French Royal History

Book Categories: Royalty, Medieval, Franks, Charlemagne, Holy Roman Empire, Hundred Years' War, Joan of Arc, Louis XI, 16th-18th Centuries, Marguerite of Navarre, Henri II, Bourbons, Henry IV, Queen Margot, Louis XIV, Louis XV, Marie Antoinette, Revolution, End of Monarchy, Napoleon, Burgundy, Corsica, Palaces, Books in French, DVDs, European Royalty

French Royalty & History

Fleur de Lys: The Kings and Queens of France by Joy Law. Collection of anecotes about French kings and queens, from Hugh Capet to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. With 127 illustrations, eight in full color. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

The Fleurs de Lis of the Kings of France, 1285-1488. by William Hinkle. French royal heraldry and genealogy. Out of print, but sometimes available from AbeBooks.

The Valois: Kings of France 1328-1589 by Robert Knecht. The house of Valois ruled France for 250 years, playing a crucial role in its establishment as a major European power.

The Cambridge Illustrated History of France by Colin Jones. A basic introduction to French history.

France: An Illustrated History by Lisa Neal. Outlines French history from prehistoric times to the present.

That Sweet Enemy: The French and the British From the Sun King to the Present by Robert and Isabelle Tombs. About the relationship between Britain and France. Their rivalry set the pattern of European imperialism, and their interaction did much to create the identity and culture of both.

The Devil in the Holy Water, or the Art of Slander From Louis XIV to Napoleon by Robert Darnton. How slander helped to delegitimize French regimes and bring down governments.

Theorizing the Ideal Sovereign: The Rise of the French Vernacular Royal Biography by Daisy Delogu. Examines the ways in which biographical writings on kings could advance precise political aims.

Ritual, Ceremony and the Changing Monarchy in France, 1350-1789 by Lawrence M. Bryant. Collection of articles exploring images of the French monarchy in ceremonies created by townspeople and officials.

More Books About French Coronations

Medieval Monarchy

Capetian France 987-1328 by Elizabeth Hallam and Judith Everard. The history of France from Hugh Capet to Charles IV.

Capetian Women edited by Kathleen D. Nolan. Essays about the women of the Capetian royal dynasty in France, uncovering their influence in social, religious, cultural, and political spheres.

Capetians: Kings of France, 987-1314 by Jim Bradbury. Throws light on medieval France and the development of European monarchy.

Queens in Stone and Silver by Kathleen Nolan. The creation of a visual imagery of queenship in Capetian France.

Feudal Monarchy in France and England by Charles Petit-Dutaillis.

Ermengard of Narbonne and the World of the Troubadours by Fredric L. Cheyette. In the 12th century France's territories included Occitania, the present-day province of Languedoc. The city of Narbonne was a center of Occitanian culture. For most of the second half of the 12th century, it was ruled by a remarkable viscountess, Ermengard. This is a biography of an extraordinary warrior woman and a unique, doomed society.

The Man Who Believed He Was King of France: A True Medieval Tale by Tommaso di Carpegna Falconieri, translated by William McCuaig. In 1354, the dictator of Rome told Giannino di Guccio, son of a merchant, that he was in fact the lost heir to Louis X. Convinced, Giannino claimed the name King Jean I and set out to prove his identity.

Henry V and the Conquest of France 1416-53 by Paul Knight and Mike Chappell is a military history of English king Henry V's three-year campaign against France's Charles VI.

Queen's Mate: Three Women of Power in France on the Eve of the Renaissance by Pauline Matarasso is about Anne of France, daughter of French king Louis XI; Anne of Brittany, wife of Charles VIII and Louis XII; and Louise of Savoy, mother of King Francis I.

The Likeness of the King: A Prehistory of Portraiture in Late Medieval France by Stephen Perkinson. Through an examination of well-known images of kings, as well as objects such as royal seals, Perkinson demonstrates that these images do not constitute a revolutionary break with the past, but continued representational traditions.

