How would you describe the current mood in your part of the world?
In many places, today’s theme might be division rather than unity.
Is our time unique?
Over the centuries, internal divisions accelerated the decline of many powerful civilizations—ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, China’s Shang Dynasty, the British Empire, among many others.
Today’s book review focuses on France, with a riveting novel, The Brethren, (first of 13 in the Fortunes of France series) painting a picture of how religious and political conflicts between Catholics and Protestants led to decades of religious wars, many deaths, and the dissolution of French national unity.
To help our nations avoid these pitfalls, may we treat our neighbors with love and respect, whatever our differences!
Readers, what ways have you found to show compassion to your neighbors?
Pierre de Siorac, the second son of a fervent Protestant father and no less devout Catholic mother, tells the story of his Protestant (Huguenot) family in Périgord, France. Through his adolescent eyes and the difficult choices he, his family members and household face, readers see how the religious conflicts between Catholics and Huguenots threaten to tear France (and Pierre’s family) apart. This novel shows the very real impact of religion on the lives of common people as well as elites in 16th-century France—for instance, converts to the Huguenot faith lost 50 holidays (celebrating Roman Church saints) each year.
The Brethrenbegins a saga about France’s history. Although the novel’s rich background is closely based on facts, the author labels it as historical fiction, allowing him to fictionalize the family at the heart of this story. The author’s detailed portrayal of life details, history, and religious practice lays the groundwork for the French religious wars and their aftermath.
Clearly-drawn characters with strong, distinct perspectives and goals breathe life and emotion into this novel, drawing readers through decades of shifting policies of rulers, military commanders, clerics and lay religious leaders.
I recommend The Brethren to readers who enjoy an expansive story that transports them to a bygone era, and I look forward to reading the next volumes of this saga.
My rating: Life in this era was often messy and violent, so readers shouldn’t be surprised to encounter violence and intimacy outside marriage in The Brethren.
What do you think of when someone mentions France?
The Eiffel Tower, fantastic cuisine, stylish clothing, or romantic movies?
What about a breeding ground for the Reformed branch of the Protestant Church?
How can this be? France is a Catholic nation.
Jean Calvin, a Frenchman, was a key figure of the Reformed (as opposed to the Lutheran) branch of the church that broke away from Roman Catholicism. He fled to Geneva, Switzerland, for his own safety.
Believe it or not, hundreds of Protestantchurches sprang up throughout France, and as much as 10% of France’s population considered themselves Huguenots (Reformed Protestants) before persecution began in earnest.
But kings, popes, and powerful families wanted to stay in control, so 36 years of religious wars resulted, followed by more Huguenot rebellions.
Eventually, the Catholic French kings prevailed, and surviving Protestants had to flee or hide their beliefs.
The City of Tears, (The Burning Chambers Series Book 2) an engaging new novel by Kate Mosse, takes place during that volatile period of French history.
Although this was a difficult time for Protestants in France, it’s a very exciting story that I found difficult to put down. Here’s why:
Plot—A wonderful weaving of historical events with emotional arcs, this is a riveting story of a family’s struggles through two decades of France’s religious wars.
Setting—The fully-created world made me feel like I was there, with details about life and locations, but it wasn’t overloaded with description.
Characters— I loved the strong, three-dimensional characters. but I wished I could prevent some unfortunate choices by the heroes. I could sympathize even with the villains.
I haven’t yet read Burning Chambers (Book 1 in this series), but hope to soon so I can fully understand the backstory of City of Tears.
I would give City of Tears a moderate rating, as it includes significant violence (fitting for that time) and fade-out love scenes.
Readers, imagine yourself as a resident of France during this time period. Whatever your beliefs, how would you have responded to religious conflicts—fled, helped your neighbors, hidden your beliefs?
Today I have a historical mystery for you, based on my novel research, with a few questions and clues to help solve it.
Who were the Huguenots?
French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism
At their peak,they made up as much as 10% of the French population
Why did they go missing from France?
The French Roman Catholic clergy could not accept the Huguenots’ increased influence and worked to deprive them of their rights
King Louis XIV believed that unity in the state was extremely difficult to maintain where two or more churches were tolerated.
The king intensified the persecution of Huguenots:
Dragonnades—soldiers were billeted in Protestant homes with permission to behave as brutally as they wished
Churches were destroyed
Certain professions were put out of their reach
Their children were taken away from their parents and brought up as Roman Catholics
On Oct. 18, 1685, Louis XIV pronounced the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which had guaranteed political and religious rights
Where did they go?
Netherlands
Switzerland
England
Ireland
Scotland
Prussia
Denmark
Sweden
Finland
America
South Africa
What was the result in France?
