I remember that in the summer between the fifth and sixth grade, I accidentally came across the first, second and fifth books of the cycle, the school literature program for the next grade was read, and I took up them. I will say right away that these books were not for children, then I remembered them as inconceivably bloody, with a detailed description of the executions, the unbearable cruelty of fate towards the characters, especially the relationship between Guccio and Marie, it was tougher than Romeo and Juliet. And only ten years later I remembered this cycle and decided to re-read it filling in the blanks with the third, fourth and sixth books.

What can I say now? They turned out to be not as bloody as I remember, but in all other respects, yes. And first of all, these books are remembered for the scenes of death.

In general, Maurice Druon is a herald of death. He is the real embodiment of "the voice of those who do not exist." He, in the role of the Great Equalizer, for six books, collects victims, and then takes their killers. We see the last minutes of great people with their own eyes, and it's scary to imagine how many times Druon himself “died” when he wrote all this. The shadow of death hangs over everyone and in this oppressive darkness they remember their whole life. All that they have achieved and that they could not do, they remember close friends or enemies who were even closer, their hopes for the future are crumbling and only a curse breaks from burnt lips, and only regret flickers in the last glance.

“Look, here is the king of France, your supreme sovereign, the most unfortunate man in his entire kingdom, for there is not one among you with whom I would not change my fate. Look, my children, at your sovereign and turn with all your heart to God so that you understand that all mortals are only toys in his hands. "

But life goes on, and someone rejoices at the death of the departed, not suspecting that he is next, and this is the "greatest irony" - actions that should exalt you lead to an inevitable ending that you did not expect at all. And each turn of fate follows the path of curse, and destroys the pillars erected by the Iron King, and destroys the dynasty, and ahead only the rivers of blood of the Hundred Years Won, which will already give birth to its heroes.

Death has never been more sublime than in The Cursed Kings.

Score: 10

Seemingly dry, on the pages of school textbooks, under the pen of Druon, the story blossoms, fills with color, proving that reality can be much more interesting than any fiction. I think if the writers covered other historical events in this way, you look and people would know history much better, because it is impossible to tear yourself away from reading this cycle, and what you read is firmly entrenched in your memory. The last book, written entirely in the form of a monologue by Cardinal Elie de Talleyrand, is worthy of my own admiration. I can imagine how difficult it was. However, Maurice Druon's style was magnificent throughout the cycle, and the last book looks like a cherry on the cake, in every sense: both in terms of the author's literary skill, and in terms of drawing a logical line under the events of the cycle.

Separately, I would like to note the author's respect for historical characters, and even empathy for them: having written about the death of his beloved hero, Robert Artois, Druon wanted to leave the writing of the cycle and the last book was published only seventeen years after that.

It is noteworthy that George Martin himself spoke of this cycle as "the original Game of Thrones", saying that he is an ardent admirer of Maurice Druon and "The Cursed Kings", which became one of the main sources of his inspiration when creating the famous cycle of novels "A Song of Ice and Fire. ".

Score: 10

I will say briefly, for me the cycle "The Cursed Kings" by Maurice Druon is the standard of the historical novel. This, in my opinion, is facilitated by a well-chosen historical period, the excellent language of the books and especially the author's ability to describe events as if he himself was a witness.

In my opinion, the author has chosen the topic very well. We are talking about events that are generally known to any schoolchild (and also - thanks to Dan Brown, without the "Da Vinci Code" - well, nothing!), And on the other - undeservedly forgotten and not covered in detail in history textbooks. The first novel of the cycle begins with the massacre of the Knights Templar, initiated by the French king Philip the Fair and the Pope. Allegedly, the Master of the Templars cursed his executioners up to the 13th knee. But this is just a legend, a preface, and the story tells about the real hardships and misadventures of the rulers of France, mired in sin, intrigue, power struggle, rivalry and greed, tells about strong emotions and difficult characters, about the struggle for survival and the race for power ...

A very atmospheric and versatile piece. A magnificent cycle of historical novels!

Score: 10

Cursed Kings is an example of a benchmark historical novel. Druon, working on his work, studied the history of Europe surprisingly deeply and, possessing a subtle sense of the word, surprisingly lucidly presented it in the form of his books.

Druon, acting as an unnamed storyteller, abstracts as much as possible from his own emotions. Surprisingly accurately, he describes the events taking place from the side of historical figures who happened to live during the decay of French greatness. Perhaps the only characters to which Druon could not hide were Philip Long and Robert Artois. And if the reader sees dislike for the former only from the narrative, in which the reign of this good king is described as briefly as possible, then the author declares his attitude towards Robert right in the text. Artois is his favorite character. But, alas and ah, historical prose is ruthless to the attachments of writers. This is how unusually the death of Robert Artois became a point in the history of the damned which. And who in recent books will remember the curse that Jacques de Molay threw from the fire against the monarchs of France? The series of books "Cursed Kings" perfectly demonstrates what a series of mediocrity on the throne leads to.

There is also an interesting conclusion in this cycle, a historical essay that draws a line under the history of the catastrophes that befell France in the first half of the fourteenth century. And this conclusion is denounced in a whole novel, the narrative of which is conducted on behalf of the Perigord cardinal. However, even here the author showed himself to be a master of words. Despite the difference in the style of the narrative and the plot, which stands apart from the cycle, the book fits perfectly into the cycle.

Score: 10

Magnum Opus, the likes of which not every author can create. Incredible depth and scale, careful study in everything - the author generously sprinkles in details: characters, life, events, places. there is nothing to flicker in his books just in passing, he gives space to everything, gives everyone the proper disclosure. The meticulousness of such work is simply amazing.

"The damned kings" describe an entire era, rather a junction of eras, based on the basis of the work of the strongest and most influential power of that time, which rose in the newly born absolutism. The British are trying in vain to pacify the rebellious Scotland, Russia is preparing to meet Batu's invasion, the Spanish king is hoisting his banner over Gibraltar, indicating that the Reconquista is already licked to completion - and the absolute monarchy erected by Phillip the Beautiful is crumbling, plunging the country into chaos due to the fact that it is built around a single a powerful ruler, the whole structure collapses as soon as the ruler is replaced by a weak heir.

Druon's work is something without which the genres of not only modern historical novels, but also modern fantasy are inconceivable, and tools and solutions can be found in many other, non-adjacent genres.

Score: 10

Excellent cycle, low bow to the author for the colossal work he had to do while writing. It's hard to imagine how many memoirs, biographies, reference books had to be shoveled, how many historians to consult. The whole cycle is inextricably linked between the volumes, I do not see the possibility of reading single novels - the questions will remain dark, although Druon regularly recalls and retells some events from earlier volumes. For fans of action, constant events and intrigue - the very thing, probably. I lacked a description of everyday life, weapons, some nuances of customs, traditions. Another of the minuses and the fact that I do not like (for my taste) noted such a technique, when a character is highlighted for identification with one bright distinctive feature, which is always mentioned and used during the action. If the character is presented sentimental, he will cry every time, with or without reason. If he always has one eye closed, then at the culmination of the dialogue he will certainly open, which “no one has ever seen”, but this happens regularly)). And with this trait he awarded most of his heroes.

