- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
Vincent J. Pitts chronicles the life and times of one of France's most remarkable kings in the first English-language biography of Henri IV to be published in twenty-five years. An unwelcome heir to the throne, Henri ruled over a kingdom plagued by religious civil war and political and economic instability. By the end of his reign in 1610 he had pacified his warring country, restored its prosperity, and reclaimed France's place as a leading power in Europe. Pitts draws upon the rich scholarship of recent decades to tell the captivating story of this pivotal French king.
From boyhood, Henri was destined to be leader and protector of the Huguenot movement in France. He served as chief of the Calvinist party and fought for the Huguenot forces in the bloody Wars of Religion before an extraordinary sequence of dynastic mishaps left the Protestant warlord next in line for the French crown. Henri was forced to renounce his faith in support of his claim to the Catholic throne and to unite his deeply divided country. A master of political maneuvering, Henri restored order to a country in the throes of great religious, political, and economic upheaval. He was assassinated in 1610 by a Catholic zealot.
Vincent Pitts expertly recounts this history and skillfully untangles its complex set of personalities and events. Pitts engages the vast amount of literature relating to the king himself as well as the large body of recent scholarship on France during this time. The result is a fascinating biography of a French king and a comprehensive history of sixteenth-century France.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- 1 “The Guilt and Ambition of Her Great Men,” 1553–1562
- 2 “The Glory of God, the Service of the King, and the Duty of His Blood,” 1563–1572
- 3 “Little Trust in His Constancy,” 1572–1577
- 4 “Vigor of Body, Liveliness of Spirit, and Almost Incomparable Valor,” 1578–1584
- 5 “All of France Now in Arms,” 1584–1589
- 6 “The Hallmarks of Our Kings,” 1589–1593
- 7 “The Liberator and Restorer of the State,” 1594–1597
- 8 “The Extreme Need of My People for Peace,” 1597–1600
- 9 “Such a Happy Change,” 1598–1609
- 10 “A Lack of Good Faith,” 1598–1609
- 11 “The Grandeur and Power of the House of Austria,” 1606–1610
- 12 “The Captain, and the Most Excellent of Us All,” May 1610
- Appendix: Genealogical Tables
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
- Photo Section