It was more about the power play for the control of France. I have not been compensated in any way other than being given a copy of this book to review and my opinion on the book is entirely my own. Mar 14, Elli rated it really liked it Shelves: Not too long ago, a scroll was found detailing the investigation of the assassination-murder of Louis of Orleans in the early 's. Surprisingly modern techniques were used by the provost and quite effectively.
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This scroll opened up alot of history. It's an excellent non-fiction book, well researched and well commented on. It also gives a good picture of a number of the characters involved. It also put another connotation to an historical period of relations between French and English.
A reall Not too long ago, a scroll was found detailing the investigation of the assassination-murder of Louis of Orleans in the early 's. A really good book, although slow at times. But this is non-fiction and following history with comments, of course, from this scroll which transcribed so much that happened in the murder and investigation. Also, what happened afterwards, not planned, and gave France a very hard time. Jul 24, Mary Alice rated it it was ok Shelves: Blood Royal is hyped as a nonfiction mystery.
But the mystery takes up only about half the book. Jager should have lost an early chapter that describes the medieval scenery as the provost went to work every morning. And the later chapters are really just the aftermath of the mystery's solution: Even if you treat this book as a simple history, the story is too detailed.
Do we really need to read Blood Royal is hyped as a nonfiction mystery. Do we really need to read about the witness-to-murder depositions twice? And we don't need all the Parisian scenery. May 26, Angela rated it it was amazing. Depositions, List of evidence from the assassin's hideout. Jul 11, Aaron rated it it was amazing. Fans of medieval history and true crime will probably find this title of interest. It is the story of the investigation into the assassination of the brother of the King of France.
It was this murder that led to country's destabilization as it were , setting it up for the English domination that Joan of Arc would later help end. The countryside has not yet been truly united into a single nation.
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France is no longer limited to the Ile de Fans of medieval history and true crime will probably find this title of interest. France is no longer limited to the Ile de France the little island in the Seine where you will find Notre Dame , but the surrounding duchies like Berry, Bourgandy, Normandy, and Bourbon are still independent liege states to France. All are ruled by members of the Valois family, like Charles VI, but they are also each looking for an opportunity to rule the land as well.
Charles would often be able to function, but a relapse would send him into a stupor that could last a few hours or months on end. As a result, he needed someone to step forward and rule in his place since his son, Charles, the dauphin, was still to young to do so himself. Instead, the Louis of Orleans, the King's brother would do so. Unfortunately, Louis was not necessarily well-liked. He ran the country well, but he seemed overly willing to increase taxes in order to confront the repeated invasions by England as part of the Hundred Years' War.
He also had no problem flirting with and more with the wives of many of the other French lords, potentially including the Queen herself. One dark though not stormy night, the Duke was heading home with a small coterie, when he was attacked on the street and brutally murdered. This book really takes the time to use the depositions taken by the chief law enforcement officer of Paris, one Guillaume de Tignonville.
The depositions had disappeared until , probably as a result of the fact that his findings into the true murderer were extremely controversial. While there definitely was a conspiracy, it was the name at the top of that pyramid that was most concerting. Guillaume had disproved that the murder was due to foreign intervention or even one of the most obvious wronged lords from Louis' sexual escapades. Guillaume and his men brought in the residence in the homes on the street where the murder took place as well as area artisans and anyone else who might have knowledge to provide depositions as to the facts.
These depositions provide an interesting voice as to an important historical event. Voices like these are usually lost in events of the period. Sadly, right does not necessarily win out as the attempts by many of those involved to protect the nation as a whole led to the wrongdoer going free while also not necessarily keeping France safe from England.
In fact, many of those involved were lost in the Battle of Agincourt a few years later. I found this to be a really good read Jager not only provides the information from the depositions, but he does so in a way that brings all of the individuals to life for the reader. He also provides information at the beginning to set the stage for the importance of the murder as well as how this murder like affected the future of France for generations.
