r of
commerce and a branch of the Bank of France. It also has a lycee for
boys, training-colleges, theological seminaries, a library and a museum
rich in paintings. The old cloth industry is almost extinct. The town
is, however, an important wine-market, and the vineyards of the vicinity
are the chief source of its prosperity, which is enhanced by its port on
the Canal du Midi. Tanning and leather-dressing, distilling, the
manufacture of agricultural implements, furniture and corks, cooperage
and the preparation of preserved fruits, are prominent industries.

Carcassonne occupies the site of _Carcaso_, an ancient city of Gallia
Narbonensis, which belonged to the Volcae Tectosages. It was a place of
some importance at the time of Caesar's invasion, but makes almost no
appearance in Roman history. On the disintegration of the empire, it
fell into the hands of the Visigoths, who, in spite of the attacks of
the Franks, especially in 585, retained possession till 724, when they
were expelled by the Arabs, destined in turn to yield before long to
Pippin the Short. From about 819 to 1082 Carcassonne formed a separate
countship, and from the latter date till 1247 a viscountship. Towards
the end of the 11th century the viscounts of Carcassonne assumed the
style of viscounts of Beziers, which town and its lords they had
dominated since the fall of the Carolingian empire. The viscounty of
Carcassonne, together with that of Beziers, was confiscated to the crown
in 1247, as a result of the part played by the viscount Raymond Roger
against Simon de Montfort in the Albigensian crusade, during which in
1209 the city was taken by the Crusaders (see ALBIGENSES). A revolt of
the city against the royal authority was severely punished in 1262 by
the expulsion of its principal inhabitants, who were, however, permitted
to take up their quarters on the other side of the river. This was the
origin of the new town, which was fortified in 1347. During the
religious wars, Carcassonne several times changed hands, and it did not
recognize Henry IV. till 1596.

See E.E. Viollet-le-Duc, _La Cite de Carcassonne_ (Paris, 1858); L.
Fedie, _Histoire de Carcassonne_ (Carcassonne, 1887).

CARDAMOM, the fruit of several plants of the genera _Elettaria_ and
_Amomum_, belonging to the natural order Zingiberaceae, the principal of
which is _Elettaria Cardamomum_, from which the true officinal or
Malabar cardamom is derived. The Malabar cardamom plan