How does authority become power? How does power justify itself to achieve its ends? For over two hundred years, the Valois kings relied on a complex mixture of ideologies, ruling a monarchical commonwealth with a coherent theory of shared governance. Forged in the Hundred Years War, this commonwealth built on the defense of the public good (bien public) came undone both practically and theoretically during the Wars of Religion. Just as certain kings sought to expand the royal prerogative, so, too, elites fought to preserve their control over local government. Using town archives from more than twenty cities to complement traditional sources of political theory, The French Monarchical Commonwealth, 1356-1560 establishes the relationship between seemingly theoretical constructs, like the Salic Law, and the reality of everyday politics.

Offers a new perspective on the nature of political society in the French monarchy, across more than two centuries.

About the Author
James B. Collins is Professor of History at Georgetown University. His seven books include The State in Early Modern France (Cambridge University Press, 1995; 2nd ed. 2008) and La monarchie republicaine ( 2016), based on his lectures at the College de France. His work has been translated into French, Spanish, Polish, and Chinese.


Book Information
ISBN 9781108473309
Author James B. Collins
Format Hardback
Page Count 330
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 620g
Dimensions(mm) 235mm * 158mm * 21mm