In general, it is very informative, exciting, whole. Recommend.

Score: 8

The first half of the XIV century, starting in 1314, when the trial of the Templars was completed, and ending with the events after the Battle of Poitiers.

List of all books

Generalized plot

The novels take place during the reign of the last five direct descendants of Capetian kings and the first two Valois kings, from Philip IV to John II.

According to legend, the origins of all the troubles that befell France at that time lie in the curse to which the Grand Master of the Knights Templar subjected King Philip IV the Fair, who condemned him to death.

1. "Iron King" (France, 1314. Having gone to the fire, the Grand Master of the Knights Templar Jacques de Molay cursed his executioners - Pope Clement V, King Philip the Fair, his minister Guillaume de Nogaret and all their offspring up to the thirteenth generation. The first blow of fate - The "case" of the adultery of the king's daughters-in-law, initiated by the English queen Isabella with the filing of the main intriguer of the novel - Robert Artois, as a result of which Blanca and Margaret of Burgundy were imprisoned in Château Gaillard, and Jeanne, wife of Prince Philippe, Count of Poitiers, was sent to a monastery, then death Pope, the death of Nogare and the death of the Iron King - Philip the Fair).
2. "Prisoner of Chateau Gaillard" (about the mediocre reign of Louis X the Grumpy, about the attempts of the new king to divorce his wife, matchmaking to Clementia of Hungary and the death of Margaret).
3. "Poison and Crown" (in this part of the novel, the history of morals and the history of the royal house are even more closely intertwined: the journey of Princess Clementia of Hungary from Naples to Paris, the royal wedding, the unsuccessful campaign of King Louis in Flanders, the operations of the banking house of Tolomei and the death of Louis himself at the hands of the countess Mago Artois, from whom he took her county at the suggestion of Robert Artois).
4. "It is not good for lilies to spin" (about the merciless struggle that are being waged to achieve regency, three relatives of the late King Louis - his brother Comte de Poitiers, uncle - Comte de Valois and cousin - Duke of Burgundy, not disdaining by any means; also depicts the history of the election of the Pope Roman John XXII).
5. "French she-wolf" (takes us to England, which is ruled by the incompetent king Edward II, and his wife, daughter of Philip the Beautiful Isabella, lives in fear).
6. "Lily and the Lion" (leads the reader to the beginning of the Hundred Years War)
7. "When the King Ruins France" (in the final part of the novel, Druon consistently develops the idea of ​​the fatal role of mediocrity, by chance finding itself at the helm of power. to achieve the conclusion of peace between England and France).

Iron king

The book begins in 1314.

At the same time, a seven-year trial of the Order of the Knights Templar was completed in France. The Grand Master of the Order, Jacques de Molay, and the Prior of Normandy, Geoffroy de Charnay, were sentenced to be burned at the stake. During the execution, the Grand Master curses his destroyers - King Philip, Pope Clement V and the guardian of the royal seal Guillaume de Nogaret, as well as their entire family up to the thirteenth generation.

During her visit to France, Queen Isabella exposes her daughters-in-law to the king. The guilt of the wives of Louis and Karl, Marguerite and Blanca of Burgundy, is obvious, and both are sentenced to life imprisonment in the Château Gaillard fortress, having previously been obliged to be present at the execution of their lovers, the brothers d'One. The wife of Philippe, the middle son of the king, Jeanne of Burgundy, is sentenced to exile, since her guilt has not been proven, however, most likely, she knew about the sins of Marguerite and Blanca and at the same time acted as a procurer.

Subsequent events involuntarily bring to mind the curse of the Grand Master. First, Pope Clement dies, then Guillaume de Nogaret (he was poisoned by fumes from a poisoned candle that the former Knight Templar Evrard gave him). And then on the hunt at the age of forty-six, King Philip, bursting with health, dies.

It seems that the curse of the Grand Master is beginning to come true ...

Prisoner of Chateau Gaillard

After the unexpected death of his father Philip IV, Louis X the Grumpy becomes king of France. Karl Valois, pursuing his political and dynastic goals, invites him to marry his relative, Clementia of Hungary. Interested in his uncle's proposal, King Louis X sends an embassy to Naples under the leadership of the former chamberlain of his father, the Count South Bouville; at the same time, the nephew of the captain of the Lombards of Paris, the banker Spinello Tolomei, Guccio Baglioni, is an assistant, treasurer and translator for the count. In addition to matchmaking, the ambassadors are entrusted with the task of finding and bribing cardinals, who, thanks to the backstage intrigues of the first minister of the kingdom of Angerrand de Marigny, have not yet agreed on the election of the pope to the Avignon throne.

At this time, Marguerite and Blanca of Burgundy are imprisoned in very difficult conditions. However, Marguerite has the opportunity to move from prison to a monastery: Robert Artois invites her to write a confession that her daughter, Princess Jeanne, is illegitimate, then Louis could get a divorce and remarry, because, according to the laws of that time, adultery was not enough the reason for divorce. However, she does not believe that she will really be released, and, after thinking, refuses.

At the court, there is an active struggle for power between two clans - the uncle of Louis Charles of Valois and the most influential person in the state after the king - the first minister of the kingdom of Angerrand de Marigny. When Queen Margaret agrees to the confession and writes a letter to the king, it gets to Marigny, and he destroys it. As a result, when the truth comes out, Marguerite is killed in Château Gaillard at the hands of Lorme, a servant of Robert Artois. Marigny Jr., Bishop Jean of Beauvais, blackmailed with the help of incriminating documents received from the Lombard bankers of Paris in order to save himself, betrays his own brother, and he is sent to the gallows on charges of embezzlement, despite the fact that shortly before that at the trial Angerrand manages to refute all accusations against him before the commission created by the king.

King Louis, who has now become a widower, finally officially proposes to Clementia of Hungary and sends a wedding embassy to Naples for his bride, including the South of Bouville and Guccio Baglioni.

Interestingly, the title of this book in French, La Reine étranglée, which translates as "Strangled Queen", for some reason has been replaced by "The Prisoner of Chateau Gaillard."

Poison and crown

Six months have passed since the death of King Philip the Fair. Clementia Hungarian enters a storm on her way to her fiancé; later, several more incidents happen, which she interprets as bad omens. Sent as part of the Count of Bouville's mission to Naples, Guccio Baglioni falls ashore and ends up in a hospital for the poor.

Louis the Grumpy starts a campaign in Flanders, since the Count of Nevers boldly refused to fulfill his vassal duty to the king. The assembled royal army, however, never reaches the borders of Flanders and, due to weather conditions, gets stuck in the mud, and the king, finding a plausible excuse, returns back and marries Clementia.

Philippe Poitiers returns to Paris. During his stop at the castle of Fontainebleau, Charles of Valois and Carl de la Marsh arrive there to detain Philippe in the castle and to nominate Charles of Valois to the post of regent. The Count of Poitiers leaves Fontainebleau at night and, with his loyal people, occupies the castle of Cité without a fight. Louis d'Evreux nominates Count of Poitiers for the post of regent. At the assembly, with the support of the last living son of Saint Louis, Robert of Claremont, Philippe Poitiers, bypassing Charles Valois, becomes regent. The ancient Salic law is also established there.

