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Martyrs and Murderers: The Guise Family and the Making of Europe
Hailed as "entertaining" and "nuanced" by The Economist, Martyrs and Murderers tells the story of three generations of treacherous, bloodthirsty power-brokers. One of the richest and most powerful families in sixteenth-century France, the House of Guise played a pivotal role in the history of
Europe. Among the staunchest opponents of the Reformation, they whipped up religious bigotry throughout France. They overthrew the king, ruled Scotland for nearly 20 years through Mary Queen of Scots, plotted to invade England and overthrow Elizabeth I, and ended the century by unleashing the bloody
Wars of Religion, before succumbing in a counter-revolution that made them martyrs for the Catholic cause. The history of the Guise family is sensational but true. Though parts of the story are familiar--such as their crucial role in the murder of 4,000 Protestants in the infamous Massacre of Saint
Bartholomew--the full scope of their influence has never before been told. Stuart Carroll unravels the legends about this cultivated, charismatic, and violent dynasty, and challenges traditional assumptions about one of Europe's most turbulent eras.
Europe. Among the staunchest opponents of the Reformation, they whipped up religious bigotry throughout France. They overthrew the king, ruled Scotland for nearly 20 years through Mary Queen of Scots, plotted to invade England and overthrow Elizabeth I, and ended the century by unleashing the bloody
Wars of Religion, before succumbing in a counter-revolution that made them martyrs for the Catholic cause. The history of the Guise family is sensational but true. Though parts of the story are familiar--such as their crucial role in the murder of 4,000 Protestants in the infamous Massacre of Saint
Bartholomew--the full scope of their influence has never before been told. Stuart Carroll unravels the legends about this cultivated, charismatic, and violent dynasty, and challenges traditional assumptions about one of Europe's most turbulent eras.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published September 3, 2009
20 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
About the author
Stuart Carroll
9 books6 followersStuart Carroll is professor of history at the University of York. He won the J. Russell Major prize of the American Historical Association in 2011 for the best French history book of the year for his Martyrs and Murderers: The Guise Family and the Making of Europe (2009).
Carroll did his BA at the University of Bristol and PhD at the University of London.
Carroll did his BA at the University of Bristol and PhD at the University of London.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 10, 2023
Very dense for its length and full of precise information, this book tells the lives and political careers of the three most important Dukes of Guise: Claude, François, and Henri, and their role as rivals and partners to the House of Valois before and during the Wars of Religion, from the reign of King Francis I to King Henry III of France.
This house, the Guise, are very interesting, and far more influential than most people realise, Carroll argues. I liked the way the author wove the personal lives with the political intrigue and the larger geopolitical context in a readable and entertaining way. But you do need to have at least a passing grasp of 16th century France to get the full picture, because Carroll won't spoon-feed you everything and his tendency to pack so much facts can become a chore. My personal favourite were the chapters dedicated to the last of the greatest & most influential dukes, Henri, he of the War of the Three Henrys, who is a fascinating personage on his own separate from his grandfather and father.
Oh, and of course I'm now even more convinced that Monsieur Dumas' book "Queen Margot" is diminished for not including Henri de Guise as a protagonist instead of that waste of paper and ink La Mole/Coconnas, especially because of Guise's pursuit of Margot and his involvement in St Bartholomew's Day. I mean, according to this book, they even had a Musketeer-esque motto that sounds like straight from Dumas! As the saying goes, real life is stranger than fiction.
This house, the Guise, are very interesting, and far more influential than most people realise, Carroll argues. I liked the way the author wove the personal lives with the political intrigue and the larger geopolitical context in a readable and entertaining way. But you do need to have at least a passing grasp of 16th century France to get the full picture, because Carroll won't spoon-feed you everything and his tendency to pack so much facts can become a chore. My personal favourite were the chapters dedicated to the last of the greatest & most influential dukes, Henri, he of the War of the Three Henrys, who is a fascinating personage on his own separate from his grandfather and father.
Oh, and of course I'm now even more convinced that Monsieur Dumas' book "Queen Margot" is diminished for not including Henri de Guise as a protagonist instead of that waste of paper and ink La Mole/Coconnas, especially because of Guise's pursuit of Margot and his involvement in St Bartholomew's Day. I mean, according to this book, they even had a Musketeer-esque motto that sounds like straight from Dumas! As the saying goes, real life is stranger than fiction.
January 23, 2016
The Guises are a family who may be unfamiliar to some but they were always involved in the web of drama of Reformation-era Europe. In fact, they were often the perpetrators spinning this intrigue. There is more to this family than just the Cardinal of Lorraine or Marie de Guise. Stuart Carroll explores this notorious family in, “Martyrs and Murderers: The Guise Family and the Making of Europe”.
