House of Lilies: The Dynasty That Made Medieval France

The definitive history of the Capetians, the crusading dynasty that made the French crown the wealthiest and most powerful in medieval Europe and forged France as we know it today.

“A joy to read … one of the most entertaining popular history books published in recent years.” —Dan Jones, Sunday Times

In House of Lilies, historian Justine Firnhaber-Baker tells the epic story of the Capetian dynasty of medieval France. Reigning from 987 to 1328 and consolidating a fragmented realm that eventually stretched from the Rhône to the Pyrenees, the Capetians became the most powerful monarchy of the Middle Ages. They were at the center of some of the most dramatic episodes in European history, including the Crusades, bloody waves of religious persecution, and a series of wars with England. The Capetian age also saw the emergence of Gothic architecture, the romantic ideals of chivalry and courtly love, and the Church’s role at the center of daily life.

Evocatively interweaving these pivotal developments with the human stories of the men and women who drove them, this is the definitive history of the dynasty that forged France—and Europe—as we know it.