A01=Glenn Richardson
Architecture
Art
Author_Glenn Richardson
Category=DNBH
Category=JPHL
Category=NHD
Category=NHDJ
Category=NHWF
eq_bestseller
eq_biography-true-stories
eq_history
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
eq_society-politics
France
Henry VIII
Kingship
Patronage
Reformation
Renaissance
Wars
Product details
- ISBN 9781836391210
- Dimensions: 138 x 216mm
- Publication Date: 10 Nov 2025
- Publisher: Reaktion Books
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Hardback
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Francis I of France led one of the most colourful and influential courts of the sixteenth century. Known as the ‘knight–king’, he was a chivalric warrior, a strong ruler and a passionate patron of the arts and of the French nobility. While he faced setbacks and took significant risks, Francis left his successor a kingdom that was larger, better governed and more stable than before.
This concise biography paints a vivid portrait of Francis, exploring his achievements, challenges and enduring legacy. It captures his role in shaping the French Renaissance, blending engaging storytelling with insights drawn from extensive primary research. Cogent and lively, this book provides a clear narrative of Francis’s reign and explains why he is celebrated as France’s great Renaissance monarch.
Glenn Richardson is Professor of Early Modern History at St Mary’s University, London, and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. His books include Wolsey (2020) and The Field of Cloth of Gold (2013).
