Medieval France

John Lackland was born to King Henry II and Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitane in December, 1166; he was the youngest of five sons. However, he unexpectedly became the favored heir to his father after a failed rebellion by his older brothers in 1173. He became king in 1199, though his reign was tumultuous and short. After a brief peace with Phillip II of France, war broke out again in 1202 and King John lost most of his holdings on the continent. This led to conflict upon his return from battle. Buffeted from all sides, King John was pushed in 1215 to sign the Magna Carta.

Exploring the successful Norman invasion of England in 1066, this concise and listenable book focuses especially on the often dramatic and enduring changes wrought by William the Conqueror and his followers. Hugh M. Thomas considers the conquest's wide-ranging impact by taking a fresh look at such traditional themes as the influence of battles and great men on history and by assessing how far the shift in ruling dynasty and noble elites affected broader aspects of English history.

Somewhat ironically, the one aspect of the Middle Ages that has been romanticized is medieval warfare. What is generally forgotten is that medieval warfare was constantly adapting to the times as leaders adopted new techniques and technology, and common infantry became increasingly important throughout the period. The changes became most evident at the beginning of the 14th century, when the French army fought rebellious forces from Flanders in the Battle of the Golden Spurs on July 11, 1302.

Although it ended over 550 years ago, the Hundred Years' War still looms large in the historical consciousness of England and France, even if the name of the famous war is a misnomer. Actually a series of separate conflicts between the English and French monarchies, interspersed with periods of peace, its historical image is an odd one, in part because its origins were based on royal claims that dated back centuries.

De Paris, avec saint Denis, à Arras, avec saint Vaast, en passant par Le Puy, Marseille, Bordeaux, Angers ou Chartres, Yves-Marie Adeline nous emmène dans sa ronde poétique des saints évêques fondateurs de la France. Dans son magnifique recueil, l'auteur s'adresse successivement à une vingtaine d'entre eux, prélats connus ou inconnus, avec qui il évoque le récit de leur vie et dont il appelle l'intercession. Ces évêques rassemblés constituent un manteau d'étoiles protecteur dont la voix d'Yves-Marie Adeline dévoile toute la magie.

Caballeros y batallas, princesas y castillos, asedios y profetas guerreros que lideran el camino hacia la victoria sobre relucientes caballos blancos: todo parece ser parte de mitos y leyendas. La historia de esta guerra se vuelve fascinante por su entorno, pero es inspiradora por sus personajes. Jóvenes reyes y audaces reinas, prisioneros que creen en el honor, tormentas de granizo que detienen luchas enteras y la historia de una joven campesina que cambió el curso de la historia.

Fans of the Lord of the Rings franchise instantly fell in love with the brooding but majestic Minas Tirith, the mesmerizing entity boasting looming stone towers on every level. As with most brilliant works of art, a muse or source of inspiration was responsible. In this case, it is said that the magical city and circular fortress had been inspired by one very real island -- the legendary Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, France.

It was with horror and sadness that the people of the world opened their social media or switched on their televisions on April 15th, 2019, only to see terrifying pictures of smoke and flames roaring around one of the most iconic outlines in France: That of Notre-Dame de Paris. There is more to Notre-Dame, however than just a tragic fire. Almost nine centuries of history lie behind its weathered towers, and its history is closely interlinked with that of France and its people. Its story has rung out through the ages as one of hope and survival.

Cet audio est constitué de 10 histoires.

Cérémonieux ou simples, graves ou enjoués, ces 25 textes, dont les vers tendres traversent les coeurs et les siècles, illustrent l'inoubliable moment d'une union, en réactivent l'intime frisson d'émotion ou tout simplement le plaisir d'une parole d'amour. Les textes sont illustrés avec les musiques de Albinoni, Bach, Chopin, Corelli, Debussy, Donizetti, Grieg, Haydnl, Pergolèse, Rimsky-Korsakov, Saint-Saëns, Telemann et Vivaldi. Avec les voix de Chloé Berthier, Marie-Martine Bisson, Marc Brunet, François Creton, Lise Roy et Jean-Louis Thiar.