SoA Forums

Looking for recommendations of current thinking on general as well as military history, possibly biographies?

A search of Amazon has revealed one or two potential options but it is difficult for me to gauge their quality and many cover a rather longer period than I am looking for which is essentially 1456 to 1504

Just in English unfortunately

The date coverage isn't perfect, but for the military side I'd recommend a look at Potter's Renaissance France at War, which covers late 15C to mid 16C.

Kendall has a enjoyable biography of Louis XI, altho it's not the most up to date.

Thanks Andreas.  More of an investment than I was expecting.  The first is c£60 and much to my suprise Kendall's is a similar price.

I will have to search around beyond Amazon  .  There must be some cheaper second hand copies of at least Kendall's book around

A second hand copy of Louis XI is a reasonable price on Abebooks but the Potter book is still a little pricey at the moment - direct from the publisher with the Society discount seems to be the best option but still £50 plus.

Quote from: Dave Knight on April 09, 2021, 08:35:09 AM
Thanks Andreas.  More of an investment than I was expecting.  The first is c£60 and much to my suprise Kendall's is a similar price.

I will have to search around beyond Amazon  .  There must be some cheaper second hand copies of at least Kendall's book around

Remember your Boydell and Brewer Society discount (which I assume still applies).  It is/was 25%.

Abe books have at least three copies of Kendall listed for under a fiver (though postage costs are more than the book, all in under a tenner)

Also worth looking out for Kendall's translation of Phillipe de Commines (not a complete translation, just the Louis XI period)

Edit : Apologies this crossed over with dave's last post, so a bit irrelevant.

Another possibly useful book would be Massimo Predonzani & Vincenzo Alberici The Italian Wars vol 1.  This covers the French in Italy 1494-5.

I have that one somewhere.  I remember not liking the illustrations that much but otherwise it was quite good

Only covers the beginning of your period, but there's Ditcham's The employment of foreign mercenary troops in the French royal armies 1415-1470 available online.

Thanks Duncan.  I don't think that much is likely to fit the period perfectly so works that extend beyond my parameters are inevitable

Quote from: Dave Knight on April 09, 2021, 08:34:13 PM
I have that one somewhere.  I remember not liking the illustrations that much but otherwise it was quite good

I agree.  The illustrations are a bit rubbish but there's some useful info in the text.

Actually I think that you will find that Ditcham will give you quite a bit.