Description
Book SynopsisThree portraits of men who were at the very center of governance in thirteenth-century France. Men who strove in the shadow of King Louis IX (Saint Louis) to impose a redemptive regime on the realm. Jordan treats them as individuals, but in a sense they are also types: Robert of Sorbon, a churchman; Etienne Boileau, a bourgeois; and Simon de Nesle, an aristocrat. Robert was the founder of the Sorbonne (one of the first significant colleges of the medieval University of Paris); Boileau was the prevoAet or royal administrator of Paris; and Simon was twice co-regent of the kingdom. Thinking about them and their relations with Louis IX opens up a new and altogether sobering vista for exploring the nature of the king's rule and the impact of his rule on his subjects.
Trade Review"Jordan is a masterful speaker, and it would have been a pleasure to hear his three lectures, now published in this beautifully produced volume. In their written form, the three essays spring to life, informed as they are by Jordan's vivid vocabulary, colorful images, dramatic anecdotes, and interesting hypotheses. Not only was I moved by Jordan's essays, I learned much from them. The best books are those that lead readers to ponder, question, and further investigate what they have read. In this respect, as in others, Jordan's volume is commendable. Providing numerous challenges that will lead readers to reflect, debate, and inquire, William Chester Jordan's Men at the Center is a welcome addition to the numerous valuable contributions he has made to our knowledge of Louis IX's life and reign" * Medieval Review *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Chapter 1: Robert of Sorbon, Churchman Chapter 2: Etienne Boileau, Bourgeois Chapter 3: Simon de Nesle, Aristocrat Epilogue List of References Bibliography Index