Characters (edit)

• Philip IV the Handsome, King of France
• Louis, king of Navarre, his eldest son
• Philippe, Count of Poitiers, his second son
• Charles, Comte de La Marche, his youngest son
• Marguerite of Burgundy, Queen of Navarre, wife of Louis
• Jeanne of Burgundy, Countess of Poitiers, wife of Philippe
• Blanca of Burgundy, wife of Karl and sister of Jeanne
• Isabella of France, Queen of England, daughter of Philip, nicknamed "The French She-Wolf"
• Robert Artois, ruler of Conches and Count of Beaumont-le-Roger
• Mago, Countess of Artois, Robert's aunt and mother to Jeanne and Blanca
• Charles, Count of Valois, younger brother of Philip IV
• Louis, Comte d'Evreux, younger brother of Philip IV
• Gaultier d'Aunay, groom of Philippe, Count of Poitiers, and Blanqui's lover
• Philippe d'One, groom of Charles, Count of Valois, and lover of Marguerite
• Guillaume de Nogaret, Counselor and keeper of the seal Philip IV
• Angerrand de Marigny, coadjutor of Philip IV
• South de Bouville, Chamberlain of Philip IV
• Jacques de Molay, Grand Master of the Knights Templar
• Geoffroy de Charnay, Commander of the Knights Templar in Normandy
• Spinello Tolomei, Sienna Lombard banker
• Guccio Baglioni, nephew of Tolomei
• Eliabelle Cresset, widow of the landowner Cresset
• Pierre and Jean Cresset, her sons
• Marie de Cressay, her daughter

Maurice DREWON

Cursed Kings

"IRON KING"

History is a novel that was in reality ... Ed, and J. Goncourt

A thrill seizes at the thought of what labor the search for truth, even the smallest part of it, requires. Stendhal

This novel was written by Maurice Druon in collaboration with Georges Kessel, a screenwriter, Jos-André Lacoum, a novelist, Gilbert Sigot, a novelist, and Pierre de Lacretel, a historian.

CHARACTERS

King of france

PHILIP IV, nicknamed BEAUTIFUL, 46 years old, grandson of Saint Louis.

His brothers

CARL, Count of Valois, bearing the title of Emperor of Constantinople, Count of Romansky, 44 years old. LUDOVIK, d "Evreux, Count about 40 years old.

Philip's sons

LUDOVIK, King of Navarre, 25 years old. PHILIPPE, Count of Poitiers, 21 years old. CARL, 20 years old.

ISABELLA, Queen of England, 22 years old, wife of King Edward II.

His daughters-in-law

MARGARITA BURGUND, 21 years old, wife of Louis of Navarre, daughter of the Duke of Burgundy, granddaughter of Saint Louis. Jeanne of Burgundy, about 21 years old, daughter of the Count of Burgundy, wife of Philip. BLANKA BURGUNDSKAYA, her sister, about 18 years old, wife of Karl.

Ministers and other statesmen of the kingdom

ANGERRAND LE PORTIER de MARIGNY, 52 years old, coadjutor, ruler of the kingdom. GUYOME de NOGARE, 54, curator of the seal and chancellor HUGE de BOUVILLE, first royal chamberlain.

A branch of Artois, coming from one of the brothers of Saint Louis

ROBER III ARTUA, Senor Conch, Count of Beaumont-le-Roger, 27 years old. MAGO, his aunt, about 40 years old, Countess Artois, widow of the Count Palatine of Burgundy, with the rank of peerage of France, mother of Jeanne and Blanca of Burgundy and second cousin of Margaret of Burgundy.

Templars

JACQUES de MOLE, 71 years old, Grand Master of the Knights Templar. JOFFROIT de CHARNET, Prior of Normandy. EVRAR, former Knight Templar.

Lombards

SPINELLO TOLOMEY, a banker from Sienna, based in Paris. GUCCIO BALLONI, his nephew, about 18 years old

Brothers d "One"

GOTIER, son of the knight d "Oneet, about 23 years old, equestrian of the Count of Poitiers. PHILIPPE, about 21 years old, equestrian of the Count of Valois.

The de Cresset family

MADAME ELIABEL, widow of the Syrah de Cresset, about 40 years old. Jean, her son, 22 years old. PIERRE, her son, 20 years old MARY, her daughter, 16 years old.

Jean de Marigny

Bishop of Sansky, younger brother of Angerrand de Marigny.

Beatrice d "Irson

Lady of the Countess Mago, about 20 years old.

V early XIV century Philip IV, the king, famous for his rare beauty, was the unlimited ruler of France, He humbled the warlike ardor of the imperious barons, conquered the rebellious Flemings, defeated England in Aquitaine, led a successful struggle even with the papacy, which ended with the so-called Avignon captivity of the popes. Parliaments were at his disposal, and cathedrals were at his maintenance. Philip had three adult sons, so he could count on the continuation of the family. He married his daughter to King Edward II of England. Among his vassals, he numbered six foreign kings, and the alliances concluded by him connected him with many states, up to Russia. He got his hands on any capital and fortune. Gradually, he taxed the church treasury and land, robbed the Jews, struck a blow at the unification of the Lombard bankers. To meet the needs of the treasury, he resorted to issuing counterfeit money. Day by day, gold coins became lighter in weight and cost more and more. The burden of taxes was appallingly heavy; royal spies literally flooded the country. Economic crises led to ruin and famine, which, in turn, led to indignation, which the king drowned in blood. The riots ended in a long line of gallows. Everyone and everyone had to submit, bend their backs or smash their foreheads against the stronghold of royal power. This imperturbable and cruel ruler nurtured the idea of ​​the national greatness of France. Under his rule, France was a great power, and the French were the most unfortunate of people. Only one force dared to raise its head - the Order of the Templars. This ramified organization, military, religious and financial at the same time, became famous and rich during the period of the Crusades. The too independent position of the Templars worried Philip the Fair, and their innumerable riches aroused his greed. He started a lawsuit against them. History did not know of a second such trial, for in the course of the case, about fifteen thousand accused were brought in. There is no such baseness that the judges would not have resorted to in this trial, which lasted seven whole years. Our story begins with the last, seventh year.

PART ONE

A CURSE

QUEEN KNOWING LOVE

A whole pine tree was burning in the fireplace on a bed of hot coals. The scanty March light filtered through the greenish glass in lead bindings. On a high oak armchair, the back of which was decorated with three carved lions, a symbol of English power, sat Queen Isabella, wife of Edward II; resting her chin on her palm, resting her feet on the purple pillow, she absentmindedly gazed into the fireplace, oblivious to the merry play of the fire. The twenty-two-year-old queen was famous for her amazing whiteness and tenderness of her skin; her golden hair was braided in two braids and tied over her temples like the handles of a Greek amphora. A lady-in-waiting, brought from France, read aloud to the queen a poem by Duke Guillaume of Aquitaine:

I will not remember love good, I did not find it in anyone, I have no one to sing in verse ...