“Martyrs and Murderers” is not a single-figure biography and instead presents an overall portrait of the machinations of the Guise family. Although somewhat chronological, the text also follows a sort of subject-by-subject compartmentalized view. The onslaught of information (names of Guise family members, dates, events, etc) is immediate and doesn’t slow down. This can definitely overwhelm the reader especially those unfamiliar with the time period. If Carroll was verbally narrating the text, he probably wouldn’t take a breath; there is just that much information. This makes the content within “Martyrs and Murderers” difficult to retain.
The focus of “Martyrs and Murderers” is predominately a political one so don’t expect too much of a social, psychological, or personal view of the Guises. Despite this, the research is strong and not only does Carroll offer much overlooked information but also really solidifies his thesis on how/why the Guises gained power but without including too many author/personal biases.
There are moments where Carroll attempts to decode the thoughts behind the actions of the Guises. He admits to this not being a general scholarly tact but proceeds with intelligent and rational deciphering which is lawyer-like and quite logical adding intrigue to “Martyrs and Murderers”.
The biggest blunder of “Martyrs and Murderers” is its cluster and choppiness. Not only does Carroll often stray from his discussion points but the entire book goes back-and-forth chronologically so that on one page it’s one year and certain key figures are alive but then they are dead and then alive again. It is extremely difficult to keep track of information making the text clumsy and a struggle to read.
On a positive note, however, Carroll’s view of the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre is well-rounded and invigorating in comparison to other texts. Carroll’s explanation is easy-to-understand while diving deeper into theories and darker angles opening up the history.
The concluding chapters feel slightly rushed but the final chapter is emotionally-charged and memorable. This is followed by several maps and genealogical tables (although this would serve better in the beginning of the text). Carroll also includes some titles for further reading, notes, and a section of black and white photo plates.
“Martyrs and Murderers” is a tough nut to crack as the amount of information included is overwhelming both in content and presentation and the material is choppy making it difficult to digest and retain. Yet, Carroll does provide some unique insight into the Guises and there aren’t that many books revolving solely around the family. Taking that into consideration, “Martyrs and Murderers” is only suggested for readers genuinely interested in the Guises versus just those interested simply in this time period of history.
“Martyrs and Murderers” is not a single-figure biography and instead presents an overall portrait of the machinations of the Guise family. Although somewhat chronological, the text also follows a sort of subject-by-subject compartmentalized view. The onslaught of information (names of Guise family members, dates, events, etc) is immediate and doesn’t slow down. This can definitely overwhelm the reader especially those unfamiliar with the time period. If Carroll was verbally narrating the text, he probably wouldn’t take a breath; there is just that much information. This makes the content within “Martyrs and Murderers” difficult to retain.
The focus of “Martyrs and Murderers” is predominately a political one so don’t expect too much of a social, psychological, or personal view of the Guises. Despite this, the research is strong and not only does Carroll offer much overlooked information but also really solidifies his thesis on how/why the Guises gained power but without including too many author/personal biases.
There are moments where Carroll attempts to decode the thoughts behind the actions of the Guises. He admits to this not being a general scholarly tact but proceeds with intelligent and rational deciphering which is lawyer-like and quite logical adding intrigue to “Martyrs and Murderers”.
The biggest blunder of “Martyrs and Murderers” is its cluster and choppiness. Not only does Carroll often stray from his discussion points but the entire book goes back-and-forth chronologically so that on one page it’s one year and certain key figures are alive but then they are dead and then alive again. It is extremely difficult to keep track of information making the text clumsy and a struggle to read.
On a positive note, however, Carroll’s view of the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre is well-rounded and invigorating in comparison to other texts. Carroll’s explanation is easy-to-understand while diving deeper into theories and darker angles opening up the history.
The concluding chapters feel slightly rushed but the final chapter is emotionally-charged and memorable. This is followed by several maps and genealogical tables (although this would serve better in the beginning of the text). Carroll also includes some titles for further reading, notes, and a section of black and white photo plates.
“Martyrs and Murderers” is a tough nut to crack as the amount of information included is overwhelming both in content and presentation and the material is choppy making it difficult to digest and retain. Yet, Carroll does provide some unique insight into the Guises and there aren’t that many books revolving solely around the family. Taking that into consideration, “Martyrs and Murderers” is only suggested for readers genuinely interested in the Guises versus just those interested simply in this time period of history.
