The first written trace of the city was found in 558 as "Leodicum" or "Vicus Leodicus". From 717, Liege was made the seat of a bishopric and became a cultural centre in the Middle Ages. These bishops ruled the city as Prince-Bishops until the 1790s. In the French Revolution, the cathedral was damaged, partially burned down and then completely detroyed. In the 19th century, the city lived on coal-mining, steel industry and trade. The region was the second biggest economic center in Europe after the UK in the 19th century.