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Hundred Years war from the French perspective?

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Kveto from Prague
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Hundred Years war from the French perspective?

Post by Kveto from Prague » Fri February 12th, 2010, 11:06 pm

Ive never been too much on the hundred years war, but it seems most books in English Ive seen always show it from the English side. All of the archers and Agincourt "great victories" and stuff. I was wondering if theres anything out there from the French perspective (aside from Joan of Arc). I thought it would be interesting to see it from the side being invaded. It must have been a pretty rotten time for them, what with English companies roving over France, robbing, raping and pilaging. never seemed to me the stuff of heroic Henry the V type legends.

Any suggestions for the French perspective on the wars?

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boswellbaxter
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Post by boswellbaxter » Sat February 13th, 2010, 12:09 am

I haven't read it yet (story of my life these days!), but In a Dark Wood Wandering by Hella Hasse is one such book.
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annis
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Post by annis » Sat February 13th, 2010, 3:25 am

Dinah Lampitt/Deryn Lake's novel "The King's Women" covers the Hundred Years War from the POV of French King, Charles VII. She does have a rather idiosyncratic view of the characters involved, though.

Geraldine McCaughrean's novel "Vainglory" begins with the French defeat of the English at Battle of Orleans in 1429, but it is more of an overview of French history over the 150 years follwing that battle.

Edit- I think the last two in Maurice Druon's "Accursed Kings" series are set in the HYW period

"The Lily and the LIon" and "When a King Loses France"
Last edited by annis on Sat February 13th, 2010, 7:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

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princess garnet
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Post by princess garnet » Sun February 14th, 2010, 1:35 am

There's a secondary story line about the war from Katherine de Valois's view in Plaidy's novel The Queen's Secret.

Update:
I nearly forgotten about this book on French history that I bought 6 years ago. It's The History of France by Lucien Bely, translated into English by Angela Moyon. (Publisher is Editions Jean-Paul Gisserot) It's an overview of French history from prehistory to modern times. The Hundred Years War gets its own section.
Last edited by princess garnet on Sun February 21st, 2010, 1:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

enelya
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Post by enelya » Thu March 25th, 2010, 10:47 am

I loved the book by Hella Haasse, in dutch it is called Het woud der verwachtingen. I think it was a very well written story, and I would really recommend it. But i might be biased since it is one of the few good historical novels written by a Dutch author

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marklord
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Post by marklord » Fri August 8th, 2014, 7:13 am

In a Dark Wood Wondering by Halle Haasse is a really good book - although the focus is more on the central character, Charles d'Orleans and their life rather than the Hundred Years War - the war is more just part of his story, but its more of a character driven book I think.

Another series are the books by Maurice Druon. It looks like this are more about the history of the war as a whole from the French perspective. I have The Iron King to read at the moment.
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