In exile I retire, Trouble and grief await me ...

The queen, who knows no love, sighed. “How beautiful these words are,” she said, “you might think they were written for me. Alas! Gone are the days when noble lords like this Duke Guillaume could fight as well as write poetry. When did you say he lived? Two centuries ago! It’s like it’s just written yesterday. And she repeated in an undertone:

I will not remember love good, I have not found it in anyone ...

She thought about it. - Will you order to continue, Your Majesty? - inquired the reader, holding a page with a picture with her finger. “No, dear, don’t,” replied the queen. “My soul has wept enough today ...” She got up and said in a completely different tone: “My cousin Robert Artois has informed me of his arrival. Make sure that as soon as he arrives, he is immediately escorted to me. - Is he coming from France? How glad you must be, your majesty! - I would like to rejoice, but will he only bring us good news? The door flew open, and a second lady of the court, also French, appeared on the threshold - she was out of breath and was holding her skirt that prevented her from running with her fingertips. Nee Jeanne de Joinville, she married Sir Roger Mortimer. - Your Majesty, Your Majesty! she screamed. - He began to speak. - Did you really speak? the queen asked. - And what did he say? - Hit the table and said: "I want." A proud smile lit up Isabella's beautiful face. “Bring him to me,” she ordered. Lady Mortimer still hurriedly flew out of the room; soon she appeared at the door, carrying in her arms a plump, pink, plump baby at the age of fifteen months, and placed him at the queen's feet. He was wearing a garnet dress, all embroidered with gold, too heavy for such a baby. - So, Messire my son, you said "I want"? Isabella said, bending down and patting the boy on the cheek. “I’m glad you were the first to utter that very word: a truly royal speech. The child smiled at his mother and rubbed his head against her hand. - Why did he say that? the queen asked. “Because I didn’t give him the slice of the pie we ate,” Lady Mortimer replied. A smile crossed Isabella's face. “Once he began to speak,” she said, “I demand that they do not lisp with him, do not babble pointlessly, as is usual with a child. It's not so important that he knows how to say "dad" and "mom". I prefer that he quickly learn the words "king" and "queen". In her voice, there was an innate calm authority. “You yourself know, my dear,” Isabella continued, “for what reasons I chose you as my son’s teacher. You are the great-niece of the glorious Joinville, who led the crusades with my great-grandfather, King Louis the Holy. You are better than anyone else you can convince this child that he belongs to France as much as England. Lady Mortimer bowed in deep curtsy. At that moment, the first French lady-in-waiting announced the arrival of His Grace, Count Robert Artois. The queen sat up straight in her chair, crossed her snow-white arms on her chest, wanting to give herself a particularly regal look, but even this idol position could not hide her radiant youth. The parquet floor of the hall shook, sagging under the weight of two hundred pounds of striding. The newcomer was six feet tall, his thighs were as large as an oak trunk, his arms were like clubs. Dry mud was visible on the tops of his red Spanish leather boots; the cloak thrown over the shoulders was so wide that it could have completely replaced a blanket. Even with one dagger at his belt, he appeared in full military attire. In his presence, everything and everyone around immediately became weak, fragile, fragile. His chin was round, his nose was short, his jaw was heavy, his chest was powerful. And he needed more air than other people. This giant was in his twenty-eighth year, but his unnatural massiveness added him years, so that in appearance he seemed to be all thirty-five. Taking off his gloves, he went up to the queen, with an ease unexpected in such a colossus, knelt before her on one knee and immediately got up, without waiting for permission to get up. “Well, sir, my cousin,” Isabella asked, “did you make your voyage safely? “Disgusting, madam, monstrous,” replied Robert Artois. - The storm has risen such that I almost gave God my soul along with the giblets. I already thought that my last hour had come, and decided to confess my sins before the Lord God. Fortunately, there were so many of them that I did not have time to sort out even half of them when the earth appeared. I saved the rest for the return trip. The thunderous rumble of his laughter shook the glass in the windows. - Yes, damn it, - he continued, - apparently, I was created to travel on the earth, and not to wallow in salt water. And if not for love for you, cousin, if not for the need to inform you of the most important news ... “Allow me, cousin, I’ll end my business sooner,” Isabella interrupted. And, turning to the guest, she nodded at the boy. - My son started talking today. Then she turned to Lady Mortimer: “I would like him to memorize the names of his relatives and that he should know as soon as possible that his grandfather, Philip the Fair, is the King of France. Read to him from today out loud "Our Father" and "Theotokos", as well as a prayer to Saint Louis. These words must sink into his heart before he understands them with his mind. Isabella was glad to have the opportunity to show a French relative, a descendant of one of the brothers of Saint Louis, her worries about raising her son and the direction of these worries. - What a wonderful upbringing this young man will receive thanks to you! exclaimed Robert Artois. “Learning to reign begins in infancy,” Isabella replied. Not suspecting that these words refer to him, the little boy hobbled around the hall with pleasure, anxiously stepping over his legs and stumbling like children of mere mortals. - It's hard to imagine that we, too, were once like that! remarked Robert Artois. “It's especially hard to imagine looking at you, cousin,” the queen said with a smile. For a moment she thought, trying to imagine the feelings of the woman who carried this human lump under her heart, and her own feeling for her son when he becomes a grown man ... Stretching out his hands, as if intending to grab the flame with his tiny fingers, the boy went to the fireplace ... Robert Artois blocked his path, holding out his red boot. Not in the least frightened, the crown prince wrapped his arms around this knife, which did not come together around it, and sat astride a giant foot. Robert threw it up three or four times. The crown prince laughed with delight at this amusement. “Ah, Messire Edouard,” said Robert Artois, “shall I dare later, when you become a mighty ruler, to remind you that I once rocked you on my boot? “You’ll be able to remind him of this,” Isabella answered, if you remain our sincere friend forever ... Now leave us, ”she said to those around her. Both French women went out, taking away the child, who was destined to one day become King Edward III of England, if Providence would. Robert Artois waited in silence for the door to slam shut. - Well, madam ,. - he said, - in order to crown the wonderful upbringing that you give your son, please inform him in a future lesson that Margaret of Burgundy, Queen of Navarre, future Queen of France and also the granddaughter of Saint Louis, will soon be known among the people under the nickname Marguerite The libertine. - Indeed? Isabella asked. - Consequently, our suspicions were justified? - Yes, cousin. And not only in relation to one Margarita. But also with regard to your other two daughters-in-law. - How? Jeanne and Blanqui? - About Blanca, no doubt. But Jeanne ... Robert Artois hesitantly moved his huge hand. “She’s just more clever than those two,” he added, “but I have every reason to believe that she, too, is an inveterate lecher. He came closer to the throne, spread his legs for strength and threw: - Your three brothers, madam, horns - horned, like the last simpletons! The queen rose. Her pale cheeks were blushed. “If what you say is true, I will not tolerate it,” she said. - I will not tolerate such a shame, I will not tolerate my family becoming a general laughing stock. “The French barons do not intend to tolerate this either,” Artois replied. - Do you have proof? Name the names! Robert Artois exhaled with a loud breath. “When you visited France last summer with your spouse to participate in the festivities, during which I had the honor of being knighted along with your brothers - for you know that we don’t skimp on free honors,” he remarked venomously. - and so, at that time I shared with you my suspicions, and you informed me about yours. You ordered me to be on the alert and inform you about everything. I am your ally; I fulfilled your first order and came here in order to fulfill the second. - So what did you find out? Isabella asked impatiently. - First of all, the fact that some jewels have disappeared from the casket of your noble, your virtuous, your meek daughter-in-law Margarita. And when a woman secretly sells her jewelry, it is clear that she wants to give a gift to her lover or buy herself accomplices. This is an undeniable truth, isn't it? - But she can refer to the fact that she donates her diamonds to the church. - Well, not always. And what if a brooch, for example, was given to a Lombard merchant in exchange for a Damascus dagger? .. - Did you find out on whose belt this dagger hangs? “Alas, no,” Artois sighed. “I was looking for it, but I got off the track. The libertines are too clever, as I have already had the honor to report to you. No deer in my forest in Conche could have confused the tracks and confused the hunter better than these ladies. Isabella made a disappointed grimace. Robert Artois warned the words about to escape her lips, raising a hand in warning. “Wait, wait,” he exclaimed. - That's not all. Honest, pure, chaste Margarita ordered to put in order the chambers in the old Nelsk tower, so that, as she assures, prayers there in solitude. Only for some reason the prayers are being done on those nights when your brother Louis is away. And the light is on there after midnight. Your sister-in-law Blanca and sometimes your daughter-in-law Jeanne also come there to pray. Sly women! If you, say, ask one of them about her pastime, she will answer you: "How? Do you suspect me? But I was with my cousin!" One