The Rise and Fall of Renaissance France

by Robert J. Knecht

The history of Renaissance France is rich and varied.

The Renaissance in France, as elsewhere in Europe, saw glory crowned amidst conflict and squalor. At the beginning of the sixteenth century, France seemed set to become the most powerful nation of Europe, but as the century ebbed so did her fortunes. In between, during a century of more or less permanent combat which murdered the dreams, comforts and relatives of many Frenchmen and saw a soaring economy shot down, some of the greatest building, painting and thinking to come out of the whole European Renaissance was being done. Sixteenth-century France was a colourful, confusing and often downright fatal habitat, and we moderns might profitably look on the complexity of its successes and failures, to which Prefessor Knect is a matchlessly illuminating and genial guide.

Kindle edition is text only (no illustration).

Genres: History, France, Nonfiction, Renaissance, Historical

546 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 28, 2002

About the author

Robert Jean Knecht was 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 was Reviews Editor of the journal French History and was a member of its editorial board. He was also Chairman of the Society for Renaissance Studies and Chairman of the Society for French History. He was 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.

Reviews

[Jonathan]

France in the 15th century changed beyond all recognition as a result of improved administration, steady growth and a series of effective kings, give or take a Louis or two. A very detailed political narrative, this book is a refreshing return to history as it should be taught. And a great, if somewhat dense, read as well.

[Lynda]

Perhaps the best of the books that I have studied on renaissance France. Highly recommended if you are interested in that period.

[Kevin Christiansen]

An enjoyable read.

[Elena]

What irritates me most about this book is seeing Knecht’s stupid and outdated assumptions about king Henri IV, Marguerite de Valois and some others being uncritically repeated in other books. This shows how anecdotal images keep being reproduced in books. Only few bother checking primary sources.

[Tony Gualtieri]

An excellent history of a fascinating slice of French history.

[Aidan Checkett]

Really well done and surprisingly engaging. Especially enjoyed the surveys of literature/religion/art throughout the period.