Mar 31, kate rated it liked it Recommends it for: People with an interest in the 15th century and French history. I have this recurring problem when I'm reading nonfiction: I forget about end-notes. Ok, maybe it's only a certain type of nonfiction. But you think you've got a hundred pages to go, and ten pages later you're at the epilogue.
That's not the book's fault, but it's something readers need to remember, and I never do. An interesting story about politics and royalty in late 14th and early 15th century France. His brother, Louis of Orleans, is in charge while he's incapacitated because Charles's son and heir is still young. Louis seems to have been a libertine born a few centuries too early. He has a talent for seducing other mens wives and likes to tax his fellow countrymen to pay for his extravagant lifestyle.
One night, as his riding home from the queen's palace he was probably having an affair with her at the time , Louis is set upon by a group of thugs and hacked and stabbed to death. Brains on the pavement. The most powerful dukes in France call on the provost of Paris, Guillaume de Tignonville, to investigate the matter and find the culprit.
The reason this whole story survived is that Guillaume wrote a summary of the investigation on a thirty foot long scroll which survived to the present day. The investigation was surprisingly thorough, and within a few days Guillaume was able to out the perpetrator, John of Burgundy, an incredibly powerful duke. John legs it out of Paris before he can be detained, then begins a campaign of convincing everyone that Louis was a tyrannt and his been horribly murdered was a good thing.
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It's an interesting study in 15th century propaganda. Overall, the book is good. The prose is pretty smooth and there are some interesting illustrations. The endpapers are maps of Paris, which I didn't realize until I had almost finished the book, and it would have been handy to have those as a reference.
The events that Louis's assassination set in motion are pretty momentous, and the book does a good job of showing the deterioration in the situation in France until the rise of Joan of Arc. My main complaint is that Jager relies on quotations pretty heavily. I can appreciate source material, and in the case of the depositions it made sense, but there were times when the quotes seemed unnecessary. Jan 07, Brittany rated it really liked it Shelves: Eric Jager presents his historical crime novel Blood Royal: A True Tale of Crime and Detection in Medieval Paris in a classic layout for a murder mystery, which works in its favor.
He is highly successful in proving what he set out to do when writing this novel, which was to show the forward thinking of Sir G Eric Jager presents his historical crime novel Blood Royal: He is highly successful in proving what he set out to do when writing this novel, which was to show the forward thinking of Sir Guillaume with the methods he used to solve this crime. A lot of things that happen in this book could easily be featured in a fiction book. Although I do not speak French, which I wish I did because it would be awesome to know how some of the names and places are pronounced, the author immediately translated any French phrases he included in the book.
I also really liked his descriptions of places and documents, which were followed by picture of the actual documents or artists renditions of architecture or people. There was only one part of the book that was a bit slow, this is right after the crime is solved and the author goes through the history between the killer and victim. I would recommend Blood Royal: Nov 02, Dana rated it really liked it.
I find medieval French history particularly fascinating. However, there are very few books written in English which address this period in time. Louis had a reputation for bedding every almost woman that he could as well as spending his way through the treasury of France. But his murder was still a shocking event for the time I find medieval French history particularly fascinating.
But his murder was still a shocking event for the time. He interviewed dozens of witnesses, tracked down physical evidence and then came to the conclusion that the murderer had to be a member of the royal court. Soon, John, Duke of Burgundy and cousin of Louis, admitted his role in the murder but justified it, calling Louis a tyrant. The actual case was concluded quickly but the act itself reverberated throughout the following decades, leading indirectly to the invasion of France by England, culminating in the horrific battle of Agincourt.
I actually found this to be the most interesting part of the book, how the murder led to the division of France, opening the country to invasion. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the time period or an interest in early police investigation techniques. Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy! Jan 11, Angie Lisle rated it really liked it. The book wound up being less about the murder, focusing instead on how Louis' death sent France into civil war in the 15th-century. The book is written like a history textbook, which some people may find monotonous but will appeal to history lovers like me.
