Jean Froissart
“Chronicles”: Charles VI receiving
English envoys
born 1333?, Valenciennes, Brabant
died c. 1400, Chimay, Hainaut
medieval poet and court historian whose
Chronicles of the 14th
century remain the most important and
detailed document of feudal times in
Europe and the best contemporary
exposition of chivalric and courtly
ideals.
As a scholar, Froissart lived among
the nobility of several European courts.
In England he served Queen Philippa of
Hainaut, King Edward III, and his sons
the Black Prince and the Duke of
Clarence. He became the chaplain of Guy
II de Chatillon, comte de Blois, under
whose auspices he was ordained canon of
Chimay. He travelled to Scotland, Italy,
France, and the Iberian Peninsula.
The main subject of Froissart’s
Chronicles was the “honourable
adventures and feats of arms” of the
Hundred Years’ War. He used his
privileged position to question central
figures and observe key events. The
firsthand narrative covers weddings,
funerals, and great battles from 1325 to
1400. Book I was based on the work of
the Flemish writer Jean le Bel and later
rewritten. Book II concerns the events
in Flanders and the Peace of Tournai.
Book III concerns Spain and Portugal.
Book IV is based on the Battle of
Poitiers and a final visit to England,
where he was shocked by the weakness of
the royal government.
Froissart cites exact dialogues and
all available facts, allowing readers to
draw their own conclusions. The
splendour and pageantry are emphasized,
however, according to the courtly
traditions of his patrons, while the
victims and causes of suffering are
overlooked. A didactic moral tone urges
readers to aspire to the ideals of
chivalry. While the Chronicles contain
historical errors and lapses of
judgment, they are the best information
available to modern readers interested
in the 14th century.
Froissart’s allegorical poetry
celebrates courtly love. L’Horloge
amoureux compares the heart to a clock,
and Méliador is a chivalrous
romance. His ballades and rondeaux
expose the poet’s personal feelings.
Despite his fame during his lifetime,
Froissart apparently died in obscurity.
