Page:English Historical Review Volume 37.djvu/128

 120 REVIEWS OF BOOKS Januaiy the Bibliotheque Nationale, which throw light on the expenditure of the time both in war and peace ; there are various letters and treaties giving definite proof of alliances and diplomatic relations : and there are im- portant details concerning tolls, imposts, salaries, and inquests, particu- larly in connexion with Charles's administration of Guienne. The book is very obviously for the historian and not for the general reader. Charles of France is no striking figure, nor is the story of his relations with the crafty king full of romantic and picturesque events. The feeble prince appears, indeed, as a convenient centre to the diplomatic complications of the period rather than as a person who excites interest on account of his own character or his own actions. Nevertheless the narrative does contain much that is interesting, and if Charles still remains a colourless and rather shadowy personality, Louis XI stands out as one of the most able, unscrupulous, and calculating intriguers who have ever occupied a throne. M. Stein has amply proved the king's jealousy of his brother from the very first and his constant plots against the welfare of the young prince, accusations which some previous writers had attempted to modify. The rumour, however, that Louis was responsible for his brother's death is shown to be absolutely without foundation and quite unnecessary to explain the event, since Charles was born unhealthy and did not live in a way which was likely to prolong a life frequently threatened by disease. Louis's craftiness and successful duplicity is again and again shown up. His grant of the duchy of Guienne to Charles was clearly an attempt to cause a rupture amongst his enemies and to free his own hands for the coming struggle with Burgundy. His addition of certain Gascon lands to the apanage was not an act of generosity, but a plan to create strained relations between the new duke and the dangerous count of Armagnac ; his encouragement of Charles's exercise of authority in his dominions, an authority largely used to curtail liberties, was a cunning device to render his brother unpopular. All the intrigues concerned with the plans for marrying Charles are gone into very thoroughly, and illustrate once more the nature of Louis's schemes and machinations. The whole story of the Guerre du bien public is recounted in great detail, as also the period of Charles's rule in Normandy ; but perhaps the most interesting part of the book is that concerned with the closing years of the prince's life, after he becomes duke of Guienne. Chapters vi and vii are chiefly concerned with the relations between him and the lay and spiritual lords of his new dominions and with his administration of the duchy. Considerable de'tails are given in regard to the working of the cour des grands jours, the centre of Guienne administration at this date, and both additions and corrections are made to the work of Brives-Cazes on Les Grands Jours du Dernier Due de Guienne. For example, M. Stein explains that the shifting of this court to various towns in the duchy other than Bordeaux was caused simply by dangers of plague, not by any reasons of high politics, and he corrects a slight error in the names of two of its members. He notes also that See, in his Louis XI et les Villes, has been mistaken in speaking of a parlement at Bordeaux in 1470, since the parlement had been superseded by the cour des grands jours. On the