B2. Ermine

Over the years, the weasel’s winter coat, ermine, was very valuable.

Clothes decorated with ermine were an important status symbol for European aristocracy.

Even today ermine is used for fur trimmings on the cloaks of English and French judges.

The picture shows the Sun King, Louis XIV, with a cloak of ermine.

Where did the aristocracy in Europe get the ermine from?