Memoirs of Marguerite de Valois, Queen of Navarre — Volume 3

A striking portion of the memoirs unfolds as the French throne passes from the childless Charles IV to Philip VI, the first Valois king. Through Marguerite’s eyes we hear the barons arguing that a woman—or a woman’s son—cannot inherit, while the English claim, rooted in Isabella of France, lingers in the background. The narrative captures the tense council meetings, the legal justifications, and the uneasy shift to a new dynasty that promises both stability and fresh ambition.

The early years of Philip VI’s rule come alive in vivid detail. He quells a Flemish uprising, reasserts his feudal authority in Paris, and clashes with Edward III, whose wool trade and alliance with the Low Countries threaten French interests. Marguerite records the simmering rivalry that foreshadows a protracted conflict, all while describing the court’s daily rituals, the stark contrasts between French and English policies, and the personal stakes for those caught in the emerging struggle.