The book is heavily cited with a well-organized bibliography for further research. The book briefly touches on Charles' illness by describing the symptoms and stating that he may have suffered from schizophrenia, which is what most scholars thought until the last century, when porphyria was documented and diagnosed in Charles' descendants. I wish this subject had been broached; then again, this book wasn't about Charles. I mention this because it's the only thing that irritated me. I loved the gruesome details that were given about some of the battles that followed in the wake of Louis' death.
They broke that traditional textbook mold by not shying away from the horrific aspects of war. I requested a free copy of this book in exchange for a review from NetGalley. Apr 13, Gordon rated it liked it. A very good book set during the Hundred Years' War. Unfortunately, the book is not what is advertised in the liner notes. There it is said to be a story of early detecting, perhaps the start of the detective genre. The mystery is there and the detecting but it is only a small part of what becomes a history text of one short but seminal part of the longest war in history, The writing is clear and the story and times well told, but if you don't like history you will likely be bored silly.
I find it A very good book set during the Hundred Years' War. I find it amazing that monarchy and nobility in general lasted as long as they did in France considering the pettiness and greed of their motives and the brutality and immorality of their behaviour. This is a worthwhile read about the circumstances leading up to the arrival of Joan of Arc. Just don't expect the detective story promised. There are far too many books with this title and with the title "Royal Blood".
Don't editors check catalogues before putting a title on a book? This was brilliantly written, using interesting and, in one particular case, new sources, and it covers an interesting period of French history. It starts out as a forensic story, looking at the investigation into the murder of Louis of Orleans, royal duke, in , by Guillaume de Tignonville, who was provost of Paris at the time. Once the whodunit is 'solved', the story shifts to look at the impact of his murder on what happened in France for the next decade or so - the civil war between the This was brilliantly written, using interesting and, in one particular case, new sources, and it covers an interesting period of French history.
Once the whodunit is 'solved', the story shifts to look at the impact of his murder on what happened in France for the next decade or so - the civil war between the Orleanists and Burgundians, the invasions by Henry IV and Henry V, the madness of King Charles who was already mad - Louis of Orleans was the regent during the king's periods of insanity, which is a large part of the reason why Louis' murder threw the entire nation into turmoil. Oct 13, Shari rated it it was amazing. This is an interesting history of the reign of the mad French king, Charles VI, Valois, whose brother, Louis, Duc d'Orleans, a voluptuary, womanizer, art enthusiast, literary man, is the regent of France and his nephew, the Dauphin, when King Charles is suffering his 'spells' which continue throughout his reign which was not very short.
Louis taxes the people when he is acting regent to, among other things, support his own 'hobbies. His militaristic son, who loves a good battle and is also eager to claim the French throne through his familial Aquitaine connections, is anxiously waiting to take the English throne upon his father's death, as Henry V. When this does at last occur, he is quick to take the French down at the battle of Agincourt which sets off The Hundred Year war.
Sadly, France is vulnerable because of the mad king whose many and difficult sessions with his afflictions weaken his authority and leaves that leadership and authority up to his brother Louis, the family Valois, and cousins from the house of Burgundy, which council has its serious internal conflicts.
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At first this conflict is led by Louis's uncle, Philip of Burgundy but Philip's son, Jean, takes up the tension at his father's death. Jean of Burgundy is more widely known as Jean sans Peur -- John, the Fearless -- a man of bitterness and hatred, who lacks the ability to feel concern for his fellowman.
He also hates his cousin, Louis, perhaps because of a possible affair with John's wife -- all too possible, in fact. He is jealous of Louis's power as brother of the king and regent to the Dauphin, who is married to John's daughter. John hopes to get control of that regency and thus have power over France. John, as a younger man, also went on Crusade and was known as the leader of men who took Nicopolis and massacred its whole population. Killing and inciting helpless fear was always his first choice of action. A recipe for certain disaster.