The Rebel Princess: A Novel of Suspense by Judith Koll Healey. Paris, 1207. Princess Alaïs, sister of King Philippe II of France, wants to settle down with her lover, William of Caen, but intrigue is afoot in the palace.

Books About the Franks
Books About Charlemagne
Books About Eleanor of Aquitaine

Louis IX

Saint Louis by Jacques Le Goff, translated by Gareth Evan Gollrad. Biography of King Louis IX of France (1214-1270) the central figure of Christendom in the 13th century.

Isabelle of France: Capetian Sanctity and Franciscan Identity in the Thirteenth Century by Sean L. Field. Daughter of French queen Blanche of Castile and sister of King Louis IX, Isabelle of France (1225-1270) founded the Franciscan abbey of Longchamp and helped create an aura of sanctity around the French royal family.

The Life of Isabelle of France by Agnes of Harcourt, edited by Sean L. Field. The author, Agnes of Harcourt, was abbess of Longchamp, an abbey founded by Isabelle.

The Hundred Years' War

The Hundred Years War: The English in France 1337-1453 by Desmond Seward. Brings to life the intrigues, heroics, and royal to-the-death fighting of the legendary conflict.

The Flower of Chivalry: Bertrand du Guesclin and the Hundred Years War by Richard Vernier. A poor Breton squire, Du Geusclin became a knight, fought from Normandy to Andalusia, was taken captive, and was finally victorious over such famed adversaries as the Black Prince. He won a dukedom in Spain. His body was laid to rest among kings in the royal basilica of Saint-Denis.

French Armies of the Hundred Years War: 1328-1429 by David Nicolle. A look at the uniforms, equipment, and history of the war from the Osprey Men-at-Arms series.

Books About England's Plantagenet Kings
Books About England's Lancastrian Kings
More Books About the Hundred Years' War

Charles VII and Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc: Her Story by Regine Pernoud and Marie-Veronique Clin, translated by Jeremy Duquesnay Adams. Biography of the peasant girl who led an army against the English and placed Charles VII on the French throne. The authors make extensive use of contemporary documents that bring to life the turbulent political scene in which Joan operated as well as her forceful personality. (Review © Amazon.com)

Joan of Arc: The Warrior Saint by Stephen W. Richey. Drawing on eyewitness accounts, this book analyzes Joan's military career.

Joan of Arc by Mary Gordon. A brief biography.

Joan of Arc: In Her Own Words translated by Willard R. Trask. An autobiography compiled from transcripts of Joan's trials.

The King's Women by Deryn Lake. This novel tells the story of King Charles VII of France and the women who inspired and loved him.

Joan of Arc by Mark Twain. Great American author Twain spent 12 years researching this novel, and considered it his best work.

Beyond the Myth: The Story of Joan of Arc by Polly Schoyer Brooks. A biography for young adult readers.

Books About Charles VII
Books About Charles VII's Mistress, Agnes Sorel

Louis XI

Louis XI: The Universal Spider by Paul Murray Kendall. The author of this biography says Louis XI, who lived in the 15th century, has been maligned and does not deserve his reputation as the "spider king." Out of print, but available at Alibris.

The Spider King by Lawrence Schoonover. Novel about 15th century French king Louis XI, first published in 1954. Hated by his father, young Louis is a resolute dreamer who sees the nation's way to greatness.

16th, 17th, & 18th Centuries

The Bourbons: The History of a Dynasty by J. H. Shennan. Henry IV, king of Gascony, became king of France after the murder of the last Valois in 1589. The French Revolution of 1789 brought about the fall of the Bourbon monarchy, but they returned to power for 15 years after 1815.

Godfather of the Revolution: The Life of Philippe Egalité, Duc d'Orleans by Tom Ambrose. Biography of the royal family member who funded the French Revolution and had a long-running feud with Marie Antoinette. His son Louis-Philippe became the last king of France.

Perilous Performances: Gender and Regency in Early Modern France by Katherine Crawford. About three women who reigned for child kings: Catherine de Medicis, Marie de Medicis, and Anne of Austria.

