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House of Lilies: The Dynasty That Made Medieval France
The definitive history of the Capetians, the crusading dynasty that made the French crown the wealthiest and most powerful in medieval Europe and forged France as we know it today
In House of Lilies , historian Justine Firnhaber-Baker tells the epic story of the Capetian dynasty of medieval France, showing how their ideas about power, religion, and identity continue to shape European society and politics today.
Reigning from 987 to 1328, the Capetian kings became the most powerful monarchy of the Middle Ages and established the foundations of a shared French culture. Consolidating a fragmented realm that eventually stretched from the Rhône to the Pyrenees, they were the first royal house to adopt the fleur-de-lys, displaying this lily emblem to signify their divine favor and legitimate their rule. The Capetians played a part in some of the most dramatic and far-reaching episodes in European history, including the Crusades, bloody waves of religious persecution, and a series of wars with England. The Capetian age saw the emergence of Gothic architecture, the romantic ideals of chivalry and courtly love, and the Church’s role at the center of daily life.
Evocatively interweaving these pivotal developments with the human stories of the rulers who drove them, House of Lilies is the definitive history of the dynasty that forged France—and Europe—as we know it.
In House of Lilies , historian Justine Firnhaber-Baker tells the epic story of the Capetian dynasty of medieval France, showing how their ideas about power, religion, and identity continue to shape European society and politics today.
Reigning from 987 to 1328, the Capetian kings became the most powerful monarchy of the Middle Ages and established the foundations of a shared French culture. Consolidating a fragmented realm that eventually stretched from the Rhône to the Pyrenees, they were the first royal house to adopt the fleur-de-lys, displaying this lily emblem to signify their divine favor and legitimate their rule. The Capetians played a part in some of the most dramatic and far-reaching episodes in European history, including the Crusades, bloody waves of religious persecution, and a series of wars with England. The Capetian age saw the emergence of Gothic architecture, the romantic ideals of chivalry and courtly love, and the Church’s role at the center of daily life.
Evocatively interweaving these pivotal developments with the human stories of the rulers who drove them, House of Lilies is the definitive history of the dynasty that forged France—and Europe—as we know it.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published March 28, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 8, 2024
This was great. Hugh Capet through to Maurice Druon's Accursed Kings is a bit of a blank spot for me, and this filled all that in nicely. Firnhaber-Baker keeps the narrative clean and flowing, and while you always want a little more detail in these sort of things, she's really got as much as she can pack in considering how many centuries this covers.
March 4, 2024
Four stars for the following reasons:
* easy to read
* informative though not dull or dry
* covers the Capetian Dynasty well, including the women
* well researched
* additional notes, maps, family trees
Covering nearly over three centuries of French history and international politicking, Firnhaber-Baker does a remarkable job at presenting one of the pivotal dynasties in French history - the Capetians. This work has all the elements: religious fervor and upheaval, crusades,scandal, warfare, adultery, ambition, family drama, politicking - and on a magnificent grandiose scale.
Each monarch has their own dedicated chapter which covers off the pivotal moments of their reign, including each monarch's relationships with France's closest neighbours - England, Normandy, Flanders, Blois, Anjou, Valois - as France as we know it today, was still very much in its infancy and only really beginning to coalesce.
Recommended reading for those with an interest in French history and royal dynasties.
* easy to read
* informative though not dull or dry
* covers the Capetian Dynasty well, including the women
* well researched
* additional notes, maps, family trees
Covering nearly over three centuries of French history and international politicking, Firnhaber-Baker does a remarkable job at presenting one of the pivotal dynasties in French history - the Capetians. This work has all the elements: religious fervor and upheaval, crusades,scandal, warfare, adultery, ambition, family drama, politicking - and on a magnificent grandiose scale.
Each monarch has their own dedicated chapter which covers off the pivotal moments of their reign, including each monarch's relationships with France's closest neighbours - England, Normandy, Flanders, Blois, Anjou, Valois - as France as we know it today, was still very much in its infancy and only really beginning to coalesce.