woman who has sinned is a weak redoubt. But three shameless singing songs are already an impregnable fortress. But here's the thing: on the very days when Louis is absent, on the very evenings when the lights are on in the windows of the Nelsky Tower, in these usually deserted places, on the shore at the foot of the tower, movement begins. People saw that men came out of there not in monastic attire and not with the singing of psalms on their lips, for they were pointing at the wrong door. The court is silent, but there are rumors among the people, for while the owner is still silent, the servant is already opening his tongue. In the heat of the conversation, Robert waving his arms excitedly, paced the hall, boards groaned under his feet, and the flaps of his cloak whistled through the air. Robert Artois considered the play of his strong muscles to be one of the most irrefutable proofs. He tried to convince the enemy not with words, but by flaunting his physical strength; like a tornado, he swooped down on the taken aback interlocutor; and the coarseness of his speeches, which matched so well with his whole appearance, seemed to speak of complete straightforwardness. However, anyone who would take the trouble to take a closer look at Robert Artois would involuntarily doubt: is it all a comedy, is it not the cleverness of a magician? Hatred, noticing everything, stubborn hatred burned in the giant's gray eyes; and the young queen, too, only by an effort of will retained her former composure. - Did you tell my father about this? she asked. “My dear cousin, you know King Philip better than I do. He believes so much in female virtue that he will not agree to listen to me before I show him your daughters-in-law in the arms of lovers. And since my litigation is lost, I am not in particular honor at court ... - I know, cousin, that you were treated unfairly, and if it were my will, the damage caused to you would be compensated. Robert Artois rushed to the queen, grabbed her hand and pressed it to her with a long grateful kiss. “But just in connection with your litigation,” the queen asked in an undertone, “won't they say that you are acting out of revenge? The giant jumped: - Of course, madam, I am acting out of revenge. No, really, this giant Robert could disarm anyone! You want to lure him into a trap, to confuse him, and suddenly he opens his whole soul in front of you like a window. “They took my hereditary County of Artois from me,” he shouted, “and they gave it to my aunt Mago of Burgundy ... that bitch, a rogue, so that she would die, so that leprosy would eat her whole face, so that her insides would rot! And how did she achieve success? Only by cunning, intrigue, and even by the fact that she managed to gild the handle of your father's advisers in time. That is why she managed to marry your brothers to her two dissolute daughters and her equally dissolute cousin. Carried away, he began to present to the queen an imaginary dialogue between his aunt Mago, Countess of Burgundy and Artois, and King Philip the Fair. - "My dear senor, my relative, my godfather, what if you marry off my beloved baby Jeanne for your son Louis? How, does he not want to? Thinks that she is too thin? .. Well! Give him a wife Marguerite ... Philippe - Jeanne, and your wonderful Karl, my darling Blanca. How can we rejoice in their love! And then, if Artois, which my late brother owned, is given to me, the county of Burgundy will go to our chicks. Ah, my nephew Robert? Yes, finally throw out some bone for this dog! Let him get the Castle of Conches in the County of Beaumont, this redneck will have enough for the eyes. " And let's whisper various meannesses to our Nogare, promise the golden mountains of Marigny, and now he marries one, marries the second, marries the third. And when the deed is done, our little whores begin to conspire, send letters to each other, get lovers and get out of their strength, just to decorate the crown of France with horns ... Ah, if their behavior, madam, were impeccable, I would somehow still be able to curb your frustration. But the daughters of the Countess of Burgundy will find out who they are dealing with, do not worry, I will take out on them all the evil that my aunt has done me, especially since they behave unworthily and pretty much annoy me. Isabella listened thoughtfully to this verbal storm. Artois approached the queen and said in an undertone: “They hate you. “I must say that I, for my part, from the very beginning disliked them for no reason at all,” Isabella replied. - You do not love them because they are liars, because they think only of pleasures and forget about their duty. But they, they hate you because they envy you. “However, my fate is not too enviable,” Isabella sighed, “their position seems to me much more pleasant than mine. “You are a queen, madam, a queen in spirit and in blood. Let your daughters-in-law wear a crown, they will never be queens. That is why they are and will be so hostile to you. Isabella raised her beautiful blue eyes to her cousin, and Artois realized that he had managed to touch the sensitive string. From now on, Isabella was entirely on his side. - You know the names of ..., well, those people with whom my daughters-in-law ... she asked. Unlike her relative Artois, Isabella did not like to resort to strong expressions, and other words simply did not come from her lips. - Do not know? she asked. - But without this I am not in a position to do anything. Find out, and I swear to you, I will immediately, under any pretext, arrive in Paris and put an end to all this outrage. Otherwise, how and how can I help? Have you communicated your suspicions to my Uncle Valois? Isabella spoke firmly, imperiously, firmly again. - I must confess that I refrained from talking with His Highness the Count of Valois. Although he is my patron and my best friend, he is the exact opposite of your father. He will spread everywhere what is preferably kept secret, he will frighten away the game before the deadline, and when the libertines fall into the trap, they will turn out to be holier than nuns ... - What, then, do you propose? - In my opinion, it is necessary to choose a double tactics. First, to assign to Madame Marguerite a new lady of the court, who will look after our interests and give us the information we need. For this role, I recommend Madame de Commenge, she was recently widowed, and she will be willingly met. This is where your Uncle Valois can come in handy. Write him a letter in which you express your desire to arrange the fate of the unfortunate widow. His Highness the Count of Valois has a tremendous influence on your brother Louis, and it may happen that, wishing to once again show his power, he will immediately introduce Madame de Commenge into the hotel Nels. Thus, in the very heart of the fortress, we will have our spy, and it’s not for nothing that we, the military people, say: a spy in the walls of the fortress stands an entire army at the fortress walls. “Okay, I'll write a letter and you will take it,” Isabella said. “Secondly, you need to lull your daughters-in-law's suspicions about your account, and for this you need to fondle them, say, send them some expensive gifts,” continued Artois. - Moreover, such that would be equally suitable for men and women; send them secretly from everyone, without warning either father or brothers, under the pretext of a little friendly secret. Margarita has already emptied her chest for the sake of the beautiful stranger; if luck smiles on us, we will surely find our jewel on the aforementioned gentleman - really Margarita will not want to give him, especially since the origin of the gift will remain a secret. Let us give them an excellent excuse to commit a careless act. The queen sat in thought for a minute, then approached the door and clapped her hands. The first French lady entered. “Here's what, my dear,” Isabella turned to her, “deign to bring as soon as possible a gold purse for alms, the one that the merchant Albizzi offered me in the morning. While the lady of the court went to fetch the purse, Robert Artois, forgetting for a while his worries and intrigues, looked around - the walls of the high hall were covered with frescoes depicting biblical subjects, the carved oak ceiling was in the shape of a tent. Everything was new, sad, everything smelled cold. Finely crafted furniture was lost in the huge chambers. “Yes, this is not a fun place,” he said after finishing his inspection. - More like a cathedral than a palace. “Thank God for not going to prison,” Isabella replied in an undertone. “If you only knew how at times I miss France. Robert was not so struck by the Queen's words as by the tone in which they were spoken. He suddenly realized that there were two Isabelles: one was a young empress, aware of her high position and even somewhat deliberately emphasizing her greatness, and behind this mask was a suffering woman. A French lady brought a purse lined with silk, woven from gold threads; he was fastened with three jewels, each the size of a thumbnail. - Wonderful! Artois exclaimed. - Just what we need. For ladies' use, it is true, a little cumbersome, but who of our court dandies does not dream of attaching such a purse to his belt in order to shine in the light ... them immediately. When the lady of the court had left, Isabella turned to Robert Artois: “You will bring them to France. “No one will know that I brought the presents,” Robert replied. Shouts and laughter rang out outside. Robert Artois went to the window. In the courtyard, an artel of masons raised a stone slab, decorated with a relief image of English lions, up to the arch of a building under construction. Half of the workers pulled ropes on the blocks, the rest, climbing the scaffolding, prepared to receive the slab. Business went briskly and cheerfully. - As you can see, King Edward still loves stone construction. Among the workers, he recognized King Edward II, wife of Isabella, a handsome broad-shouldered and broad-hipped man in his thirties with wavy, thick hair. His velvet jacket was spattered with lime. - It's been fifteen years since they began to rebuild Westminster! Isabella exclaimed angrily (she pronounced the word "Westminster" in French: "Westmost"). - Six years have passed since my wedding, and all six years I have been living among spades and troughs of lime. They will build one, and in a month