The Valois
2005
First Published
3.59
Average Rating
288
Number of Pages
The house of Valois ruled France for 250 years, playing a crucial role in its establishment as a major European power. When Philip VI came to the throne, in 1328, France was a weak country, with much of its modern area under English rule. Victory in the Hundred Years' War, and the acquisition of Brittany and much of Burgundy, combined with a large population and taxable wealth, made the France of Francis I the only power in Europe capable of rivalling the empire of Charles V. Francis displayed his power by spectacular artistic patronage and aggressive foreign wars. Following the death of Henry II in a tournament, the problems of two royal minorities and the divisive forces of the Reformation led to the temporary eclipse of royal power. When the last Valois, Henry III, was stabbed to death by a Dominican Friar in 1589, the dynasty was already discredited but the monarchy survived intact.
Avg Rating
3.59
Number of Ratings
54
5 STARS
15%
4 STARS
35%
3 STARS
44%
2 STARS
6%
1 STARS
0%
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Author
Robert J. Knecht
Author · 9 books
R.J. Knecht is Emeritus Professor of French History at the University of Birmingham, where he has taught since 1956. A fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a member of the Société de l'Histoire de France, Professor Knecht has been Reviews Editor of the journal 'French History' and is a member of its editorial board. He has also been Chairman of the Society for Renaissance Studies and is currently Chairman of the Society for French History. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance at the University of Warwick. He has also published extensively in the field of French history, his principal work being on the reign of Francis I.