Recommended reading for those with an interest in French history and royal dynasties.
May 6, 2024
Having been lucky enough to take an in-depth class on the Capetians with Justine - who knows her subject material inside out - over the last year, this review is probably a bit biased!
That being said, this book brings to life the family story of the Capetians with all of their dramatic flaws and goings on that I’ve come to love over the past few months. An engaging writer, Firnhaber-Baker weaves a compelling narrative which carefully treads the line between academic and popular history.
Overall, this book fills a big gap in the English market for an accessible history of the Capetians, and as such should be a must-read for anyone who enjoys medieval kings and queens.
That being said, this book brings to life the family story of the Capetians with all of their dramatic flaws and goings on that I’ve come to love over the past few months. An engaging writer, Firnhaber-Baker weaves a compelling narrative which carefully treads the line between academic and popular history.
Overall, this book fills a big gap in the English market for an accessible history of the Capetians, and as such should be a must-read for anyone who enjoys medieval kings and queens.
January 8, 2024
House of Lilies is a delight in every way. Firnhaber-Baker demonstrates her complete mastery of this topic, while also telling a story that pulls you along from beginning to end. The book manages to convey how history ebbs, flows, and thunders, but even more importantly allows the reader to not only know, but to almost feel, how events moved across a four centuries of medieval Europe.
April 27, 2024
I must admit, this book wasn’t on my radar prior to its publication. I hadn’t actually heard anything about it. However, after learning it was a biography of the House of Capet, and after clapping eyes on its beautiful cover, I just had to have it. On paper, it should have been a book that ticked all of my boxes. Having read it, I can say I liked it, but I certainly didn’t love it.
This is basically a whistle stop tour of the Capetian kings of medieval France. The chapters are laid out chronologically, with each king getting at least one chapter dedicated to him (some even get two or three). Seeing as the book is only 314 pages in length, and covers roughly 350 years of French monarchical history, the author doesn’t have time to into every single detail of each king’s reign. She therefore picks out a couple of aspects bout each monarch and their reign, and then explores them in more detail. How much you will get out of this book depends on how much you already know about the Capetian dynasty. A complete newbie will likely come away with a far greater knowledge of this time period, whilst those who consider themselves well versed are unlikely to learn anything they didn’t already know. I fall somewhere in between, so whilst I didn’t learn a huge amount, there were some things I hadn’t heard about of read about before.
The book is very well researched, and is written in an engaging, chatty style, which makes it pretty easy to read. However, there were a couple of things that didn’t work for me. Firstly, there were occasions where the pacing was off, meaning the book dragged. This usually happened when the monarch under the spotlight wasn’t particularly interesting, or had a short reign. The other problem is, despite the chronological layout, the author sometimes moves on to a different king, but then backtracks and talks about an event that happened in the previous king’s reign, making it a bit hard to follow what was going on, as well as coming across as a bit disjointed.
I will sum up by saying this is a good book, but not a great book. It’s nice to have a book about the Capetians which is written and published in English, and I’m glad I read it, but it’s definitely not the best historical biography I have read.
This is basically a whistle stop tour of the Capetian kings of medieval France. The chapters are laid out chronologically, with each king getting at least one chapter dedicated to him (some even get two or three). Seeing as the book is only 314 pages in length, and covers roughly 350 years of French monarchical history, the author doesn’t have time to into every single detail of each king’s reign. She therefore picks out a couple of aspects bout each monarch and their reign, and then explores them in more detail. How much you will get out of this book depends on how much you already know about the Capetian dynasty. A complete newbie will likely come away with a far greater knowledge of this time period, whilst those who consider themselves well versed are unlikely to learn anything they didn’t already know. I fall somewhere in between, so whilst I didn’t learn a huge amount, there were some things I hadn’t heard about of read about before.