Vienna and Versailles: The Courts of Europe's Dynastic Rivals, 1550-1780 by Jeroen Duindam. Recreates the lives of courtiers and servants of the imperial court in Vienna and the royal court in Paris-Versailles from the 16th to the 18th century.

Rulership in France, 15th-17th Centuries by Ralph E. Giesey.

The Society of Princes: The Lorraine-Guise and the Conservation of Power and Wealth in Seventeenth-Century France by Jonathan Spangler. An examination of relations between the crown and French nobility in the era of absolutism.

The Jesuits and the Monarchy: Catholic Reform and Political Authority in France, 1590-1615 by Eric Nelson. Looks at how the Jesuits became an influential feature of the French church, and their relationship with the monarchy.

Marguerite of Navarre

The Power and Patronage of Marguerite De Navarre by Barbara Stephenson. Marguerite of Navarre was the sister of French king Francis I and the wife of Henry II of Navarre. This is a study of Marguerite's political life.

The Pleasure of Discernment: Marguerite de Navarre as Theologian by Carol Thysell. Margaret of Navarre was a writer and the patron of Rabelais and other literary figures.

The Heptameron by Marguerite De Navarre. Believed to be the work of Margaret of Navarre, this book is located in the tradition of the Decameron: a collection of bawdy, romantic, and spiritual stories that offer a surprisingly immediate picture of life in sophisticated 16th century France.

The Humor of Marguerite De Navarre in the Heptameron: A Feminist Author Before Her Time by John Parkin. Marguerite's satiric short-story collection, the Heptameron, used stock medieval comic patterns.

King's Sister: Queen of Dissent by A. Reid. About French royal Marguerite of Navarre (1492-1549) and her evangelical network.

Henri II & Catherine of Medici

The Serpent and the Moon: Two Rivals for the Love of a Renaissance King by Princess Michael of Kent. About French king Henri II. The author is the wife of Britain's Prince Michael of Kent.

Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Frieda. Poisoner, despot, necromancer: the stain on the name of Catherine de Medici is centuries old. This critically hailed biography reveals the unjustly maligned queen as a skilled ruler battling against extraordinary odds.

Courtesan: A Novel by Diane Haeger. At King François I's bawdy court, widow Diane de Poitiers becomes involved in one of the most legendary romances in French history.

The Devil's Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici by Jeanne Kalogridis. Married to a handsome prince of France but overshadowed by his mistress, Catherine resorts to sorcery to win her husband's love and keep her sons on the throne.

About Catherine De Medici by Honore De Balzac. Fiction by a great 19th century novelist.

Children's Books About Catherine De Medici

Catherine De Medici and the Protestant Reformation by Nancy Whitelaw. Biography for children ages 9 to 12.

Catherine De Medici: The Power Behind the French Throne by Barbara A. Somervill. Biography for children ages 9 to 12.

Duchessina: A Novel of Catherine de' Medici by Carolyn Meyer. Fiction for young adult readers. Engaged to a boy who is cold and aloof, young Catherine needs all the cunning she can muster to become one of France's most powerful queens.

Henry IV

Henri IV of France: His Reign and Age by Vincent J. Pitts. An unwelcome heir to the throne, Henri ruled a kingdom plagued by instability. Before his assassination in 1610 he pacified his warring country and reclaimed France's power in Europe.

Blood and Religion: The Conscience of Henri IV, 1553-1593 by Ronald S. Love. Examines the king's strong religious beliefs and the profound effect they had on him.

Henry IV and the Towns: The Pursuit of Legitimacy in French Urban Society, 1589-1610 by S. Annette Finley-Croswhite. By reopening the lines of communication between the crown and the towns, Henry IV strengthened the French monarchy.

Henry of Navarre: The King Who Dared by Hesketh Pearson. A 1963 biography of the king who united France after the hideous blood-letting of the religious wars. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

The First Bourbon: Henry IV, King of France and Navarre by Desmond Seward. Biography. Out of print, but sometimes available from Alibris.

Queen Jeanne and the Promised Land by David Bryson. Jeanne d'Albret, queen of Navarre, was the mother of King Henry IV.

