The memoirs of Philip de Commines, Lord of Argenton, Volume 1 (of 2)

"The memoirs of Philip de Commines, Lord of Argenton, Volume 1 (of 2)" by Commynes is a historical memoir written in the late 15th century. It offers an insider’s account of the courts of Louis XI and Charles VIII of France and Charles the Bold of Burgundy, pairing clear narrative with keen reflections on power, diplomacy, and statecraft. Readers should expect a shrewd, candid appraisal of princes and politics across France, Burgundy, and wider Europe. The opening of this volume sets Commines’s stature through tributes by later writers, explains the editorial and publication history, and then gives a detailed life of the author—from his birth at Commines and early service to Philip the Good and the Count of Charolois, through Montlhéry and Liège, to his pivotal role at Péronne, his defection to Louis XI, and the rich rewards and bruising lawsuits that followed. It recounts the La Trémoille dispute over Amboise lands (including the destruction of key documents), his fall after Louis XI’s death, imprisonment under Charles VIII, later recall, and his Italian diplomacy around the Fornovo campaign, before retiring and dying in 1511. A brief dedication declares his aim: to record what he witnessed close to Louis XI, balancing praise with plain truth. At the start of the narrative proper, he relates a 1464 scene at Lille: French ambassadors accuse the Burgundians over the Rubempré affair and a pact with Brittany; the Count of Charolois answers firmly, sowing lasting enmity with the French king, while the recovery of the Somme towns and tensions around the house of Croy foreshadow the coming wars.

The memoirs of Philip de Commines, Lord of Argenton, Volume 1 (of 2), by Philippe de Commynes. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #77950.