The book is very well researched, and is written in an engaging, chatty style, which makes it pretty easy to read. However, there were a couple of things that didn’t work for me. Firstly, there were occasions where the pacing was off, meaning the book dragged. This usually happened when the monarch under the spotlight wasn’t particularly interesting, or had a short reign. The other problem is, despite the chronological layout, the author sometimes moves on to a different king, but then backtracks and talks about an event that happened in the previous king’s reign, making it a bit hard to follow what was going on, as well as coming across as a bit disjointed.
I will sum up by saying this is a good book, but not a great book. It’s nice to have a book about the Capetians which is written and published in English, and I’m glad I read it, but it’s definitely not the best historical biography I have read.
May 27, 2024
Though England is the first country that comes to mind when most Western people think of the medieval ages, France was also a major player in European politics at the time. Although, if you saw France’s borders as they were in the late 900s, you might not have thought that such a little kingdom would grow to be so important. But when Hugh Capet came to power in 987, his line would enrich the kingdom and expand it borders over the next three centuries, turning it into an economic and military powerhouse and making the once-muddy town of Paris into a glittering European capital.
In House of Lilies, Professor Justine Firnhaber-Baker gives us a thorough biography of a dynasty, showing how they rose to power in the late 900s, ruled an expansive kingdom that changed the face of Europe, and then how it fell in the span of a generation in the early 1300s. Though the prose is clear throughout, it is sometimes– necessarily– dense, as Firnhaber-Baker does not skip generations or gloss over the contributions of women involved with the house of Capet. Eleanor of Aquitaine and Ingeborg of Denmark were, after all, dynamic women who influenced the politics of their day more than their male contemporaries would like to admit. And while there is plenty of room for supposition and guesswork, the author does not lay down opinion as fact or make assumptions about events. Instead, she lays out the evidence surrounding the event and explains its consequences as best she can. Thus the reader gets as clear of an idea of the history as possible, given the current sources.
Accuracy in history is important, so it’s appreciated when a historian doesn’t sugarcoat the facts or twist sources to suit their pet theories. Though Firnhaber-Baker is clearly fascinated by the Capetian dynasty, she hasn’t let her imagination run away with her or built any member of the dynasty up into an overblown figure unsupported by evidence.
Readers interested in medieval should be sure to add House of Lilies to their collections, as it provides such a detailed and fascinating account of a dynasty that is often overlooked in favor of their English brethren, but was just as influential and important.
Thank you to NetGalley and Basic Books for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
In House of Lilies, Professor Justine Firnhaber-Baker gives us a thorough biography of a dynasty, showing how they rose to power in the late 900s, ruled an expansive kingdom that changed the face of Europe, and then how it fell in the span of a generation in the early 1300s. Though the prose is clear throughout, it is sometimes– necessarily– dense, as Firnhaber-Baker does not skip generations or gloss over the contributions of women involved with the house of Capet. Eleanor of Aquitaine and Ingeborg of Denmark were, after all, dynamic women who influenced the politics of their day more than their male contemporaries would like to admit. And while there is plenty of room for supposition and guesswork, the author does not lay down opinion as fact or make assumptions about events. Instead, she lays out the evidence surrounding the event and explains its consequences as best she can. Thus the reader gets as clear of an idea of the history as possible, given the current sources.
Accuracy in history is important, so it’s appreciated when a historian doesn’t sugarcoat the facts or twist sources to suit their pet theories. Though Firnhaber-Baker is clearly fascinated by the Capetian dynasty, she hasn’t let her imagination run away with her or built any member of the dynasty up into an overblown figure unsupported by evidence.
Readers interested in medieval should be sure to add House of Lilies to their collections, as it provides such a detailed and fascinating account of a dynasty that is often overlooked in favor of their English brethren, but was just as influential and important.
Thank you to NetGalley and Basic Books for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2024
Royal dynasties interest me. The older, the less attention in the general popular literature. In the case of France, it's no different.
Here I was extremely intrigued by the title House of Lilies and the book cover. I believe it will attract many readers.
In six sections, we get an overview from Hugo Capet to Charles IV and, in fact, to his successors, who were already the members of a different family.
I appreciated the clear family trees, making it easy to navigate the text. It was very readable to the point of making one lose awareness that one is not reading fiction.
