Jules Michelet’s monumental Histoire de France stands as the defining work of nineteenth-century French romantic historiography. These volumes covering 1724 to 1759 address the troubled reign of Louis XV — court intrigue, the influence of Madame de Pompadour, France’s overseas colonial ambitions, and the opening moves of the Seven Years’ War that would reshape European and world power.
Michelet writes with lyrical force and partisan conviction, making even dry political events vivid and emotionally charged. Note: this text is in French.