Henri II: His Court and Times (70 page)

The Brood of False Lorraine

The power behind several thrones - and if they were not
behind the throne, they were breathing heavily in the wings, threatening
to unseat its occupant - the Dukes and Cardinals de Guise were a hugely
influential family in 16th and early 17th century France.

The story of this family gives an intimate insight into
the reigns of François I, Henri II, his sons François II (husband of
Mary Queen of Scots), Charles IX and Henri III, and to a lesser extent
that of Henri IV.   

Along the way are detailed accounts of the St
Bartholomew's Day massacre, of the horrors of the French Wars of
Religion, of assassinations, murder and revenge, of plots with England,
Spain and Rome. It's a story of courage and cowardice, of greed and
arrogance. It overlaps with and continues the same author's "Henri II:
His Court and Times"

Memoirs of Henri IV

One of the best loved kings of France, Henri IV brought
a measure of peace, prosperity and strong leadership to a country that
had almost been riven apart under the weak reigns of three of Henri II's
sons: François II, Charles IX and Henri III.

"Our
"
Henri suffered imprisonment and threats
to his life; became a leader of the Protestant forces in the Wars of
Religion; succeeded to the crown of France, but was not widely accepted
until he reverted to his baptismal Catholic faith. He then took firm
control of the administration and revenues that had so disastrously been
abused. Energetic and courageous, intelligent and good-humoured, his
life was cut short by assassination.

Some Account of the Stuarts
of Aubigny in France

The Stuarts of Aubigny, distinguished themselves in all the great French wars of the
15th and 16th centuries and were inseparably connected with the Scots Men-at-Arms and the Scottish Archers of the King's Body Guard, or Scots Guards.
In telling the stories of the 11 successive Seigneurs of Aubigny the author
tells of the gallant deeds of the Scots Guards and Scots Men-at-Arms, of
the relationships between Scotland, France and England, and of some of
the actions of the Lennox family of this period, which includes Matthew
Earl of Lennox, and his son Henry Lord Darnley who married Mary Queen of
Scots.

Blaise de Monluc: Selections from
... the Commentaires

On a fine morning in the early years of the sixteenth
century, a young Gascon mounted upon a Spanish horse, might have been
seen riding forth from his father's estate of Monluc, bound for the
Italian wars. 50 years later, the same adventurer, now a marshal of
France and an ex-Governor of Guyenne, 'maimed by wounds in almost all
his limbs,' sat down to dictate the story of his adventures. A story
long recognised in France as not only a valuable contribution to history
but as one of the best books of adventure that have ever been written. 

The Story of the Chevalier
Bayard

Bayard was the "Galahad" of France - with the difference that Bayard was a historical person. Born in 1476, he became a man-at-arms at
17 and within a year he distinguished himself in his first experience of war. His skills and reputation grew until his presence was regarded by both the French and their adversaries as worth 2000 soldiers.
 
Always first in the attack, and last to retreat, generous and honourable, Bayard became known as
Le chevalier sans peur et sans reproche
(Spotless and Fearless). He was so highly regarded that François I, when he was King, asked Bayard to knight him.  This biography was written three years after his death by someone who had witnessed many of the events it described,
who identified himself only as "The Loyal Servant".

Duelling Stories of the
Sixteenth Century

Pierre de Bourdeille, Seigneur de Brantôme,
(c.1540-1614) was a French soldier who came into contact with many of
the leading soldiers and courtiers of his day. He was an inveterate
gossip, endlessly fascinated by the minutiae of duelling - the
challenges, the weapons, the customs and the laws. Life was cheap, and
many of the anecdotes he relates tell of treachery, deceit and downright
murder.  
  
This is not a manual of sword-fighting, though it contains a
number of illustrations from early manuals, but it is an illuminating
picture of sixteenth century life in France
.

Historical Notes on the
Lennox or Darnley Jewel

The Darnley Jewel was made for Margaret Douglas,
Countess of Lennox, in memory of her husband, Matthew Lennox, killed
while he was Regent for his grandson, James VI of Scotland. This
remarkable Jewel contains 3 large enamelled panels, and 2 smaller hidden
ones, which are packed with allegorical images, verses and mottoes.
Historian Patrick Fraser Tytler undertook this interpretation of the
Jewel's secrets at the command of Queen Victoria.

Lord Herries Memoirs

John Maxwell, Lord Herries in right of his wife Agnes,
was a staunch, though not uncritical, supporter of Mary Queen of Scots
and an eye-witness of many of the key events of the time. He was
described in a letter to Lord Cecil, Secretary to Queen Elizabeth, as "the wysest of the wholle faction . . . the
lykelyest and moost dangerous man to inchaunte you."
 
His
memoirs provide a fascinating view of the motivations and actions of the
principal players in the tragedy of Mary Queen of Scots.

Early Sixteenth Century Lyrics

Thomas Wyatt the elder and Henry Earl of Surrey were leading
lights of English poetry in the early renaissance period. This collection also
includes poems by George Buleyn, W Cornysh, Nicholas Grimoald, Guido Guinicelli,
Rychard Hattfield, Henry VIII, John Heywood, Anthony Lee, Sir Thomas More, Sir
Thomas Phelyppis and Edwarde Somerset.