Books by Jean-Pierre Babelon
“Babelon’s biography of Henri IV is still the standard work. It’s about a thousand pages long. Babelon was a very senior archivist in France. His whole career was spent with the documents, so there’s a depth and a richness to Babelon’s book that I don’t think anybody else can really match. He doesn’t stray very far from the standard narrative, but it’s very rich and it’s very full. The book originally came out in the 1980s, just a few years before the 400th anniversary of Henri’s accession, and it really is the indispensable book. What I like about it is that it recognises that Henri, for much of his early life, had no likelihood of ever becoming king.” Read more...
The best books on Henri IV of France
Vincent Pitts, Historian
Interviews where books by Jean-Pierre Babelon were recommended
The best books on Henri IV of France, recommended by Vincent Pitts
At a time of bitter division, Henri IV succeeded to the French throne and managed to bring the country together after decades of civil war. He converted to Catholicism but brought in toleration for Protestants with the Edict of Nantes. In 1610 he was assassinated by a religious fanatic with a carving knife. Historian Vincent Pitts, author of a great introduction to Henri IV, talks us through the life and times of one of France’s most impressive monarchs.