they will break it. And don't imagine that the king loves stone work - he loves masons! Do you think they say "sire" to him? They just call him Edward, make fun of him, and he is delighted with all this. Look for yourself! Edward II gave orders, hugging a young worker by the neck. A kind of ambiguous familiarity reigned in the courtyard. The stone English lions were again lowered to the ground, obviously not finding a suitable place for them. “I thought it couldn't be worse than under Knight Gaveston. This insolent and boastful Bearnian so deftly ruled my husband that, in fact, he ruled the kingdom itself. Edward gave him all my jewelry from the wedding casket. Obviously, in our family it is so customary that jewelry belonging to women, in one way or another, migrate to men! Finally, Chzabella could pour out her soul to a loved one, a relative, tell about her sorrows and humiliations. The mores of Edward II were known throughout Europe. “Last year, the barons and I managed to topple Gaveston: his head was cut off, his body quartered and paraded in the four main cities of the kingdom,” Isabella finished with a satisfied smile. The expression of cruelty that darkened this beautiful brow did not at all embarrass Robert Artois. I must say that such phenomena were the most common thing in those days. Often, the reins of government were handed over to a teenager who was carried away by the power of power, like an entertaining game. Yesterday he tore off the wings of flies for fun, and today he could chop off a man's head for fun. Such a too young ruler was not afraid, and simply did not imagine death and therefore did not hesitate to sow it around him. Isabella ascended the throne at the age of sixteen; for six years she was very successful in the craft of sovereigns. “And imagine, cousin,” she continued, “I sometimes even remember with regret the knight Gaveston. For since then, Edward, wishing to take revenge on me, has been collecting into the palace all the lowest, the dirtiest that only exists in the country. He visits London harbor dens, fumbles with vagabonds, fists with porters, competes with grooms in their art. Nothing to say, tournaments worthy of a king! Meanwhile, the state is ruled by the first person he meets, if only he knew how to entertain Edward and himself took part in his entertainments. Now this role is played by the Barons Dispensers, the father is no better than the son, who is with my wife as a concubine. And Edward neglects me altogether, but if chance brings us together, I am seized with such shame that I freeze all over. She lowered her head. - The queen, if her husband does not love her, is the most unhappy of all her subjects. Only one thing is required of her - to ensure the continuation of the reigning house, and no one cares about her feelings. But would any woman, the wife of a baron, a city dweller, a peasant, finally, would they agree to endure such torment as I endure. ., just because I'm a queen? Yes, the last English laundress has more rights than me: she can come to me to ask for my intercession ... Robert Artois was a great shawl - and who did not know that! - that Isabella is unhappy in marriage, but until now he could not imagine either the depth of the drama or the suffering of the young queen. - Cousin, my beautiful cousin, I will be your protector! he exclaimed fervently. Isabella shrugged her shoulders sadly, as if to say, "How can you help me!" Their faces almost touched. Robert stretched out his hands, drew her to him with all the tenderness he could, and whispered: - Isabella ... Putting her hands on the giant's shoulders, she replied in a half-whisper: - Robert ... They did not look up into each other's eyes, and both were seized by an unexpected excitement. It seemed to Robert that there was a secret call in Isabella's voice. He suddenly felt some strange confusion, he was shackled, confused by his own strength, and he was afraid to cause embarrassment. Close up, Isabella's blue eyes under a semicircle of brown eyebrows seemed even more beautiful, her skin seemed even more velvety, her cheeks even more seductive like a fluffy peach. Dazzling teeth gleamed between her half-open lips. Suddenly Robert was seized with a desire to devote his life, his days, his body and soul to these lips, these eyes, this fragile queen, who now suddenly became what she really was - a young maiden; he was attracted to her, and he did not know how to express this passionate and indomitable attraction. Noble women were not to his taste, and it was not in his nature to pretend to be a gallant gentleman. - Why am I so open to you? Isabella said. They still gazed into each other's eyes. “For what the king neglects, not seeing perfection in it, other men would bless heaven day and night,” said Artois. - How do you, in your years, you, a beauty, shining with freshness, - you will be deprived of natural joys? Don't those lips know the taste of kisses? And these hands ... this body ... Oh, find yourself a chosen one, and let your choice fall on me. Undoubtedly, Robert went too directly to the goal, and his speech did not at all resemble the poetic sighs of Duke Guillaume of Aquitaine. But Isabella hardly heard his words. Robert suppressed her, hung over her like a lump; he smelled of wood, leather, horse sweat and a little bit of iron from wearing armor for a long time; neither in voice nor in habits did he resemble an inveterate conqueror of women's hearts, and, however, she was subdued. Before her was a man, a real man, rude and unbridled, with difficulty catching his breath. Will left Isabella, and she wanted only one thing: to put her head on this breast, wide, like a buffalo's, to forget, to quench her excruciating thirst ... She trembled. Then she suddenly straightened up. - No, Robert, don't! - she exclaimed. - I will not do what I first reproach my daughters-in-law for. I can't, I shouldn't. But when I think about my fate, about what I am deprived of, while they were lucky enough to have loving husbands ... Oh no! They must be punished, and punished severely! At the thought that she herself had been ordered to sin, Isabella hated her sinful daughters-in-law three times. She walked away and sat down in a high oak chair. Robert Artois followed her. “No, no, Robert,” she repeated, raising her hand in warning. - Do not use my momentary weakness, I will never forgive you for this. Perfect beauty inspires as much respect as greatness. The giant retreated in silence. But what happened - their minutes were never destined to be erased from their memory. For a moment, all obstacles ceased to exist between them. With difficulty they averted their eyes from each other. “So I can be loved too,” thought Isabella, and in her soul she felt gratitude to the person who gave her this blissful confidence. “So, cousin, is that all you wanted to tell me, or do you have more news?” she asked, taking control of herself with an effort. Robert Artois, who in turn wondered if he had done the right thing by retreating so quickly, did not immediately respond. He caught his breath noisily and said in such a voice as if he had awakened from a long sleep: - Yes, madam, I have a message for you from your uncle Valois. Some new mysterious ties bound them henceforth, and each spoken word now acquired a different meaning. “Soon there will be a trial of the elders of the Templars,” continued Artois, and there is every reason to fear that your successor from the font, Grand Master of the Order, Jacques de Molay, will be put to death. Your uncle Valois asks you to write to the king and beg for pardon. Isabella said nothing. She sat down as before, propping her chin on her palm. - How you look like him! Artois exclaimed. - Who do you look like? - To King Philip, your father. “What the king has decided, my father, is finally decided,” Isabella said slowly. - I can interfere in matters affecting the honor of our family, but I do not intend to interfere in the affairs of state in France. - Jacques de Molay is a deep old man. He was noble, he was great. If he made mistakes, he has already redeemed them a hundredfold. Remember that he is your godfather. Believe me, a great crime is being prepared, and again Nogare and Marigny are plotting it! Striking a blow to the Templars, they want to strike in their face a blow to the entire chivalry, to the entire high class. And who? Rootless, insignificant people. Isabella was silent in indecision, the matter was too important for her to dare to intervene in it. “I cannot judge such things,” she said. “No, I cannot judge. “You know that I am indebted to your uncle Valois, and he will be extremely grateful to me if I receive a letter from you. Moreover, compassion for the face of the queen; pity is a woman's innate virtue, and a virtue worthy of all praise. Someone reproaches you for hard-heartedness by standing up for the innocent, you will give the slanderers a brilliant rebuff. Do it for yourself, Isabella, and for me as well. Her name, Isabella, he pronounced in the same tone as when they stood at the window. The queen smiled. “You, Robert, are a skilled diplomat. Who would have thought, because you look like a real savage. Okay, I'll write the letter you want so badly, and you can deliver it along with everything else. I will even try to get a letter from the king of England to the king of France. When are you leaving? “When you say so, cousin. - I think the purses will be ready tomorrow, which means soon. The queen's voice sounded distressing. Robert looked her in the eye and she was embarrassed again. “I will await a messenger from you to tell me if I should go to France. Goodbye, Messire. I'll see you at dinner. Robert went out, and the hall suddenly seemed to the queen surprisingly quiet, like a valley after a hurricane swept over it. Isabella closed her eyes and sat motionless for a minute. "This man," she thought, "was embittered by eternal injustices. But he is able to answer love with love." People who are called to play an important role in the history of nations, for the most part, do not know what events they will become an instrument of. And these two, who were talking at the end of March 1314 in the Palace of Westminster, could not even imagine that, due to the coincidence of circumstances, due to their own actions, they would give impetus to the war between the kingdoms of France and England - a war that will last more than a hundred years ...

