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Internet Medieval Sourcebook

Selected Sources: France

Contents

• General
• The Regions of the Kingdom of France
• The Rise of Capetian France
  • Louis VI
• The France of Philip II Augustus
• St Louis (King Louis IX)
• Philip IV
• The Hundred Years War
  • Joan of Arc

General

Note that area we know as France is so central to medieval studies that sources relating to its history are scattered everywhere in the Sourcebook. See, for example, the sections on:

• The Early Germans
• The Carolingians
• 10 C Collapse, Feudalism and Recovery
• Economic Life
• Livre des Sources Médiévales
  A section of the Sourcebook devoted to texts available in French. This section begins life with an ample selection of over 150 etexts from the middle ages until the end of the Ancien Regime. Most are in French, but some are in Latin, Langue d'oc and Langue d'oil. 

• [Tierney 34.1] Synod of Charroux: Peace of God Proclaimed, 989.
• [Tierney 34.2] Drogo of Terouanne: Truce of God , 1063.
• Chronicle of the Counts of Anjou, c.1100, trans. Steve Lane
• Gesta Arnaldi: The Deeds of Bishop Arnald of Le Mans and the Le Mans Commune, 1065-1081, trans. Richard Barton
  From a compilation known as the Acts of the Bishops Living in the City of Le Mans, froma period when Maine was the object of a lengthy power struggle between Normandy and Anjou.The text also also provides the most detailed evidence for one of the earliest French communes - that of Le Mans in 1070.

• [Geary 27] The Murder of Charles the Good, copyrighted
• Richer: The Election of Hugh Capet, 987
• Louis VI
  • [Tierney 55] Abbot Suger (1081-1155): Life of Louis VI, See also Catholic Encyclopedia: Louis IX, Saint.
  • Abbot Suger (1081-1155): On his Administration. See also Catholic Encyclopedia: Abbot Suger.
  • Abbot Suger: Life of King Louis the Fat, full text, trans. Jean Dunbabin

• Rigord (1145/50-1209): Deeds of Philip II Augustus, trans Paul Hyams, full text? [At Cornell]
• Philip II Augustus: Suppression of Etampes Commune, 1199-1200, trans. Richard Barton
• The Cathedral Chapter of Chartres: The Riot of 1210, trans. Richard Barton
  The circumstances of the Chartres Riot of 1210 described from the viewpoint of the Cathedral chapter. It provides clear insight into urban social tensions, and also sheds light on elements of liturgical procedure (particularly the liturgy of excommunication), on the cult of the Virgin, and on the increasing competency of the French crown in judicial matters.
• Three Disputes involving the Cathedral Chapter of Notre-Dame of Chartres, 1215-1224

• [Tierney 66, Geary 44] Jean de Joinville: Life of St. Louis, excerpts
• Jean de Joinville: Memoirs. Full text [At Virgina]
• St. Louis: Advice to His Son.
• [Geary 45] Enquets of St. Louis, copyrighted

• William of Hundlehy: The Outrage at Anagni, 1303
  Philip's attack on Pope Boniface VIII.

• [Tierney 85, Geary 46.1. 46.2] Jean Froissart: Battles of Crecy 1346, of Poitiers 1356, from Chronicles. Longer extracts in Geary.
• [Tierney 86, Geary 46.3] Jean Froissart: The Jacquerie, 1358, from Chronicles
• [Tierney 87] Anonimalle Chronicle: Peasant Uprising of 1381.
• Tales from Froissart. [At Nipissing]
  Selection of short excerpts from Froissart.
• The Hundred Years War In The High Court of Parlement, trans Fred Cheyette.
• Hundred Years War: Treaty of Troyes, 1420 and Conditions in France in 1422.
• Philippe de Commynes: Portrait of Louis IX [r. 1461-1483] (c. 1498)
• Joan of Arc
  • [Tierney 94.1] Joan of Arc: Letter to the King of France, 1429. [A different version than Tierney's].
  • [Tierney 94.1] The Trial of Joan of Arc, 1431.
  • Transcript of Trial of Joan of Arc, full text, 1431
  • Johann Nider: On Joan of Arc, (d. 1438)
  • Sieur Louis de Conte: Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc [in fact, a fictional account by Mark Twain]