January 19, 2013
The legend of the Guise family portrays them as ultra-Catholic radicals who stoked the civil war in France. Stuart Carroll goes a long way to modify this image. The Guise family certainly wielded major power through the church, as several generations of younger sons became cardinals who acquired an enormous income through the collection of numerous benefices, a practice frowned on by the reformation and counter-reformation alike. But despite that, many Guises were moderate in their religious practice, and far from die-hard conservatives. If the Guises contributed to the civil war, it was because of their thirst for power, not their religious radicalism. And, in the case of the Duke Henri, a thirst for revenge, as he held Coligny and the Montmorency clan responsible for the murder of his father.
This is a story of hubris, of a clan who aspired to royal power and got very close to it, but lost everything by their political recklessness. It is generally well written but would have benefitted from more thorough review and editing, because some annoying grammatical errors disrupt the flow of the text. It is also a book full of intrigue, conspiracy and war, and it is easy to be confused by this array of French nobles, with their extended families, inherited titles, and complicated links by marriage. But if one is reduced to wondering what side a particular personage was really on, this probably only replicates how people felt in the 16th century.
This is a story of hubris, of a clan who aspired to royal power and got very close to it, but lost everything by their political recklessness. It is generally well written but would have benefitted from more thorough review and editing, because some annoying grammatical errors disrupt the flow of the text. It is also a book full of intrigue, conspiracy and war, and it is easy to be confused by this array of French nobles, with their extended families, inherited titles, and complicated links by marriage. But if one is reduced to wondering what side a particular personage was really on, this probably only replicates how people felt in the 16th century.
March 4, 2017
This history of the Guise family is really (and not surprisingly) a history of two generations: Francis, 2d Duke of Guise and his siblings (mostly his brothers) and his son, Henri, and his siblings (again, mostly his family). Francis and Henri are famous, of course, as the Dukes of Guise, who, along with their younger brothers, the Cardinals of Lorraine and Guise, respectively, are associated with the rise of the ultra-Catholic party in 16th C. France and the French civil wars, part of the larger religious wars that swept Europe during the Reformation/Counter-Reformation periods.
If you do not have a working knowledge of the history of the French civil wars, you will find it difficult to make sense of the narrative. Carroll (a very engaging writer) starts with the Massacre at Wassy, when Francis and his troops killed Huguenots who were attending a worship service in a town near his ancestral residence. Wassy is a flashpoint that many consider to be the starting point of the military conflict (there had been a great deal of conflict in the preceding years that had largely been contained to political disputes). Carroll then moves back in time to describe the rise of Francis' father, Claude, and the influence of his formidable mother, Antoinette de Bourbon. Even as Carroll largely employs a chronological approach to the family's history, there is still a fair amount of "flash forwards" and "flash backs." These chronological shifts are due to Carroll's fidelity to the themes of his history.
The key themes are the family unity of the Guises (a clan mentality, as described by Carroll), and the ways in which that unity contributes to their rise; the weakening of such unity contributes to their downfall. Another theme is Carroll's rejection of the "Black Legend" of the Guises--the idea that they were ultra-Catholics who persecuted Huguenots and plunged France into the catastrophic civil wars--and, eventually, the St. Bartholomew's massacre--all for the sake of their religious fanaticism.
To eludicate these themes, Carroll makes certain narrative choices that eschew a chronological approach. To demonstrate that Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine (and Francis' brother) was really a religious moderate--and open to a confessional and political solution along the lines of the Confession and Peace of Augsburg--Carroll spends a chapter narrating his attempts to reconcile Huguenot and Catholic differences, including his attempts to moderate the Council of Trent, establish a Gallican council, and create a French version of the Confession of Augsburg, which he clearly hoped would lead to a French Peace of Augsburg. In order to focus on the Cardinal's efforts, Carroll ignores certain other developments involving Francis, and must thus circle back in a later chapter to tell Francis' story for the same time period. Because Carroll doesn't clearly indicate these transitions (there's no, "While Charles was in Rome, Francis was . . . ."), it can be confusing to the reader, especially one that doesn't have at least a decent understanding of events during this time.
Carroll mostly succeeds in his aims, though, at times, it feels that he may be overlooking Guise influence in order to dismantle the black legend. Carroll persuaded me that the Guises were motivated largely, and maybe even entirely, by their own dynastic ambitions, but I am not convinced that they were as innocent of the St. Bartholomew's Massacre as Carroll suggests. Certainly, the author does a terrific job laying out an alternative explanation for what happened--that Coligny became a target not because of the Guises' desire for revenge or Catherine de Medici's jealousy of his ascendency over her son, Charles IX, but, instead, because of his intent to lead troops to support the Protestant Netherlands. If Carroll is correct, then the responsibility for the attempt on Coligny's life, and the subsequent assassination and massacre, is probably most attributable to the crown. But Carroll depicts Henri (now the duke, following his father's death in the early stages of the civil wars) as being largely on the periphery of events, which I don't quite buy (but maybe I've been prejudiced by the black legend!).
