Renaissance Warrior and Patron
The Reign of Francis I

"Fortunately, R.J. Knecht's fascination with Fancis I is such that he has clearly devoted many hours of his 'retirement' to expanding, reshaping and updating the highly regarded study of the King which he published in 1982...The net result is a book which is not only more comprehensive than the earlier work but which is also exceptionally readable. A magnificent index will enable those searching for information on places, people and events to acquaint themselves with almost any aspect of the reign. At the same time, the main themes, aided by a prose which is never strained or cumbersome, emerge with clarity." David Parker, Times Literary Supplement

"The present work is much more than a new edition of the earlier book....It should be in every research library and carefully studied by every student of the period....There is no comparable work in English....Knecht is a careful and judicious historian who deals with every aspect of Francis's reign from the standpoint of Paris and the court." J. Russell Major, American Historical Review

"A serious reader will appreciate the realization of Knecht's second edition. The scholarly work would be a worthy informative choice in depth and breadth of the period for specialists in Sixteenth Century, French and European History, in Monarchies, and in the Renaissance Period. The book is a beautiful edition in glossed paper and pleasing print. It should be in the Sixteenth Century collection of any reputable library and highly cited and recommended to its enlightened patrons." European Studies Journal

"A serious reader will appreciate the realization of Knecht's second edition. The scholarly work would be a worthy informative choice in depth and breadth of the period for specialists in sixteenth-century French of European history, in monarchies, and in the Renaissance Period. The book is a beautiful edition in glossed paper and pleasing print. It should be in the sixteenth-century collection of any reputable library and highly cited and recommended to its enlightened patrons." Michael D. Buzash, European Studies Journal

"To portray a balanced and meaningful picture of this giant of the sixteenth century is a challenge which Robert Knecht has grasped and brought to fruition." Keith Cameron, International Journal of the Classical Tradition