The author has presented her expertise in a very accessible way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Basic Books for a free digital review copy. This is my honest review.
Here I was extremely intrigued by the title House of Lilies and the book cover. I believe it will attract many readers.
In six sections, we get an overview from Hugo Capet to Charles IV and, in fact, to his successors, who were already the members of a different family.
I appreciated the clear family trees, making it easy to navigate the text. It was very readable to the point of making one lose awareness that one is not reading fiction.
The author has presented her expertise in a very accessible way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Basic Books for a free digital review copy. This is my honest review.
July 21, 2024
(Note: I have no connection to this author or book. This is a genuine 5 star review.)
It is very hard to pull of a sweeping, grand history of an entire dynasty, especially one that ruled for as long as the Capetians: 12 generations. Yet Professor Firnhaber-Baker manages to do so with flair. The narrative is clear, readable, and easily accessible for those with little or no background in the subject. It's especially impressive given that virtually all of the kings were named either Louis or Philip, and there was at least one of each in virtually every generation.
This is not just a chronicle of kings, however. The women of the dynasty, many of whom were fascinating and impressive political actors in their own right, are brought vividly to life, as are a host of siblings, courtiers, and rival barons. She sticks to the evidence (the citations are exemplary), but even given the remoteness of the period the author does manage to explore the personalities and family relationships as best she can while remaining faithful to the sources.
She also does an excellent job of using the story of the dynasty to trace the process of state formation, going from the kingdom of West Francia, in which the king was only really lord of a small domain despite being nominal overlord of a much larger one, to a kingdom of France within roughly the borders we would recognize today, in which the king held more than nominal sway over the counts and dukes whose predecessors had been virtually independent. Along the way, we see how the throne went from alternating haphazardly between a couple of families through no clear process, into one with a well-defined hereditary succession, culminating in the final years of the dynasty with the legal innovation later known as Salic Law, in which females were excluded from the French throne, which would last for the rest of the history of monarchy in France.
The author is also very balanced in terms of showing the good, the bad, and the ugly of the kings and their queens. We learn about St. Louis' piety, but also his oppression of the Jews. Starting under the regency of his mother, Blanche of Castile, we see antisemitism take root in France with murderous consequences. She also discusses the Crusades, both against Muslims in the Middle East and "heretical" Christians within France itself.
Other subjects explored are feudalism, relations between the kings and the papacy, and of course the perennially complicated relationship with the dukes of Normandy turned kings of England and dukes of Gascony.
All of this must make the book sound hopelessly dense, which is why it was such a joy to find it so easy to follow and so hard to put down.
It is very hard to pull of a sweeping, grand history of an entire dynasty, especially one that ruled for as long as the Capetians: 12 generations. Yet Professor Firnhaber-Baker manages to do so with flair. The narrative is clear, readable, and easily accessible for those with little or no background in the subject. It's especially impressive given that virtually all of the kings were named either Louis or Philip, and there was at least one of each in virtually every generation.
This is not just a chronicle of kings, however. The women of the dynasty, many of whom were fascinating and impressive political actors in their own right, are brought vividly to life, as are a host of siblings, courtiers, and rival barons. She sticks to the evidence (the citations are exemplary), but even given the remoteness of the period the author does manage to explore the personalities and family relationships as best she can while remaining faithful to the sources.
She also does an excellent job of using the story of the dynasty to trace the process of state formation, going from the kingdom of West Francia, in which the king was only really lord of a small domain despite being nominal overlord of a much larger one, to a kingdom of France within roughly the borders we would recognize today, in which the king held more than nominal sway over the counts and dukes whose predecessors had been virtually independent. Along the way, we see how the throne went from alternating haphazardly between a couple of families through no clear process, into one with a well-defined hereditary succession, culminating in the final years of the dynasty with the legal innovation later known as Salic Law, in which females were excluded from the French throne, which would last for the rest of the history of monarchy in France.