Carroll is best at telling the history of Francis and Charles, and the ways in which their relationship (and the relationship of everyone in that generation) supported the Guise's rise. I don't think he's quite as good at telling the history of the second generation, and that may be because Henri and his brothers didn't rise to power at the same time (Charles survived his brother, Francis, by 9 years, and Francis was only 13 when his father died), so they came to prominence at different times. In light of the leading figure Henri's brother, Charles, Duke of Mayenne, became, it would have been nice to have had more of a sense of him, including his differences from Henri.
The history ends with Henri's assassination by the king's guards. There is an epilogue that is supposed to trace the subsequent history of the family, but it is more confusing than elucidating. Once again, Carroll skips ahead in time--this time by 60 years to tell of Henri's grandson's futile attempt to reclaim the crown of Naples. After spending some time on that generation of the family, Carroll leaps back to tell the story of Henri's funeral and, several years later, the collapse of the Catholic League. In doing so, he ignores the history of the Guise family--as personified by Charles, Duke of Mayenne (Henri's brother)--and how the family ultimately reconciled itself to the accession of Henry IV (formerly Henry of Navarre). I did find this epilogue to be a very weak conclusion to an overall engrossing history of the rise and (to a certain extent) subsequent fall of the Guise family.
If you do not have a working knowledge of the history of the French civil wars, you will find it difficult to make sense of the narrative. Carroll (a very engaging writer) starts with the Massacre at Wassy, when Francis and his troops killed Huguenots who were attending a worship service in a town near his ancestral residence. Wassy is a flashpoint that many consider to be the starting point of the military conflict (there had been a great deal of conflict in the preceding years that had largely been contained to political disputes). Carroll then moves back in time to describe the rise of Francis' father, Claude, and the influence of his formidable mother, Antoinette de Bourbon. Even as Carroll largely employs a chronological approach to the family's history, there is still a fair amount of "flash forwards" and "flash backs." These chronological shifts are due to Carroll's fidelity to the themes of his history.
The key themes are the family unity of the Guises (a clan mentality, as described by Carroll), and the ways in which that unity contributes to their rise; the weakening of such unity contributes to their downfall. Another theme is Carroll's rejection of the "Black Legend" of the Guises--the idea that they were ultra-Catholics who persecuted Huguenots and plunged France into the catastrophic civil wars--and, eventually, the St. Bartholomew's massacre--all for the sake of their religious fanaticism.
To eludicate these themes, Carroll makes certain narrative choices that eschew a chronological approach. To demonstrate that Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine (and Francis' brother) was really a religious moderate--and open to a confessional and political solution along the lines of the Confession and Peace of Augsburg--Carroll spends a chapter narrating his attempts to reconcile Huguenot and Catholic differences, including his attempts to moderate the Council of Trent, establish a Gallican council, and create a French version of the Confession of Augsburg, which he clearly hoped would lead to a French Peace of Augsburg. In order to focus on the Cardinal's efforts, Carroll ignores certain other developments involving Francis, and must thus circle back in a later chapter to tell Francis' story for the same time period. Because Carroll doesn't clearly indicate these transitions (there's no, "While Charles was in Rome, Francis was . . . ."), it can be confusing to the reader, especially one that doesn't have at least a decent understanding of events during this time.
Carroll mostly succeeds in his aims, though, at times, it feels that he may be overlooking Guise influence in order to dismantle the black legend. Carroll persuaded me that the Guises were motivated largely, and maybe even entirely, by their own dynastic ambitions, but I am not convinced that they were as innocent of the St. Bartholomew's Massacre as Carroll suggests. Certainly, the author does a terrific job laying out an alternative explanation for what happened--that Coligny became a target not because of the Guises' desire for revenge or Catherine de Medici's jealousy of his ascendency over her son, Charles IX, but, instead, because of his intent to lead troops to support the Protestant Netherlands. If Carroll is correct, then the responsibility for the attempt on Coligny's life, and the subsequent assassination and massacre, is probably most attributable to the crown. But Carroll depicts Henri (now the duke, following his father's death in the early stages of the civil wars) as being largely on the periphery of events, which I don't quite buy (but maybe I've been prejudiced by the black legend!).