When John takes the dukedom of Burgundy on his father's death, he determines upon and initiates the assassination the of Louis, d'Orleans, even willing to wait a matter of years in order to fully set the plan in motion. When this finally happens on November 23, , King Charles, in and out of his madness, cannot manage to keep the promises he has made to thoroughly punish John, and John, in his belief in his entitlement and in his supreme arrogance, manages to get his way. Full freedom and acquittal. God help the French. This is also the history of the provost of Paris, Guillaume de Tignonville, who as provost was essentially the equivalent of many things -- chief of police, high sheriff, lawyer, judge, captain of the Paris militia, as well as its police force -- in short,the ultimate head of law,order, and justice, who directed a strong and thorough investigation of Louis's assassination, leaving nothing out that one might find in modern day police investigation long before this kind of investigation was in place.
Through diligent work, examining everything to do with the crime and everyone possibly witness to the crime, he found his perpetrator by close attention to detail. However, now knowing where to put the pressure he was a victim of his times. He lived in an age in which no one questioned the nobility. How to pull this confession out into the open was the problem, so he figured out a way, which brought great consternation and disbelief in finding himself in this possibly dangerous place to John of Burgundy. Taking his uncles, the Duke of Berry and the Duke of Anjou into another room, John confessed to them -- and they let him go home to Burgundy to determine his justification and set up a legal defense.
While Louis was not necessarily a man of great character, he was not a brutal, hateful man who thought that murder or hatred signified power. He was charming, pleasant company, intelligent, and loyal to his brother and country. John of Burgundy was the diametrical opposite.
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He had no pleasing character and no concern for anyone other than himself and what he could absolutely control. He carried a hatred that consumed him and yet was never condemned. This was also an age of superstition. Demons and evil spirits roamed the dark, accusations of sorcery and witchcraft were unfailingly believed by both the high and low classes, denigrating stories could be laid against anyone and find belief amongst the people. And the clergy, always with an eye toward furthering their own wealth and authority, found no problem accepting and supporting these blatantly false accusations because, of course, they pretty much invented and constantly practiced this very game.
This was also the age of the Great Schism which constituted a broken Church with two competing papacies -- one in Rome and one in Avignon. There were a lot of things in European society during this period of history that were in a state of change and instability.
Jager is a professor at UCLA. He writes a thorough and thoroughly enjoyable history -- and this is history even better than fiction. His footnotes are comprehensive and deep sending us in many directions to further develop our understanding of the history of the times. His bibliography is wondrously long and full of places to go for more as well. This is very satisfying work and reading. Dec 21, Angela rated it really liked it. This was a fascinating, well-written account of the death, investigation, and aftermath of Louis, Duke of Orleans murder in early 's France. I think the description may lead readers to believe that the bulk of the book explores the investigation of Louis' death and that it is more like a mystery-type or true crime book.
The details of the criminal investigation are interesting, b This was a fascinating, well-written account of the death, investigation, and aftermath of Louis, Duke of Orleans murder in early 's France. The details of the criminal investigation are interesting, but make up a very small part of the book and the crime is solved pretty early on. I highly recommend though for those interested in history or just a fascinating story. Aug 14, Pages Buy. Sep 13, Pages Buy. Aug 14, Pages. Sep 13, Pages. Joe Sandilands is just back in England from his trip to India, and he has learned that his role at the Metropolitan Police has been expanded.
To top it all off, Joe locks horns with a Russian princess who is running a spy network out of Kensington. Then one of the assassination attempts is successful, and the pressure escalates. Joe must find out who is behind the violence: A beautiful and traumatized young Russian woman turns herself in at the British consulate in Russia, begging to be sent to relatives in England and rescued from the mysterious tragedies of her past.
But is she what she seems, or is she a deadly spy on a secret mission? Barbara Cleverly was born in the north of England and is a graduate of Durham University. A former teacher, she has spent her working life in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk; she now lives in Cambridge. She is the author of thirteen… More about Barbara Cleverly.
Joe, as always, is the epitome of determination, intelligence and charm, and Lily is a character the reader will want to see again in this spellbinding series. Compelling and effectively written; with each chapter, the reader is drawn further into the narrative and the darkness of the time….