Rochelle
2 of the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Rochelle. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
ro-shel', a city of France. It is situated on an arm of the Bay of Biscay. It was formerly the chief seat of power of the Huguenots. During the religious wars of France the privateers of Rochelle played havoc with the merchantmen of Catholic owners. After the massacre of St. Bartholomew the city withstood a siege six months, inflicted a loss of 20,000 men on the besiegers, and won out by a treaty granting liberty of worship to Calvinists. During the reign of Louis XIII , Cardinal Richelieu decided that the fortifications of the city were a menace to the king's authority. He ordered them dismantled, but was not obeyed. He carried on a siege by sea and land for eight months. The town was forced finally to capitulate in October, 1628, but not before the besiegers had constructed a vast mole in front of the city cutting off communication with the sea. During the expansive period of France in the New World, Rochelle was the chief center of commerce with Canada. The city is now one of the strongly fortified ports of France. The harbor is one of the safest on the French coast. There are many ancient buildings with interesting turrets, towers, and belfries. The city is a center of trade in oysters, salt, barrels, copper and iron articles, and coal briquettes. The population is now about 30,000.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
LA, a fortified town and seaport in France, capital of the department of Charente-Inférieure, on the Atlantic, 120 miles N. by W. of Bordeaux. The chief buildings are the cathedral, town hall, exchange, courts of justice, hospital, arsenal, and a public library. The harbor is easil easily accessible and commodious. The roadstead is protected by the islands of Ré and Oléron. La Rochelle has an extensive trade in wines, brandies, and colonial produce. In the religious wars it was long a Protestant stronghold. It stood an eight months' siege in 1572, but was forced works. Among them: "The Depraved to surrender by famine after a year's siege
What Has Changed in the Last Century
Aiton's called La Rochelle in 1910 "one of the strongly fortified ports of France" with about 30,000 people; the commune now holds roughly 75,000 and its defences are tourist attractions rather than military works. The Charente-Inférieure that Collier's named as its department was renamed Charente-Maritime in 1941, and by then the Germans had built a concrete U-boat base at nearby La Pallice; La Rochelle was among the last German-held pockets in France, surrendering only in May 1945, which spared the medieval harbour towers the old accounts admired. Trade in oysters, salt and brandy has been overtaken by grain and bulk shipping at La Pallice, by tourism, and by the Port des Minimes marina, one of the largest yacht harbours in Europe. A university was founded in the city in 1993.
Written for this edition, 2026.