Young Henry of Navarre by Heinrich Mann. Classic German literary novel about French king Henry IV.

Henry, King of France by Heinrich Mann. This sequel to Young Henry of Navarre continues the life story of French king Henry IV.

Queen Margot

Memoirs of Marguerite de Valois by Margeurite de Valois. Born in 1553, Margaret of Valois (also known as Queen Margot) was the daughter of French king Henry II. She married King Henry IV but became estranged from him and led her own scandalous personal life.

Queen Margot or Marguerite De Valois by Alexandre Dumas. Novel about Margaret of Valois. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

Queen Margot: The Age of Innocence by Derenne. A graphic novel (comic book) set in 16th century France.

Queen Margot: The Bloody Wedding by Derenne. Graphic novel about the 16th century queen of France and Navarre.

(Scroll down to the Video section for a movie about Queen Margot.)

Louis XIII

The Figure of Louis XIII in Modern French Literature: From The Three Musketeers to the Fortune De France by Michael G. Paulson and Tamara Alvarez-Detrell. A history of divergent literary portrayals of the French king.

Louis XIV and His Family

Books About Louis XIV
Books About the Man in the Iron Mask

Louis XV and His Mistresses

Louis XV: 1724-1757 by Jules Michelet. Biography of the French king.

Louis the Beloved: The Life of Louis XV by Olivier Bernier.

Madame de Pompadour by Evelyne Lever, translated by Catherine Temerson. Despite her bourgeois origins, Madame de Pompadour became the most influential mistress of Louis XV. This biography traces the friendship between the king and his favorite, and the far-reaching implications -- both personal and political -- of their relationship.

Madame de Pompadour: Mistress of France by Christine Pevitt Algrant. Biography of the self-made woman who rose from anonymity to become King Louis XV's mistress and ultimately an indispensable, albeit officially unacknowledged, head of state.

Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford. A classic biography.

Madame du Barry: The Wages of Beauty by Joan Haslip. Biography. Born the illegitimate daughter of a monk and a seamstress, Madame du Barry rose from poverty to become King Louis XV's official mistress.

Memoirs of the Comtesse du Barry by Baron Etienne Lamothe-Langon. Madame du Barry was a mistress of Louis XV. This is a fictional account of her life.

If the King Only Knew: Seditious Speech in the Reign of Louis XV by Lisa Jane Graham examines the attitudes of 18th century French citizens toward the monarchy.

Philippe, Duc D'Orleans: Regent of France by Christine Pevitt. Biography of the rake who served as regent during the childhood of King Louis XV. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

More Books About King Louis XV

Louis XVI

Books About Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette
Books About the French Revolution

The Bonapartes

Books About Napoleon I
Books About Empress Josephine
More Books About the Bonapartes

Last Years of French Monarchy

Paris Between Empires: Monarchy and Revolution 1814-1852 by Philip Mansel. Tells the story of the golden age between the defeat of Napoleon I to the proclamation of his nephew as Emperor Napoleon III. During this time, three kings reigned: Louis XVIII, Charles X, and Louis-Philippe. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

France and 1848: The End of Monarchy by William Fortescue. Examines the revolution of 1848, offering new interpretations of events leading up to Louis Philippe's overthrow.

The Rebellious Duchess: The Adventures of the Duchess of Berri and Her Attempt to Overthrow French Monarchy by Paul F. S. Dermoncourt. Princess Marie Caroline of Naples and Sicily married the Duke of Berry, nephew of King Louis XVIII, shortly after the second restoration of the Bourbon monarchy. She fled the country in 1830 during the July Revolution, but returned to France to lead an uprising which soon turned sour.

Rewriting the French Revolutionary Tradition: Liberal Opposition and the Fall of the Bourbon Monarchy by R. S. Alexander. Analyzes relations among the Liberal Opposition, ultra-royalists, and the state during the Bourbon Restoration and early July Monarchy.

Playing at Monarchy: Sport as Metaphor in Nineteenth-Century France by Corry Cropper. How sports and games (tennis, fencing, bullfighting, chess, trictrac, hunting, and the Olympics) were metaphorically used to praise and mock class and political power structures.

