An “engaging, enthusiastic, sympathetic, funny” journey through French history from the New York Times–bestselling author of Absolute Monarchs (The Wall Street Journal). Beginning with Julius Caesar’s conquest of Gaul in the first century BC, this study of French history comprises a cast of legendary characters―Charlemagne, Louis XIV, Napoleon, Joan of Arc, and Marie Antoinette, to name a few―as John Julius Norwich chronicles France’s often violent, always fascinating history. From the French Revolution―after which neither France nor the world would be the same again―to the storming of the Bastille, from the Vichy regime and the Resistance to the end of the Second World War, A History of France is packed with heroes and villains, battles and rebellion—written with both an expert command of detail and a lively appreciation for the subject matter by this “true master of narrative history” (Simon Sebag Montefiore).

Signed on June 28, 1919 between Germany and the principal Allied powers, the Treaty of Versailles formally ended World War I. Problematic from the very beginning, even its contemporaries saw the treaty as a mediocre compromise, creating a precarious order in Europe and abroad and destined to fall short of ensuring lasting peace. At the time, observers read the treaty through competing lenses: a desire for peace after five years of disastrous war, demands for vengeance against Germany, the uncertain future of colonialism, and, most alarmingly, the emerging threat of Bolshevism. A century after its signing, we can look back at how those developments evolved through the twentieth century, evaluating the treaty and its consequences with unprecedented depth of perspective. The author of several award-winning books, Michael S. Neiberg provides a lucid and authoritative account of the Treaty of Versailles, explaining the enormous challenges facing those who tried to put the world back together after the global destruction of the World War I. Rather than assessing winners and losers, this compelling book analyzes the many subtle factors that influenced the treaty and the dominant, at times ambiguous role of the "Big Four" leaders: Woodrow Wilson of the United States, David Lloyd George of Great Britain, Vittorio Emanuele Orlando of Italy, and Georges Clémenceau of France. The Treaty of Versailles was not solely responsible for the catastrophic war that crippled Europe and the world just two decades later, but it played a critical role. As Neiberg reminds us, to understand decolonization, World War II, the Cold War, and even the complex world we inhabit today, there is no better place to begin than with World War I and the treaty that tried, and perhaps failed, to end it. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1881.

"A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times" in 6 volumes is a comprehensive account of French history from its earliest beginnings in Gaul to 1789 written by the French historian and statesman François Guizot. According to the author's opinion, there are, in the history of peoples, two sets of causes essentially different, and, at the same time, closely connected; the natural causes which are set over the general course of events, and the unrestricted causes which are incidental. The fated causes and the unrestricted causes, the defined laws of events and the spontaneous actions of man's free agency – herein is the whole of history. This carefully crafted DigiCat ebook is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents: Gaul The Romans in Gaul Gaul Conquered by Julius Caesar Establishment of Christianity in Gaul The Germans in Gaul, the Franks and Clovis The Merovingians Charlemagne and His Wars The Crusades, Their Origin and Their Success... Volume 2: The Crusades, Their Decline and End The Kingship in France The Hundred Years' War, Philip VI and John II The Hundred Years' War, Charles V Volume 3: The Hundred Years' War, Charles VII and Joan of Arc (1422-1461) Louis XI (1461-1483) The Wars of Italy, Charles VIII (1483-1498) The Wars in Italy, Louis XII (1498-1515) Volume 4: Francis I and Charles V Francis I and the Reformation Henry II (1547-1559) Charles IX and the Religious Wars (1560-1574) Henry III and the Religious Wars (1574-1589)... Volume 5: Henry IV, Protestant King (1589-1593) Henry IV, Catholic King (1593-1610) Louis XIII, Richelieu, Catholics and Protestants Louis XIII, Cardinal Richelieu, and Foreign Affairs Louis XIV, His Wars and His Conquests 1661-1697 Volume 6: Louis XV, the Ministry of Cardinal Fleury, 1723-1748 Louis XV, the Seven Years' War Louis XVI, France Abroad – United States' War Louis XVI, France at Home – Ministry of M. Necker Louis XVI, Convocation of the States General 1787-1789

"A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times" in 6 volumes is a comprehensive account of French history from its earliest beginnings in Gaul to 1789 written by the French historian and statesman François Guizot. According to the author's opinion, there are, in the history of peoples, two sets of causes essentially different, and, at the same time, closely connected; the natural causes which are set over the general course of events, and the unrestricted causes which are incidental. The fated causes and the unrestricted causes, the defined laws of events and the spontaneous actions of man's free agency – herein is the whole of history. This edition includes: Gaul_x000D_ The Romans in Gaul_x000D_ Gaul Conquered by Julius Caesar_x000D_ Establishment of Christianity in Gaul_x000D_ The Germans in Gaul, the Franks and Clovis_x000D_ The Merovingians_x000D_ Charlemagne and His Wars_x000D_ The Crusades, Their Origin and Their Success..._x000D_ Volume 2:_x000D_ The Crusades, Their Decline and End_x000D_ The Kingship in France_x000D_ The Hundred Years' War, Philip VI and John II_x000D_ The Hundred Years' War, Charles V_x000D_ Volume 3:_x000D_ The Hundred Years' War, Charles VII and Joan of Arc (1422-1461)_x000D_ Louis XI (1461-1483)_x000D_ The Wars of Italy, Charles VIII (1483-1498)_x000D_ The Wars in Italy, Louis XII (1498-1515)_x000D_ Volume 4:_x000D_ Francis I and Charles V_x000D_ Francis I and the Reformation_x000D_ Henry II (1547-1559)_x000D_ Charles IX and the Religious Wars (1560-1574)_x000D_ Henry III and the Religious Wars (1574-1589)..._x000D_ Volume 5:_x000D_ Henry IV, Protestant King (1589-1593)_x000D_ Henry IV, Catholic King (1593-1610)_x000D_ Louis XIII, Richelieu, Catholics and Protestants_x000D_ Louis XIII, Cardinal Richelieu, and Foreign Affairs_x000D_ Louis XIV, His Wars and His Conquests 1661-1697_x000D_ Volume 6:_x000D_ Louis XV, the Ministry of Cardinal Fleury, 1723-1748_x000D_ Louis XV, the Seven Years' War_x000D_ Louis XVI, France Abroad – United States' War_x000D_ Louis XVI, France at Home – Ministry of M. Necker_x000D_ Louis XVI, Convocation of the States General 1787-1789

Translated by Robert Black.