The Moneyman

The books of Thomas B. Costain, were a rare success in the USa by a Canadian Writer. This is the story of the chief financial minister of Charles VII, the King of France (r. 1422 - 1461), Jacques Coeur 1395? - 1456. Coeur was a merchant on the multi national level in the Meditteranean. He who amassed so great a fortune that he had it confiscated by the French rown. costain plays up Coeur's relationship with Agnes Sorel, the mistress of the French King Charles VII, who was aided by Joan of Arc. The love story is conventional, but as Jacques was convicted of poisoning that lady by slanderers, rather fanciful.

1214 The Moneyman, by Thomas B. Costain (read 22 Apr 1973) This is a novel about Jacques Coeur--whom I had never heard of before reading this book, but who has about a half page in the 1941 Encyclopedia Britannica. He was a great merchant in the time of Charles VII of France, and was accused of poisoning Agnes Sorel. The novel is laid about 1450. On May 29, 1453, Constantinople died and Jacques Coeur was convicted of other charges. I found this book--especially the last half--great reading, even if not profound. Maybe I should read Costain's history of England in the Middle Ages. [And I did read: A History of the Plantagenets: The Conquering Family, by Thomas B. Costain (read 18 Nov 1975) and The Pageant of England The Magnificent show more Century, by Thomas B. Costain (read 7 Oct 2004)] show less