author
d'Orléans Charles
1394–1465
A French prince turned one of the great voices of courtly poetry, he wrote with unusual grace about love, loss, and the passing seasons. Much of his best-known work grew out of the long years he spent as a prisoner in England after the Battle of Agincourt.
1 Audiobook
Poésies de Charles d'Orléans
by d'Orléans Charles
About the author
Born in Paris on November 24, 1394, Charles d’Orléans became Duke of Orléans after his father’s murder in 1407. He was part of the highest ranks of French royalty, but his life was shaped less by courtly privilege than by war, political violence, and captivity.
Captured by the English at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, he spent about twenty-five years in England before returning to France in 1440. During those years he wrote lyric poems in French, and also gained a reputation for poems in English. His verse is known for its musical style, its wit, and its delicate, often melancholy reflections on love and fortune.
Charles is remembered as one of the last and finest poets of the French courtly tradition. Even though he was a major political figure, his lasting fame comes from the personal voice of his poetry, which has kept readers interested for centuries.