This handsome king had his hands full not only with building up the Kingdom of France and keeping the French under his heel, but with his own household and the infamous scandal of the Tower of Nesle. Misfortune did fall on the shoulders of the king and those who succeeded him. In fact, when the Cardinals met in conclave last week, I was reminded of Druon's account of the conclave in Avignon when Philippe le Bel's son, Philippe the Long walled up the entrances to the chapel and kept the Cardinals walled in until they came to a decision! The Iron King is the first of the seven part series, and begins with Philippe le Bel's suppression of the Templars and the aftermath of the so-called 'curse' Jacques deMolay pronounced on the King and his heirs before his death at the stake. Truth be told, this series, in addition to Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" hooked me on the medieval period in history. The prose is still fresh in my mind, though dated, given that it was first published in 1956. I read this series when I was in my teens and I was thrilled that it was being re-released by Harper Collins.
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