It was supposed to become a common fortification for defending the city from the side of Saint Antoine suburb. At first, the fortress was used for this very purpose. Though the enemies did not approach, the royal family would often take advantage of Bastille’s thick walls, as the people of Paris were active in organizing riots. The first prisoner – Jacques d’Armagnac Duke of Nemours accused in conspiring against Louis XI – was put to Bastille in 1476. The process started gaining traction. The list of Bastille’s prisoners includes the legendary Man in Iron Mask, Voltaire and even the volumes of French encyclopedia. The total number of inmates is unknown, as the rich archive of the fortress, a dream of historians, was plundered and destroyed during the revolutionary assault.