Category Archives: 15th Century

How many people were killed during the French Wars of Religion?

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Jim McNeill

    Following the discussion re the killing of St Martin Monks at Tours, I thought the following figures re the numbers who died during the French Wars of Religion would be of interest (although somewhat rather macabre!) France, Religious … Continue reading →

Posted in 15th Century, Wars of Religion | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The monks of St. Martin of Tours killed in their luxury

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Jim McNeill

Below is a copy of “The monks of St. Martin of Tours killed in their luxury” from a French manuscript dated, c. 1451-1472. I’ve no idea what the story is behind this recorded event. There was a massacre of monks … Continue reading →

Posted in 15th Century, Catholicism, Marmoustier Abbey, Tours | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Image of St Martin of Tours, 1407

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Jim McNeill

This image from a Book of Hours, dated 1407, shows St Martin of Tours. A Book of Hours was a devotional book popular in the Middle Ages. It was a kind of prayer book alongside which were rich illustrations from … Continue reading →

Posted in 15th Century, Catholicism, Medieval history, Tours, Women's History | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Maillé and Luynes in the Touraine ~ C17th images by Louis Boudan

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Jim McNeill

The commune of Maillé in the Touraine is burned into the minds of many as the place of the Second World War massacre. But, of course, the small town and its surrounding district has more history than that single tragic … Continue reading →

Posted in 13th Century, 14th Century, 15th Century, 16th Century, 17th Century, 18th Century, 19th Century Touraine, 20th Century, architecture, Artists, Bronze Age, French Revolution, Louis Boudan, Louis XIII, Luynes, Maillé, Maps, Medieval history, Pre-History, Protestantism + Huguenots, Silk Industry, Tours, Transport ~ roal. rail, water, Vineyards | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The strange death of Louis XI at Plessis-les-Tours, 1483

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Jim McNeill

Below are a number of extracts from Philippe de Commyne’s Memoirs of king Louis XI’s (1423 – 1483) time at the château of Plessis-les Tours which lies to the west of Tours.  The château was built in middle of the … Continue reading →

Posted in 15th Century, Louis XI, Plessis-les-Tours | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

French Medieval images ~ on line at the Bodleian Library

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Jim McNeill

I thought many readers would be interested in viewing the thousands of Medieval document images that have been digitalised by the Bodleian Library, Oxford, England. The images range from quirky marginal drawings, full pages from French illuminated manuscripts, maps of … Continue reading →

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