Carroll is best at telling the history of Francis and Charles, and the ways in which their relationship (and the relationship of everyone in that generation) supported the Guise's rise. I don't think he's quite as good at telling the history of the second generation, and that may be because Henri and his brothers didn't rise to power at the same time (Charles survived his brother, Francis, by 9 years, and Francis was only 13 when his father died), so they came to prominence at different times. In light of the leading figure Henri's brother, Charles, Duke of Mayenne, became, it would have been nice to have had more of a sense of him, including his differences from Henri.
The history ends with Henri's assassination by the king's guards. There is an epilogue that is supposed to trace the subsequent history of the family, but it is more confusing than elucidating. Once again, Carroll skips ahead in time--this time by 60 years to tell of Henri's grandson's futile attempt to reclaim the crown of Naples. After spending some time on that generation of the family, Carroll leaps back to tell the story of Henri's funeral and, several years later, the collapse of the Catholic League. In doing so, he ignores the history of the Guise family--as personified by Charles, Duke of Mayenne (Henri's brother)--and how the family ultimately reconciled itself to the accession of Henry IV (formerly Henry of Navarre). I did find this epilogue to be a very weak conclusion to an overall engrossing history of the rise and (to a certain extent) subsequent fall of the Guise family.
January 21, 2018
A very detailed account of the Guise and their role in the political and religious scene in French history.
June 11, 2025
This is a really great, really balanced study of one of Renaissance France's most important dynasties. It's written in a really engaging way that doesn't veer too far into historical fictionalizing anything, but doesn't read as dry either. This is a super recommend for me for anyone interested in learning more about Renaissance France or the Wars of Religion!
Now, for my less serious review: this family rules. They rule so hard and they suck so hard. I'm obsessed with how they stumbled into almost advocating for France's first constitutional monarchy without ever wanting it. I'd love read a similar volume on women in the family (sisters, mothers, wives, mistresses) someday!
Now, for my less serious review: this family rules. They rule so hard and they suck so hard. I'm obsessed with how they stumbled into almost advocating for France's first constitutional monarchy without ever wanting it. I'd love read a similar volume on women in the family (sisters, mothers, wives, mistresses) someday!
January 30, 2019
Great book.
Easy to read.
A dive into French Aristocracy & Political affairs.
Slightly biased towards Catholics & Guise Family.
Easy to read.
A dive into French Aristocracy & Political affairs.
Slightly biased towards Catholics & Guise Family.
July 29, 2024
I would not recommend this to anyone as a work of popular history.
Read
September 4, 2024An interesting look at the 16th century French court with all of its scheming and drama.
Want to read
January 27, 2026Apres moi, le déluge
June 25, 2016
Mother and uncles to Mary Queen of Scots; architects of the French Wars of Religion, including the infamous massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve, the `black' legend of the de Guise family is the one most known to English readers. Carroll, a professor of Early Modern History, moves beyond that to give us a nuanced portrait of a great French ducal family who rivalled the Valois and the Bourbons to whom they were related.
Despite the lurid title, this is a good academic history of the de Guise family in primarily the sixteenth century. Written with flair, elegance and accessibility, this is also perfectly approachable for a more `popular' audience. With endnotes rather than footnotes, and an excellent bibliographical essay, this provides all the scholarly apparatus students and scholars might need, while keeping it neatly out of the way of the narrative itself.
Despite the lurid title, this is a good academic history of the de Guise family in primarily the sixteenth century. Written with flair, elegance and accessibility, this is also perfectly approachable for a more `popular' audience. With endnotes rather than footnotes, and an excellent bibliographical essay, this provides all the scholarly apparatus students and scholars might need, while keeping it neatly out of the way of the narrative itself.
June 16, 2013
For a person raised with a British view of history, it is fascinating to discover that just as various English monarchs felt they had a claim to the French crown, so some French felt they had had a claim on the English crown.
This book has very nicely completed the back story on a number of people who were minor characters in other books I have read.
This book has very nicely completed the back story on a number of people who were minor characters in other books I have read.
December 18, 2014
Excellent book written almost like a novel.:) It makes an interesting read, though not easy. There are lots of details, and their plentitude constructs the historical context. Which is rich, very well made. It's apparent that the author has both an excellent knowledge of this period of time and writing skills. A relatively unusual combination in scientific books.
Read
July 8, 2016long sentences with confusing pronouns. also, everyone is named Charles, Louis, Henry, or Francis. All in all, an interesting look at a period I don't know much about. Assumes much prior knowledge, particularly of English and Reformation history.
February 4, 2012
I was disappointed with this; the Guise are very fascinating and I learned quite a bit but it was work to make it through the book..
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews