Portraits From The French Renaissance And The Wars Of Religion (early Modern Studies)

Available for the first time in English, these thirteen selections from André Thevet’s Les vrais pourtraits et vies des hommes illustres offer a glimpse of France during a time of great upheaval. Originally published in 1584, Thevet’s collection contains over two hundred biographical sketches, detailing the lives of important persons from antiquity to the sixteenth century. Edward Benson and Roger Schlesinger have translated and annotated Thevet’s portraits of his contemporaries, and divided them into three categories: monarchs, aristocrats, and scholars. Additionally, an extensive introduction places the work in context and describes the critical attention that Thevet and his writings have received. Together these portraits provide a history of sixteenth-century France as the country underwent tremendous change: from an intellectual renaissance and its first encounter with the New World to the Protestant Reformation and the Wars of Religion that followed. France was irrevocably altered by these events and Thevet’s account of the lives of individuals who struggled with them is indispensable. Available for the first time in English, these thirteen selections from André Thevet's Les vrais pourtraits et vies des hommes illustres offer a glimpse of France during a time of great upheaval. Originally published in 1584, Thevet's collection contains over two hundred biographical sketches, detailing the lives of important persons from antiquity to the sixteenth century. Edward Benson and Roger Schlesinger have translated and annotated Thevet's portraits of his contemporaries, and divided them into three categories: monarchs, aristocrats, and scholars. Additionally, an extensive introduction places the work in context and describes the critical attention that Thevet and his writings have received. Together these portraits provide a history of sixteenth-century France as the country underwent tremendous change: from an intellectual renaissance and its first encounter with the New World to the Protestant Reformation and the Wars of Religion that followed. France was irrevocably altered by these events and Thevet's account of the lives of individuals who struggled with them is indispensable.-- Provided by publisher Cover 1 Book Title 4 Copyright page 5 Contents 8 Foreword (Rabb) 10 Translator's Acknowledgments (Benson) 13 Editor's Acknowledgments (Schlesinger) 13 Introduction 14 Map of France 33 Map of northern Italy 34 Genealogy of the French royal family from Louis IX to Henri IV 35 Monarchs 36 François I, King of France 36 Henri II, King of France 58 Charles IX, King of France 76 Aristocrats/Warriors 92 Gaston de Foix, Duke of Nemours 92 Philippe Chabot, Admiral of France 104 Guillaume du Bellay, Sieur de Langey 114 François de Lorraine, Duke of Guise 124 Anne de Montmorency, Constable of France 138 Michel de L'Hospital, Chancellor of France 150 Charles de Lorraine, Cardinal 162 Blaise de Monluc, Marshal of France 172 Scholars 184 Guillaume Budé, Parisien 184 Guillaume Postel 194 Epilogue 204 Works Cited 210 Suggestions for Further Reading 218 About the Translator and Editor 238 Index 240 Content: François I, King of France (1494-1547) -- Henri II, King of France (1519-1559) -- Charles IX, King of France (1550-1574) -- Gaston de Foix, Duke of Nemours (1489-1512) -- Philippe Chabot, Admiral of France (1480-1543) -- Guillaume du Bellay, Sieur de Langey (1491-1543) -- François de Lorraine, Duke of Guise (1519-1563) -- Anne de Montmorency, Constable of France (1493-1567) -- Michel de L'Hospital, Chancellor of France (1505-1573) -- Charles de Lorraine, Cardinal (1524-1574) -- Blaise de Monluc, Marshal of France (1499?-1577) -- Guillaume Budé, Parisien (1468-1540) -- Guillaume Postel (1510-1581).