France

How Henry II Survived the Great Rebellion

In 1173 the Angevin empire looked set to fall, facing rebellion on all sides. Against incredible odds Henry II won a decisive victory, silencing kings, lords – and his own children.

Pulp Fiction

Marketed as the taste of French summer, Orangina’s origins are complicated.

Birth of a Pastry Chef

Born into poverty on 8 June 1783, Antonin Carême’s spectacular confectionary constructions made him patissier to royalty.

The Water of Life

Paris was flooded with Eau de Cologne during the early years of Napoleon’s rule. Everyone was using it and everyone was selling it.

A Test Case for Tolerance

Jean Calas was sentenced to be broken on the wheel in front of the cathedral in Toulouse, on 10 March 1762.

Heirs and Spares

It was not easy to be the second son. The younger brothers of the French kings could choose either to rebel or reconcile, but neither option was straightforward.

We are Family

From alliances, to open warfare; from tense meetings on bridges, to collective mourning at family funerals: French and English royalty were united by marriage and divided by war.