Henry IV King of France

The life of Henry IV of France was not only dramatic, it also made a profound difference to the shaping of France in the early 17th century. During his reign, the foundations of the "grand siecle" were laid, not only in military and diplomatic affairs, but also in the arts. This biography describes Henry's extraordinary life and reign. The text is accompanied, and the arguments strengthened, by numerous plates and maps. Almost as striking as the personal contribution made by the king, is the remarkable willingness of the French nobility to wreck economic recovery from forty years of domestic chaos by plotting with the Spaniards.