Today’s shoppers are convinced that France is the home of luxury. But in centuries past, France had to import high-quality goods from afar. Each foreign specialty supplier, from China to Venice, carefully guarded its own precious trade secrets. To obtain this valuable knowledge and hoist France to the pinnacle of Europe’s luxury-goods market, envoys commissioned by the king engaged in all sorts of shenanigans, including espionage, kidnappings, and bribery.