Lille: formerly L'Isle; Flemish, Ryssel. The capital of the department of Nord, and one of the chief cities of France. Lille grew around the castle of Buc in the eleventh century, was fortified by Baldwin IV about 1030, and in the twelfth century had become one of the chief cities of Flanders. Almost from the beginning of the great European struggle of 1914, Lille suffered the rigors of war. During German occupation it was forced to pay a large war tribute. Name derived from L'Isle, "the island."