Huguenot persecution greatly damaged the reputation of Louis XIV abroad, particularly in England. Both kingdoms became bitter enemies and fought each other in a series of wars
Many Huguenots had been urban people in commerce and industry, so their absence hurt France in the Industrial Revolution
In The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, German sociologist Max Weber, argued that the supposedly Protestant values of hard work, thrift, efficiency, and orderliness contributed to the economic success of Protestant groups in the early stages of European capitalism.
Alain Peyrefitte, the French Catholic author of Le Mal Français, argues that the absence of supposedly Protestant values (hard work, thrift, efficiency, and orderliness) caused France to lag behind other nations socially and economically.
Many novels have been written about Huguenots, and I’ll highlight one from the 19th century and one from the 21st century:
Believe it or not, the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories also wrote this novel focused on Huguenots and where some emigrated during the reign of Louis XIV. I just discovered this novel, and I look forward to reading it soon.
Based on a true story, this novel follows one French Huguenot family as King Louis XIV consolidated his power by whittling away Protestants’ rights, tolerating no political or religious opposition, impacting individuals of all ages and ranks of society.
Shows how ordinary people’s toleration of injustice on a small scale can lead, step by step, to great evil
Could have used more light moments, but, as with stories about the Holocaust era, humor and good times would not ring true with the facts of history
Hindsight shows us the tragic choices made by France’s leaders hundreds of years ago and their impact on that nation and the world. They couldn’t embrace the idea that a cultural melting pot could enrich their society.
We can learn from their mistakes and reach out to people of diverse backgrounds, breaking down stereotypes and prejudice.
I wish you peace and health in this holiday season.
As I continue to trace my characters’ journeys, I discover new places or interesting new things about places I thought I knew—including the Netherlands.
Since many of us are limited in our travels now, it’s a perfect time to travel back in time to experience life in this part of the world in the late sixteenth century.
I’m highlighting a historical novel with a history of its own:
The Dove and the Rose was written more than two decades ago by Ethel Herr, one of my early fiction mentors. I recently re-read this novel, whose success inspired me to write historical fiction dealing with the consequences of the Protestant Reformation in an often-overlooked part of Europe—in this case, the Netherlands.
Although romance is an important aspect of this story, the historical context is key to understanding the struggles of the main characters. The author does a commendable job of providing background information (maps, historical background, a glossary of Dutch terms).
Central to the plot are the many competing expressions of Christianity in the late 1500s. Conflicts between these groups escalated as rulers at all levels became involved. Often, common people suffered most.
This novel doesn’t sugarcoat the suffering produced by these conflicts, but it left me admiring the heroism of several characters (even though they were complex, flawed people). I enjoyed the story and being transported to this unfamiliar setting—an engaging, off-the-beaten-track read.
Do you have a hidden gem historical novel to recommend to other readers?
Topics off the beaten track intrigue me, and a new novel, Black Mountain, fits the bill for its location as well as the story. Here’s why I enjoyed it:
It took place mainly in rural Wales (not London, Paris, Rome…)
Set in the early phase of the Reformation in England, it focused not on Henry VIII or his court, but on how King Henry’s Reformation affected the lives of common people
The protagonist was a witch
The suspense propelled me
The characters are well-drawn and unique
The author, Leanne Hardy, was kind enough to answer a few questions about her story, and my interview with her follows.
Black Mountain is the third book in your Glastonbury Grail series. Does this novel work well as a stand-alone, or do you recommend reading Glastonbury Tor and Honddu Vale first? Leanne Hardy: Readers of the first two books will enjoy becoming reacquainted with old friends, but Black Mountain works fine even if you jump in here.
What led you to sixteenth-century Wales as the main setting for this novel? LH: It started with visiting the museum at Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset, England, and learning about the dramatic events surrounding the closure of the abbey in 1539 under King Henry VIII. That became the setting for Glastonbury Tor. At the end of that book my main character, Colin, returns to his home in Wales, and the other books follow from there.
Major changes were going on in the world during the era of this novel. How did these changes impact the lives of peasants, nobles, and clergy in your story? LH: You’re right; the changes were revolutionary. Most of the books I have seen set at this time concern themselves with events at court, including Henry’s multiple marriages. (Wolf Hall, The Other Boleyn Girl, etc) I was more interested in ordinary people.
This is thetime of the early English Reformation, and the lines between Catholic and Protestant were not yet clearly drawn. Good people on both sides sincerely sought God; corrupt people on both sides took advantage of unrest for personal gain—not the least of which was Henry himself, who was more interested in justifying his divorce of Queen Katherine, who had failed to give him a son, than he was in biblical doctrine.
Henry closed down all the monasteries and appropriated their wealth for the crown, more accurately, he squandered it to win friends. Those monasteries ran the soup kitchens and travelers’ lodgings of the time. And now they were gone.
