|[[Occitan language|Occitan]] and French name of the city]]

=== Ancient and medieval history ===
Scarce remains of pre-urban settlements have been found in the area of Limoges. The capital of the [[Gaul]]ish people of the [[Lemovices]], who lived in the area, was probably either near [[Villejoubert]], some kilometres south-east of [[Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat]], or St Gence, just west of Limoges.

The city proper was founded as '''Augustoritum''' by the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]], around 10&nbsp;BC: "rito-" is [[Gaulish]] for "[[Ford (crossing)|ford]]". The foundation was part of the reorganization of the province by the emperor [[Augustus]], hence the new name. The Roman city included an [[amphitheatre]] measuring 136 x 115&nbsp;metres, a theatre, a [[Forum (Roman)|forum]], baths and several sanctuaries. According to tradition, a temple consecrated to [[Venus (mythology)|Venus]], [[Diana (mythology)|Diana]], [[Minerva]] and [[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]] was located near the modern cathedral. The city was on the typical Roman square plan, with two main streets crossing in the centre. It had a Senate and a currency of its own, a sign of its importance in the imperial age. Later, like many towns and cities in Gaul, it was renamed after the tribe (here the [[Lemovices]]) whose chief town it was; "Lemovices" subsequently evolved into "Limoges", and "Lemovicinus" for the area around changed into "[[Limousin]]".{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

Limoges was evangelized by [[Saint Martial]], who came to the city around 250 with two companions, Alpinianus and Austriclinienus. However, in the late 3rd century it was increasingly abandoned, due to unsafe conditions created by the invasions of various Germanic tribes. The population was concentrated instead in a more easily fortifiable site, the modern Puy Saint-Étienne, which is the centre of the modern Limoges. Starting from the construction of the [[Abbey of St. Martial]] (9th century), another settlement grew around the tomb of the saint, while a third area, next to the residence of the [[Viscounty of Limoges|viscount]] (the future Castle of Saint Martial), seems to have been populated from the 10th century.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

Starting from the 11th century, thanks to the presence of the Abbey of St. Martial and its large library, Limoges became a flourishing artistic centre. It was home to an important school of medieval music composition, which is usually called the [[St. Martial School]]; its most famous member was the 13th-century [[troubadour]] [[Bertran de Born]].{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

[[File:Limoges ciborium circa 1200.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Limoges enamel]] [[Ciborium (container)|ciborium]] with [[champlevé]] enamel, and center rim in [[pseudo-Kufic]] 
script, {{circa|1200}}<ref name="Louvre">{{cite web |url=http://www.louvre.fr/llv/oeuvres/detail_notice.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673226036&CURRENT_LLV_NOTICE%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673226036&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=9852723696500778&bmLocale=en |title=Louvre museum notice |publisher=Louvre.fr |access-date=14 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615183547/http://www.louvre.fr/llv/oeuvres/detail_notice.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673226036&CURRENT_LLV_NOTICE%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673226036&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=9852723696500778&bmLocale=en |archive-date=15 June 2011}}</ref>]]

In the 13th century, at the peak of its splendour, central Limoges consisted of two fortified settlements.
* The town proper, with a new line of walls encompassing the [[Vienne River]], inhabited mainly by clerks and workers. It has a bridge on the Vienne river named after Saint-Étienne, built by the bishops, and a developed port. Sacked in 1370, it never recovered entirely.
* The castle, with 12&nbsp;metre high walls, including the abbey and controlled by the abbot, sometimes in contrast with the bishop-ruled town ("la Cité"). Traces of the walls can still be seen in the city centre.  Outside the lines of walls were the popular quarters.

In 1370, Limoges was occupied by [[Edward, the Black Prince]], who [[Massacre of Limoges|massacred]] some 300 residents, "perhaps a sixth of the normal population", with another 60 members of the garrison of 140 dead as well.<ref>Sumption, Jonathan. 2009. ''The Hundred Years War III: Divided Houses''. 82–83</ref>

=== Modern history ===
[[File:Yale Mobile Hospital Unit No. 39 Christmas 1917 Limoges China Factory.jpg|thumb|[[Yale University|Yale Mobile Hospital Unit No. 39]] stationed at the Limoges factory, Christmas, 1917]]

The porcelain industry started to develop, favoured by the presence of [[kaolinite]] which was discovered near Limoges in 1768<ref name="indy"/> (near St Yrieix, south-west of Limoges). Many of the inhabitants became employed in the new sector or in connected activities (including the lumbering of wood needed for firing the porcelain) in manufacture and exporting needed for European distribution of [[Limoges Box]]es, dinnerware, and other porcelain wares. Because the Limousin region has had a long history of breeding (Baronet sheep and [[Limousin cattle|Limousine cows]]), the leather industry also settled in and around Limoges along the banks of the Vienne–the river providing the necessary water and power. Factories in Limoges and St Junien still produce luxury leather shoes, gloves, and bags.

The city and castle were united in 1792 to form the single city of Limoges. During the [[French Revolution]] several religious edifices, considered symbols of the ''[[Ancien Régime]]'', were destroyed by the population: these included the Abbey of St. Martial itself.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

In the 19th century Limoges saw strong construction activity, which included the destruction and rebuilding of much of the city centre. The unsafe conditions of the poorer population is highlighted by the outbreak of several riots, including [[July Revolution|that of July–November 1830]] and April 1848. The first French confederation of workers, Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT) ([[General Confederation of Labour (France)|General Confederation of Labour]]), was created in Limoges in 1895.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

In early 1905, strikes began in another local industry, shoe factories soon followed in the porcelain factories. Barricades were built, the army intervened. There would be two casualties: a horse and a young porcelain worker, Camille Vardelle.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

During [[World War II]], many [[History of Jews in Alsace|Jews from Alsace]] were evacuated to and around Limoges.