Journal de Jean Héroard - Tome 2 Sur l'enfance et la jeunesse de Louis XIII (1610-1628)

This diary offers a rare, day‑by‑day portrait of a young monarch’s early reign, written by the king’s own physician. Héroard captures the rhythm of court life in the first years of Louis XIII, from solemn ceremonies to the mundane worries of a teenage ruler. The tone is both observant and personal, giving listeners a sense of being invited into the royal household.

The entries list a striking variety of events: royal speeches, diplomatic audiences, hunting expeditions, and even a lion wandering the Tuileries. Héroard notes small, vivid details—a queen refusing the king’s napkin, the king’s reverence for his late father, and the everyday concerns of health and justice. His medical perspective adds another layer, recording treatments for fevers, bites, and the occasional plague scare.

Through these concise sketches, the listener hears the cadence of early‑17th‑century France, the blend of ceremony and humanity that shaped a king still finding his voice.