» ( La Reine étranglée) (1955)

Generalized plot

The novels take place during the reign of the last five direct descendants of Capetian kings and the first two Valois kings, from Philip IV to John II.

According to legend, the origins of all the troubles that befell France at that time lie in the curse to which the Grand Master of the Knights Templar subjected King Philip IV the Fair, who condemned him to death.

1. "Iron King" (France, 1314. Having gone to the fire, the Grand Master of the Knights Templar Jacques de Molay cursed his executioners - Pope Clement V, King Philip the Fair, his minister Guillaume de Nogaret and all their offspring up to the thirteenth generation. The first blow of fate - The "case" of the adultery of the king's daughters-in-law, initiated by the English queen Isabella with the filing of the main intriguer of the novel - Robert Artois, as a result of which Blanca and Margaret of Burgundy were imprisoned in Château Gaillard, and Jeanne, wife of Prince Philippe, Count of Poitiers, was sent to a monastery, then death Pope, the death of Nogare and the death of the Iron King - Philip the Fair).
2. "Prisoner of Chateau Gaillard" (about the mediocre reign of Louis X the Grumpy, about the attempts of the new king to divorce his wife, matchmaking to Clementia of Hungary and the death of Margaret).
3. "Poison and Crown" (in this part of the novel, the history of morals and the history of the royal house are even more closely intertwined: the journey of Princess Clementia of Hungary from Naples to Paris, the royal wedding, the unsuccessful campaign of King Louis in Flanders, the operations of the banking house of Tolomei and the death of Louis himself at the hands of the countess Mago Artois, from whom he took her county at the suggestion of Robert Artois).
4. "It is not good for lilies to spin" (about the merciless struggle that are being waged to achieve regency, three relatives of the late King Louis - his brother Comte de Poitiers, uncle - Comte de Valois and cousin - Duke of Burgundy, not disdaining by any means; also depicts the history of the election of the Pope Roman John XXII).
5. "French she-wolf" (takes us to England, which is ruled by the incompetent king Edward II, and his wife, daughter of Philip the Beautiful Isabella, lives in fear).
6. "Lily and the Lion" (leads the reader to the beginning of the Hundred Years War)
7. "When the King Ruins France" (in the final part of the novel, Druon consistently develops the idea of ​​the fatal role of mediocrity, by chance finding itself at the helm of power. The last part is written in the form of a monologue of Elie de Talleyrand, Cardinal of Perigord, who goes to meet with the emperor in order to reach a conclusion peace between England and France).

