Pictures of the old French court : Jeanne de Bourbon, Isabeau de Bavière, Anne de Bretagne

In this sweeping portrait of late‑medieval France, the listener is guided through the vibrant yet turbulent courts that shaped a nation from the aftermath of Poitiers to the dawn of the Renaissance. By weaving together chronicles, letters, and diplomatic records, the narrative brings to life the women who stood beside kings—Jeanne de Bourbon, Isabeau of Bavaria, and Anne of Brittany—revealing how their personal fortunes mirrored the fortunes of the realm.

The work balances the grand scale of battles, sieges, and treaties with intimate details of daily courtly routine: lavish feasts, the poetry of Christine de Pisan, and the whispered conspiracies of noble factions. As armies marched and plagues swept Paris, listeners hear how each queen navigated power, loss, and ambition, offering a vivid sense of a period where politics and passion were inseparable. Richly sourced and carefully argued, the history feels like a conversation with the past, inviting curiosity about the people behind the famous crowns.