R. J Knecht

"The Renaissance in France, as elsewhere in Europe, saw glory crowned amidst conflict and squalor. At the beginning of the sixteenth century, France seemed set to become the most powerful nation in Europe, but as the century ebbed so did her fortunes. In between, during a century of more or less permanent combat which murdered the dreams, comforts and relatives of many Frenchmen and saw a soaring economy shot down, some of the greatest building, painting...

The court of France in the 16th century has often been seen merely as a focus of political intrigue and conflict, but it was also a cultural centre in which the visual arts, music, literature and sport flourished. This book traces the court's evolution from a nomadic institution to a more sedentary and inspiring one.