Iron king

The book begins in 1314.

At the same time, a seven-year trial of the Order of the Knights Templar was completed in France. The Grand Master of the Order, Jacques de Molay, and the Prior of Normandy, Geoffroy de Charnay, were sentenced to be burned at the stake. During the execution, the Grand Master curses his destroyers - King Philip, Pope Clement V and the guardian of the royal seal Guillaume de Nogaret, as well as their entire family up to the thirteenth generation.

During her visit to France, Queen Isabella exposes her daughters-in-law to the king. The guilt of the wives of Louis and Karl, Marguerite and Blanca of Burgundy, is obvious, and both are sentenced to life imprisonment in the Château Gaillard fortress, having previously been obliged to be present at the execution of their lovers, the brothers d'One. The wife of Philippe, the middle son of the king, Jeanne of Burgundy, is sentenced to exile, since her guilt has not been proven, however, most likely, she knew about the sins of Marguerite and Blanca and at the same time acted as a procurer.

Subsequent events involuntarily bring to mind the curse of the Grand Master. First, Pope Clement dies, then Guillaume de Nogaret (he was poisoned by fumes from a poisoned candle that the former Knight Templar Evrard gave him). And then on the hunt at the age of forty-six, King Philip, bursting with health, dies.

It seems that the curse of the Grand Master is beginning to come true ...

Prisoner of Chateau Gaillard

After the unexpected death of his father Philip IV, Louis X the Grumpy becomes king of France. Karl Valois, pursuing his political and dynastic goals, invites him to marry his relative, Clementia of Hungary. Interested in his uncle's proposal, King Louis X sent an embassy to Naples under the leadership of the former chamberlain of his father, Count of the South of Bouville; at the same time, the nephew of the captain of the Lombards of Paris, the banker Spinello Tolomei, Guccio Baglioni, is an assistant, treasurer and translator for the count. In addition to matchmaking, the ambassadors are entrusted with the task of finding and bribing cardinals, who, thanks to the backstage intrigues of the first minister of the kingdom of Angerrand de Marigny, have not yet agreed on the election of the pope to the Avignon throne.

At this time, Marguerite and Blanca of Burgundy are imprisoned in very difficult conditions. However, Marguerite has the opportunity to move from prison to a monastery: Robert Artois invites her to write a confession that her daughter, Princess Jeanne, is illegitimate, then Louis could get a divorce and remarry, because, according to the laws of that time, adultery was not enough the reason for divorce. However, she does not believe that she will really be released, and, after thinking, refuses.

At the court, there is an active struggle for power between two clans - the uncle of Louis Charles of Valois and the most influential person in the state after the king - the first minister of the kingdom of Angerrand de Marigny. When Queen Margaret agrees to the confession and writes a letter to the king, it gets to Marigny, and he destroys it. As a result, when the truth comes out, Marguerite is killed in Château Gaillard at the hands of Lorme, a servant of Robert Artois. Marigny Jr., Bishop Jean of Beauvais, blackmailed with the help of incriminating documents received from the Lombard bankers of Paris in order to save himself, betrays his own brother, and he is sent to the gallows on charges of embezzlement, despite the fact that shortly before that at the trial Angerrand manages to refute all accusations against him before the commission created by the king.

King Louis, who has now become a widower, finally officially proposes to Clementia of Hungary and sends a wedding embassy to Naples for his bride, including the South of Bouville and Guccio Baglioni.

Interestingly, the title of this book in French, La Reine étranglée, which translates as "Strangled Queen", for some reason has been replaced by "The Prisoner of Chateau Gaillard."

Poison and crown

Six months have passed since the death of King Philip the Fair. Clementia Hungarian enters a storm on her way to her fiancé; later, several more incidents happen, which she interprets as bad omens. Sent as part of the Count of Bouville's mission to Naples, Guccio Baglioni falls ashore and ends up in a hospital for the poor.

Louis the Grumpy starts a campaign in Flanders, since the Count of Nevers boldly refused to fulfill his vassal duty to the king. The assembled royal army, however, never reaches the borders of Flanders and, due to weather conditions, gets stuck in the mud, and the king, finding a plausible excuse, returns back and marries Clementia.

Philippe Poitiers returns to Paris. During his stop at the castle of Fontainebleau, Charles of Valois and Carl de la Marsh arrive there to detain Philippe in the castle and to nominate Charles of Valois to the post of regent. The Count of Poitiers leaves Fontainebleau at night and, with his loyal people, occupies the castle of Cité without a fight. Louis d'Evreux nominates Count of Poitiers for the post of regent. At the assembly, with the support of the last living son of Saint Louis, Robert of Claremont, Philippe Poitiers, bypassing Charles Valois, becomes regent. The ancient Salic law is also established there.

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Excerpt from the Cursed Kings

King Philip IV, nicknamed the Iron by his contemporaries, was the unrestricted ruler of France.

He defeated England in Aquitaine, pacified the Flemings, pacified the warlike barons and fought the papacy ...

And only the Order of the Knights Templar refused to recognize the authority of Philip. Too independent, too rich ... For Philip, the Templars were a real threat.

But won't his momentary victory over the Order turn into a centuries-old curse for Philip himself and the Capetian family?

Prisoner of Chateau Gaillard

As legend has it, the curse of the Grand Master of the Order of the Knights Templar brought numerous troubles and misfortunes to France.

He, condemned to death by a dishonest court, cursed Philip IV the Fair and the entire Capetian family up to the thirteenth generation.

How a terrible curse came true for centuries is described in the cycle of historical novels "The Cursed Kings".

Poison and crown

King Philip IV the Handsome died. His son ascended the throne - a weak-willed and weak man.

The obsession with power knows no boundaries. To gain the trust of the king, powerful barons and numerous relatives enter into a fierce struggle.

Love, intrigue, gossip ... And the curse of the Templar, which prevails over everyone who wears the crown.

It's not good for lilies to spin

France was a powerful and great power while Philip IV ruled the kingdom with his iron fist. But the monarch died and Louis X, his son, ascended the throne. Limp, weak, inept ...

Should he rule Greater France? Officials plunder the treasury, rebellious barons sow confusion. There is famine in the country.

Is the curse of the Grand Master coming true?

French she-wolf

The curse of the Grand Master, condemned to death by an unrighteous court, begins to come true. Fate plays like chess pieces with kings. Pestilence, famine, war fell upon the unfortunate France like an avalanche ...

And somewhere far away in England, the daughter of the Iron King weaves a web of conspiracy to avenge the outraged honor and save herself.

The humiliated and insulted queen knows how to wait ...

Lily and lion

King Edward III of England, grandson of Philip the Fair, becomes one of the pretenders to the French throne.

Will the young man escape the curse of the Grand Master, condemned to death by the Iron King? None of the Capetian clan have yet lived to old age ...

Will fate be favorable to Edward of England?

When the king ruins France

1356. France is ravaged by grueling wars and crop failures.

John II the Good, King of France, does not intend to retreat: he is determined to snatch victory. Ahead is the decisive battle, the last battle. French knights versus English archers.

Only the curse of the Grand Master still gravitates over the Capetian family ...