I am a neophyte regarding historical novels. My purpose in turning to this type of reading: discover or rediscover the history of France without turning towards me as "academic" works in which dates and events are linked together linearly. I wanted to find a book that tells both a story and history, plunging me into the decor, the atmosphere of the time.
Summary:
Philip IV, said Philip the Fair for his good looks is also called The Iron King for his inflexibility and harshness which he demonstrated to his people.
We are the last days of his reign. The people are hungry: wheat shortage and the price of food is high. The coffers of the state are not very well stocked, previous Crusades which cost a fortune. We must refloat the coffers of the state. The quarrel between Philip the Fair and Pope is well underway, it then has no qualms about filing suit against the Templars while dealing a blow to the papacy and also putting his hand on the wealth accumulated by the Order. The Templars vast majority are run.
A case of another nature will shake the royal power. Philip the Fair had three son and a daughter with his late wife Jeanne Champagne. Isabelle is married to Edward II, King of England. His eldest son Louis X, which should accede to the throne married Margaret of Burgundy and two brothers Philip V and Charles IV married two sisters, Jeanne and Blanche of Burgundy, who are also cousins of Marguerite. White and Isabelle maintain adulterous relationships and Jeanne without sin, becomes their accomplice.
My opinion:
I appreciated: the general atmosphere that immerses the reader in the Middle Ages, the pen is both elegant and clear Druon, the rich vocabulary of unusual words (which required me to the regular use of the dictionary) The pleasure of unwinding a page of history in the form of a novel that makes it easier and more interesting at first, presence end of the book of short biographies of the characters and notes, certain issues historic.
I liked least: the fact that Maurice Druon will only be attached to the end of the reign of Philip the Fair, I would like to know more, so I found it a little short book. I would also have liked to find the meaning of some words that are then ignored me: ewer screed, dropside, wimple ...
So I enjoyed reading this first volume of the series Cursed Kings and look forward to continuing my reading with the following volumes, as Maurice Druon has met my expectations.