In the Court of the Pear King: French Culture and the Rise of Realism by Sandy Petrey. In 1831, a caricature of French king Louis-Philippe as a pear became a national obsession. Meanwhile, French fiction concentrated on society's power to declare an individual a nonperson or to make plenitude out of emptiness.

The French Experience From Republic to Monarchy, 1792-1824: New Dawns in Politics, Knowledge and Culture edited by Maire F. Cross and David Williams. Essays on feminism, politics and theater, revolution and counter-revolution, patronage, medicine, music, science, and more. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

Louis XVIII by Philip Mansel. Louis XVIII is often considered a weak, greedy nonentity. In this biography, Mansel sets out to prove that he deserves better. From Alibris.

The Duchess of Berry and the Court of Charles X by Imbert De Saint-Amand.

More Books About King Charles X
Books About King Louis-Philippe
Books About Napoleon III

Palaces and Castles

Books About French Royal Palaces

Burgundy

Robert the Burgundian and the Counts of Anjou, Ca. 1025-1098 by W. Scott Jessee.

Philip the Bold: The Formation of the Burgundian State by Richard Vaughan. A biography of Philip, and a study of the emergence of the Burgundian state under his aegis, 1384-1404. New edition.

John the Fearless: The Growth of Burgundian Power by Richard Vaughan. New light on the aims and personality of the second duke (including his "infernal pact" and assassination), who ruled from 1404-1419.

Philip the Good: The Apogee of Burgundy by Richard Vaughan. Philip (ruled 1419-1467) inherited a flourishing and virtually independent state and a policy of territorial expansion which made him one of the most powerful and influential rules of the 15th century.

Charles the Bold: The Last Valois Duke of Burgundy by Richard Vaughan. An assessment of Charles's personality and his role as ruler (1467-1477), discussing his relationship with his subjects and his neighbors.

Charles the Bold and Italy, 1467-1477: Politics and Personnel by R. J. Walsh. Examines the duke's military, diplomatic, and economic relations with the subcontinent.

Splendour of the Burgundian Court: Charles the Bold (1433-1477) edited by Susan Marti, Till-Holger Borchert, and Gabriele Keck. Essays and full-color illustrations of objects from an exhibition on Charles the Bold. (Exhibition catalog)

Golden Age of Burgundy: The Magnificent Dukes and Their Courts by Joseph L. Calmette. Four dukes -- Philip the Bold, John the Fearless, Philip the Good, and Charles the Rash -- ruled Burgundy in its golden age and dared challenge the power of France. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

Margaret of York, Duchess of Burgundy

Margaret of York: The Diabolical Duchess by Christine Weightman. An illustrated biography of the woman who tried to overthrow the Tudors.

Daughter of York by Anne Easter Smith. Fictional account of the life of Margaret of York, sister of English kings Edward IV and Richard III, who married Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy.

Corsica

Lonely Planet Corsica by Jean-Bernard Carillet and Miles Roddis. This travel guide includes a chapter on the history of Corsica

The King of Corsica by Michael Kleeberg, translated by David Dollenmayer. Novel based on the true story of Theodor von Neuhoff, an impoverished 18th century aristocrat who became a double agent and in 1736 had himself proclaimed king by the Corsicans.

Books in French

Mémoires D'exil et de Combats (Memories of Exile and War) by Henri, Comte de Paris. Published in 1979, this book was written by French prince Henri d'Orleans, Count of Paris (1908-1999). Available from AbeBooks.

Search Alibris for Books in French

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Movies and Documentaries

These DVDs are formatted for North American audiences.

Queen Margot starring Isabelle Adjani. A 1995 movie based on the Alexandre Dumas novel about the wife of Henry IV of France, who went to war against her husband and her brother, Henry III.

DVDs About Queen Margot
DVDs About the Man in the Iron Mask
DVDs About Marie Antoinette
DVDs About Napoleon
DVDs About Charlemagne
World Royalty Movies & Documentaries