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The Bourbons: The History of a Dynasty
The House of Bourbon is one of the most historically important European royal houses. Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the sixteenth century and by the eighteenth century members of the dynasty also held thrones in Spain and southern Italy - in fact, the current king of Spain is a Bourbon monarch. This new history of the Bourbons is notable for being both comprehensive yet concise as it charts the rise, fall and rise again of the great French dynasty.
Henry IV, king of Gascony, became king of France after the murder of the last Valois monarch in 1589. The Bourbon rulers who followed, including Louis XIV, the ‘Sun King' and Louis XV reigned during a period when France was the leading military power in Europe and when its arts was dominant. Louis XIV's palace of Versailles epitomised classical French culture and celebrated the power of its creator. France's autocratic government, under which the nobility were largely exempt from taxation, led in the eighteenth century to increasingly severe political and financial strains. The French Revolution of 1789 brought about the fall of the Bourbon monarchy and resulted in the execution of Louis XVI and his wife, Marie-Antoinette. In exile under Napoleon, the Bourbons returned to power for fifteen years after 1815 but never fully re-established their authority. This book tells their fascinating story.
Henry IV, king of Gascony, became king of France after the murder of the last Valois monarch in 1589. The Bourbon rulers who followed, including Louis XIV, the ‘Sun King' and Louis XV reigned during a period when France was the leading military power in Europe and when its arts was dominant. Louis XIV's palace of Versailles epitomised classical French culture and celebrated the power of its creator. France's autocratic government, under which the nobility were largely exempt from taxation, led in the eighteenth century to increasingly severe political and financial strains. The French Revolution of 1789 brought about the fall of the Bourbon monarchy and resulted in the execution of Louis XVI and his wife, Marie-Antoinette. In exile under Napoleon, the Bourbons returned to power for fifteen years after 1815 but never fully re-established their authority. This book tells their fascinating story.
232 pages, Paperback
First published April 20, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 11, 2011
I didn't have the problems with this book that the previous reviewer had--it was not a popular history and the writer seemed more interested in the subject of the rights, roles and responsibilities of the King as they played out through that dynasty than in the particular dynasty per se. Was the King's role to be "a custodian" of or an "inherited owner" of the French state? (pg. 96). Each king had to find a balance between his "personal" and his "political" roles and their relationship--often expressed in the governing roles he gave (or didn't give) to his extended family and the nobility in general.
April 1, 2019
Very comprehensive detailed history of the Bourbon dynasty that expands to Spain & Austria. I forget almost all the names except the famous names like Marie-Antoinette, Mme Du Barry, and Mme de Pompadour. I enjoyed the final 2 chapters which are the best.
August 21, 2008
Didn't I just say something about history books being disorganized sometimes...
So you'd think...you have FIVE kings to discuss. Not twenty..five.
How hard can that be? Well, if you just throw facts at the reader without putting anything into a timeline or providing any sort of structure--other than separating the kings--it becomes difficult. I felt like I was in the backroom of a poorly run postal service...I was being tossed all these letters and told to sort, but had no cubbies or anything to sort them into.
When you're doing an abrieviated history of people...STRUCTURE STRUCTURE STRUCTURE.
As it was, I have a whole lot of facts, but I couldn't tell you when, why or how they happened. The writing style was pedantic. Except when the author decided to be all flairy--and build suspense. Suspense seldom works in history books about dead people...because they are dead and we know how it ends. And to hold back names of rebellions to build "suspense" isn't suspenseful--it's annoying.
I skimmed this book...working toward the end only so a) i could give it back before the urge to throw it across the room overtook me and b) so i could warn others.
Don't read.
There are other books on the bourbon kings of france...a lot of them actually. Read them instead.
-j
So you'd think...you have FIVE kings to discuss. Not twenty..five.
How hard can that be? Well, if you just throw facts at the reader without putting anything into a timeline or providing any sort of structure--other than separating the kings--it becomes difficult. I felt like I was in the backroom of a poorly run postal service...I was being tossed all these letters and told to sort, but had no cubbies or anything to sort them into.
When you're doing an abrieviated history of people...STRUCTURE STRUCTURE STRUCTURE.
As it was, I have a whole lot of facts, but I couldn't tell you when, why or how they happened. The writing style was pedantic. Except when the author decided to be all flairy--and build suspense. Suspense seldom works in history books about dead people...because they are dead and we know how it ends. And to hold back names of rebellions to build "suspense" isn't suspenseful--it's annoying.
I skimmed this book...working toward the end only so a) i could give it back before the urge to throw it across the room overtook me and b) so i could warn others.
Don't read.
There are other books on the bourbon kings of france...a lot of them actually. Read them instead.
-j
August 23, 2016
Concise history, deals with how the monarchy came to be; mainly deals with the 200 years from about 1600 when the first Bourbon king, Henry IV united the kingdom until the execution of Louis XVI. Excellent characterization of the kings and those people and issues that were important. Seemed very thorough and written interestingly.
January 25, 2018
I tried so hard to finish this book. Initially I had aspirations to learn more about the Bourbon line before delving into the individual King's lives, but the text is hard to find interesting to read for pleasure. If you want a birds eye view of the family and the society surrounding France along the Bourbon kingship this is a great start. If you want a more personal look into the people's lives, look elsewhere.
I'm not committed to finishing this book. I may pick it up again in the future, but for now I'm just not able to pick it up without dreading trying to read it.
I'm not committed to finishing this book. I may pick it up again in the future, but for now I'm just not able to pick it up without dreading trying to read it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews