Miniatures of French history by Hilaire Belloc
"Miniatures of French history" by Hilaire Belloc is a collection of historical vignettes written in the early 20th century. In vivid, lyrical prose it sketches turning points and emblematic figures across French history—from ancient foundations and saints to battles, dynasties, and national rebirths—highlighting how decisive moments and personalities shaped France. The opening of the book moves briskly through striking scenes: a myth-tinged account of Marseilles’ founding by Phocaean Greeks led by a
priestess and sealed by a Ligurian princess’s choice; Caesar’s defeat of the seafaring Veneti through ingenuity at sea; and the death of St. Martin, rendered as a tapestry of memories and spiritual combat. It then shows Clovis’s baptism at Rheims under St. Remigius, aligning Frankish power with the Catholic Church, and Charles Martel’s stand at Tours, where disciplined infantry break the Arab cavalry’s advance. Next come the ambush at Roncesvalles and the birth of the Roland legend, Paris’s grim resistance to the Viking siege that elevates Eudes, and Adalberon’s orchestration of Hugh Capet’s coronation, marking France’s new royal line. A Pyrenean “torrent” scene evokes the hard, pious frontier that will fuel the Reconquista and, in time, Crusade. The section closes with William of Normandy failing to win France’s formal suzerainty over England and methodically building the fleet that will carry his bid for conquest. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Belloc, Hilaire, 1870-1953 |
|---|---|
| Title | Miniatures of French history |
| Original Publication | New York: Harper & Brothers, 1926. |
| Credits | Carol Brown, Tim Lindell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | DC: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: France, Andorra, Monaco |
| Subject | France -- History |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 78114 |
| Release Date | Mar 4, 2026 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 5114 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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