Jules Michelet's fourth volume covers a period of French history that feels less like a steady march and more like a frantic stumble from one crisis to the next. We start with the weak King Louis X and follow the disastrous reign of his successor, Philip VI, right into the opening salvos of the Hundred Years' War with England.

The Story

This isn't a story of glorious conquest. It's the story of a kingdom coming undone. The French kings of this era are plagued by military defeat, most famously at the Battle of Crécy, and by a crumbling economy. The Black Death arrives, wiping out a huge part of the population and throwing society into chaos. The book's climax isn't a battle, but a popular uprising: the Jacquerie, a bloody peasant revolt born from utter desperation and fury at a nobility that failed to protect them.

Why You Should Read It

Michelet writes history with a novelist's heart. He makes you understand the sheer terror of the plague, the confusion of a lost war, and the raw anger of starving people. He's less interested in battle tactics and more in human suffering and resilience. You get a real sense of the French *people*—not just the kings—struggling to survive as their world falls apart. It's gripping because it feels so human.

Final Verdict

Perfect for readers who think history is boring. Michelet proves it's anything but. This is for anyone who enjoys deep-dive narratives about societal collapse, the fragility of power, and moments when the common people rewrite the rules. Be warned: it's a dense, older style of history writing, but if you stick with it, you're rewarded with a breathtakingly vivid portrait of a nation in its darkest hour.