Peasants were expected to follow the lead of “their betters.” Owning a copy of William Tyndale’s English translation of the Bible could draw severe punishment, even death. As one of my readers of Glastonbury Tor commented, “It sounds like a police state!” It was.
Which historical figures did you include in your novel? LH:Henry VIII, of course, although he never appears in person. Throughout the trilogy characters make reference to various historical characters and events at court. Those are “current events” for them. The officials Henry sent to dissolve the abbey in Glastonbury Tor are historical. I used the names of actual monks who were there at the time, including those who were arrested at the end. But the personalities I gave them were entirely fictitious, and by the time I got to Black Mountain all the characters were invented, although they seemed very real to me.
Where did you discover the details of life in this time? LH: Thanks to inter-library loan, I read more than thirty books about the time, the setting, life in monasteries, etc. Even so, after the first book was published, I discovered information that revealed a geographical error that I had no choice but to carry over to future books.
The second book in the series was set in Wales. I was frustrated that all the books I found in the US lumped Wales in with England after the conquest in the thirteenth century. I was pretty sure the Welsh did not all instantly think like Englishmen.
When I traveled to Wales for research and stayed with college students in Cardiff (fabulous experience!), they arranged a library card I could use. The Cardiff library had two bookcases full of books on Wales from the Welsh point-of-view! Before I came home, I bought the history written by a raving Welsh nationalist. I figured he would give me the best perspective on how my characters would really feel.
By the time I started Black Mountain, I had a pretty good handle on sixteenth-century life in Britain, but when my beta readers asked for more information on Teg’s journey, I had to do a lot of digging about the places and cultures she passed through. Fortunately, the most significant were places I had visited and knew something about already.
What were the most challenging aspects of writing this novel? LH: When I started, I was unsure about attempting to write first person of two different points-of-view, but then I realized that a bitter old woman and a blooming bride were enough different that it was worth a try. I think it worked. Other than that, the most challenging aspect was sticking with it through years of interruptions and distractions.
What did you enjoy about writing this novel? LH: The surprises. By this time I knew my characters pretty well. They directed where the story should go, and that is always so much fun.
What do you hope readers will take away after reading Black Mountain? LH: Teg thinks she knows what Christianity is about. After all, her father was a priest and prior of the local abbey. (Yes, you read that correctly.) She is bitter and wants nothing to do with the church, but she has never met Jesus Christ, the owner of the mysterious cup whose power she wants to control. My hope is that readers will put aside what they think they know and meet Jesus.
Readers, I hope you’ve enjoyed this journey to 16th-century Wales! Can you share an experience or knowledge of Wales?
What
if
the Spanish Armada had invaded England in 1588?
If Spain had conquered England
and deposed Queen Elizabeth I, our lives would surely be different today:
The Protestant Reformation probably wouldn’t have
endured
Spanish explorers would have claimed much more of
the world for Spain
Science, philosophy, and literature would have
developed very differently.
Many people credit Sir Francis Drake with defeating the Spanish Armada. But without ordinary people, Drake couldn’t have succeeded. How did ordinary people help ?
Spies (often civilians in the right place at the right time) passed on important military information to England, and codebreakers interpreted it.
Merchants and even pirates supplied 192 of the 226 ships the British navy assembled to face the Spanish Armada in 1588—only 34 ships belonged to Queen Elizabeth I. Civilian ships carried supplies and troops, as well as battling to defend themselves or others.
Shipbuilders (shipwrights) designed and built ships that could function both to carry cargo and defend themselves or battle hostile ships.
Even
after the defeat of the Armada, England still faced danger.
Here’s a dramatic true example of the power of an ordinary person in England in the early 1600s:
One lit fuse could blow up a king and all his Parliament members. BUT one brave man could save all those lives by speaking up about a letter he received.
This was the Gunpowder Plot, which took place in England in 1605. Religious divisions had fractured the English nation for decades, and now a group of unhappy Catholics wanted to rid England of King James I.
One of the plotters—his identity is still debated—wanted to protect his friend, Lord Monteagle, who would normally attend Parliament meetings. The plotter sent Monteagle a letter warning him to stay far away on November 5th, because Parliament would receive “a terrible blow.”
Letter to Monteagle
Lord
Monteagle took the letter to Robert Cecil, England’s Secretary of State, who instructed
his officers to search the upper and lower levels of the House of Lords.
On November 4th, the night before King James and Parliament gathered, Guy Fawkes was caught in the cellar of the House of Lords with barrels of gunpowder and fuses—just in time to prevent the plot from succeeding!
One man’s courage and effort saved King James I and many others.
What examples can you share of other situations where ordinary people changed the course of history?