The author is also very balanced in terms of showing the good, the bad, and the ugly of the kings and their queens. We learn about St. Louis' piety, but also his oppression of the Jews. Starting under the regency of his mother, Blanche of Castile, we see antisemitism take root in France with murderous consequences. She also discusses the Crusades, both against Muslims in the Middle East and "heretical" Christians within France itself.
Other subjects explored are feudalism, relations between the kings and the papacy, and of course the perennially complicated relationship with the dukes of Normandy turned kings of England and dukes of Gascony.
All of this must make the book sound hopelessly dense, which is why it was such a joy to find it so easy to follow and so hard to put down.
June 24, 2024
I had limited knowledge of the Capet French monarchy. Most of my knowledge of this era came from reading the brilliant fictional/historical series the Accursed Kings by Maurice Duron (referred to as the original Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin) which focuses on the reign of Phillip IV (Phillip the Fair.) Author Firnhaber-Baker does an excellent job of detailing the Capet Kings which succeeded the Carolingian monarchy. This era of French history had the royal monarchy battling local French lords, the English monarchy for their French holdings and their disruptive neighbors in Flanders. She covers all the Capets from the divine Saint Louis to the later kings who evicted the Jews in France and persecuted the crusading Templars usually in order to extract their financial resources. A fascinating read of medieval Europe.
March 19, 2024
This was an interesting read encompassing 350 years of French monarchial history that was really accessible. I found the depth a little bit lacking for me, which I understand given the scope, but I did feel that each chapter (most of which focus on one king from the Capetian dynasty) tended to highlight one particular aspect of the reign as opposed to giving more detail about the overall history of the period. It was definitely a fun way to make my way through this period but it did leave the overall narrative feeling a bit disjointed and episodic rather than a cohesive through line. Overall, this was an enjoyable time.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 14, 2024
Family drama, rivalries, resentments, and bloody escapades gilding the social, religious, and power structures we all know and love from the medieval era. This brilliantly written history of the Capetians captures what it meant to be royal in medieval France and the tenuous grip of those who had power (but who actually had the power??). From crusades to cathedrals and alliances to wars and marriages to … ends of marriages… this book covers (in amazing detail and very fun asides) a broad, in-depth look at the Capetian dynasty in a fresh and exciting way. This is easily now among my favorite historical nonfiction books of all time and truly a triumph.
Thanks to NetGalley and Basic Books for the eARC of this incredible book. It’s so worth the hype.
Thanks to NetGalley and Basic Books for the eARC of this incredible book. It’s so worth the hype.
April 26, 2024
I enjoyed this book. Mostly. It is an interesting read about the Capetian dynasty and its influence in the history of Europe, and how many of the cultural aspects that are so prevalent in today’s France have their origins during the time period (from 987 to 1328) in which the Capetians reigned, from courtly love to gothic architecture.
That premise was engaging enough for me to want to read the book asap. But at some point it started to feel a little bit slow and too focused on palatial intrigues that I don’t really care much about.
It is wonderfully written and deeply researched but I needed more of the cultural context and influences and less political manipulation.
That premise was engaging enough for me to want to read the book asap. But at some point it started to feel a little bit slow and too focused on palatial intrigues that I don’t really care much about.
It is wonderfully written and deeply researched but I needed more of the cultural context and influences and less political manipulation.
May 13, 2024
Ruling France from 987 to 1328, the Capetian dynasty left an indelible mark on history. This saga tells the human stories of how they rose to power, shaped culture and religion, and profoundly influenced society and politics. From the Crusades to Gothic architecture, the Capetians etched an enduring legacy on the world’s stage.
This engaging chronicle covers a critical era in French history, when power was consolidated in the central government. I enjoyed this informative and easy-to-read book.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
This engaging chronicle covers a critical era in French history, when power was consolidated in the central government. I enjoyed this informative and easy-to-read book.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
May 22, 2024
This has been a very long and complex book, and so easy to read!
It's been a while since I read a book covering such a great subject, featuring such a long period, who despite the many characters featured, had a sort of lightness, an ease to its pages that made the narrative to flow nicely.
I appreciated the fantastic research, the clarity it brought in this subject that I knew close to nothing. And I liked greatly the attention it gave to the women that were, also, part of these times, and sometimes quite important.
I got a copy of this in order to share my view on it.
It's been a while since I read a book covering such a great subject, featuring such a long period, who despite the many characters featured, had a sort of lightness, an ease to its pages that made the narrative to flow nicely.
I appreciated the fantastic research, the clarity it brought in this subject that I knew close to nothing. And I liked greatly the attention it gave to the women that were, also, part of these times, and sometimes quite important.
I got a copy of this in order to share my view on it.
June 23, 2024
This is a wonderful biography of the Capetian Dynasty of France. I really appreciated how it was laid out, it was mostly easy to follow and the length, right around 300 pages is perfect for a quick read. There was one chapter about Phillip III and IV that was confusing to follow which the author was referring to, as she just called them Phillip, but otherwise I learned much about this influential moment in French and Middle Ages History.
July 23, 2024
An excellent book that is well researched. There is a lot of information here, but the author does an extraordinary job balancing everything for the reader. There are a lot of Louis’ and Phillip’s. Well written and accessible. Can’t wait for her next book.
June 23, 2024
Very well written! I hope she continues writing.
May 5, 2024
This is a really interesting account of the history of the Capetian Kings of France from 987 to 1328 and a useful guide to disentangling all the Philips and Louis' in the period. Interesting to see family period of English history told from the French perspective and to trace the Capetian kings against what was happening in England at the time. Accessible and easy to follow and I suspect a springboard to delving deeper elsewhere .
April 16, 2024
Thanks to Penguin for sending me a proof copy in exchange for an honest review.
As someone whose knowledge of the Capetian dynasty was fairly limited, this book represented the perfect introduction to these infamous often strange rulers of medieval France. House of Lilies provides an accessible, broad-ranging and often humourous history of the family lineage, as well as their impact on the wider medieval world and the development of the French nation. As well as establishing a template for a united French state with a monarchy that would endure until the Revolution, the Capetians were also involved in many of the most seminal events of the Middle Ages, ranging from the Crusades and the conflict between the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire to the development of concepts such as chivalry and courtly love. It's to Firnhaber-Baker's credit that she never gets bogged down in such details, and her fine eye for a lively anecdote or enlightening detail keeps the story flowing smoothly. She also has a fine talent for expertly capturing the likenesses of the various rulers, ranging from the lecherous Philip I and the saintly Louis IX to the mighty Phillip Augustus and the supposedly-cursed kings of the 14th century, whose failure to sire offspring resulted in the dynasty's eventual usurpation. House of Lilies is a perfect and illuminating depiction of a lesser-known but engrossing period in the history of our closest neighbours, and one that should appeal to lovers of a gripping yarn with quirky and compelling characters as well as medieval history buffs.
As someone whose knowledge of the Capetian dynasty was fairly limited, this book represented the perfect introduction to these infamous often strange rulers of medieval France. House of Lilies provides an accessible, broad-ranging and often humourous history of the family lineage, as well as their impact on the wider medieval world and the development of the French nation. As well as establishing a template for a united French state with a monarchy that would endure until the Revolution, the Capetians were also involved in many of the most seminal events of the Middle Ages, ranging from the Crusades and the conflict between the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire to the development of concepts such as chivalry and courtly love. It's to Firnhaber-Baker's credit that she never gets bogged down in such details, and her fine eye for a lively anecdote or enlightening detail keeps the story flowing smoothly. She also has a fine talent for expertly capturing the likenesses of the various rulers, ranging from the lecherous Philip I and the saintly Louis IX to the mighty Phillip Augustus and the supposedly-cursed kings of the 14th century, whose failure to sire offspring resulted in the dynasty's eventual usurpation. House of Lilies is a perfect and illuminating depiction of a lesser-known but engrossing period in the history of our closest neighbours, and one that should appeal to lovers of a gripping yarn with quirky and compelling characters as well as medieval history buffs.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews