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Bart van Loo
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Burgundians: A Vanished Empire Hardcover – April 1, 2022

by Bart Van Loo (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 470 ratings
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"A sumptuous feast of a book." —The Times, 21 Best History Books of 2021

A publishing phenomenon in Europe, where it has sold 230,000 copies in hardback, Bart van Loo's epic history of the dukedom of Burgundy has the grip of a great historical novel and the fascination of a wonderful factual narrative.

At the end of the fifteenth century, Burgundy was extinguished as an independent state. It had been a fabulously wealthy, turbulent region situated between France and Germany, with close links to the English kingdom. Torn apart by the dynastic struggles of early modern Europe, this extraordinary realm vanished from the map. But it became the cradle of what we now know as the Low Countries, modern Belgium and the Netherlands.

This is the story of a thousand years, a compulsively readable narrative history of ambitious aristocrats, family dysfunction, treachery, savage battles, luxury and madness. It is about the decline of knightly ideals and the awakening of individualism and of cities, the struggle for dominance in the heart of northern Europe, bloody military campaigns and fatally bad marriages.

It is also a remarkable cultural history, of great art and architecture and music emerging despite the violence and the chaos of the tension between rival dynasties.

Rightly compared to great narrative historians like Barbara Tuchman, Bart van Loo has written a popular and scholarly masterpiece.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    608 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Apollo
  4. Publication date
    April 1, 2022
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 2.25 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1789543436
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1789543438
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Blending dogged research with striking imagery and energetic prose, this is a rewarding introduction to a powerful, yet lesser-known, empire." —Publishers Weekly

"Bart Van Loo's pacy history The Burgundians revives the forgotten duchy that had a northern powerbase mightier than kingdoms – then vanished... The Burgundians is history told – and well told, too – for those who value narrative at least as much as the finicky details of economics or treaty-making. While Van Loo amiably admits to not being a specialist, he is as fair an inheritor of the Burgundian legacy as you could hope to find: a Dutch-speaking Belgian Francophile born into a country whose cultural mish-mash is, as he puts it, “a Burgundian invention”." —Telegraph


"THE BURGUNDIANS is a cracking read.... I can't recommend it too highly." —Dominic Sandbrooke,Historian

"lively, anecdotal unpicking of this fascinating but nebulous entity" —Michael Prodger, New Statesman

About the Author

Bart Van Loo has developed a rare twin talent over the years. While drawing big crowds in the theatre, he is also the author of the universally praised France a Trilogy and the bestseller Chanson. Friend and foe alike have to admit that Van Loo is a born storyteller, with a unique ability to combine enthusiasm, humour and expertise. The Burgundians, his most recent book, takes the reader on a fascinating journey through a thousand years of European history.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Apollo (April 1, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 608 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1789543436
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1789543438
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.12 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 2.25 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 470 ratings

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Bart van Loo

Bart van Loo

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
470 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

CCW
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2022
Verified Purchase
Learned a lot about a region that I thought I already knew a good deal about. Well written and enjoyable.
One person found this helpful
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The Raven Summons
4.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting History with a breezy, snarky writing style
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2023
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An Interesting History with a breezy, snarky writing style that clearly some people find off-putting. Lots of detail but not overwhelming. Worth a read.
2 people found this helpful
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Melanie "Vaxxed & Masked" Gilbert
5.0 out of 5 stars Duke of the Hill
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2022
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This monumental work almost cured me of my obsession with the ruling houses of the Middle Ages. It tells the story of the House of Burgundy, an ambitious but second-tier player on the European continent from the 9th through the 15th centuries. These dukes held lands that were not contiguous and they wielded influence mostly though family alliances, trade, taxes and brutality and not by divine right.

Although they were far wealthier than their French and English cousins, their vassal status impeded their territorial ambitions or monarchist dreams. Yet this fact did not deter successive dukes from acting like kings. That hubris gave rise to their power before leading to their spectacular downfall. So why resurrect a family of entertaining but conquered poseurs?

What hooked me was how the high-living Burgundians used their enormous wealth (from trade in wool – and taxes) to hire court artists such as painters Jan van Eyck and Rogier van der Weyden, and sculptor Claus Sluter. Their outsized patronage launched the Northern Renaissance. What’s ironic is that the Burgundians are remembered for their patronage of the peaceful arts and not their battlefield campaigns. You’ll read more about the latter than the former, in this deeply researched book.

But author Bart van Loo takes the reader on such a vibrant tour of this strange and largely forgotten dynasty that I kept turning through the 600-plus pages. His writing style is colloquial and congenial, which makes the huge and redundant arc of the story more accessible and engaging.
39 people found this helpful
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Arthur Simcox
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2022
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Awesome amount of historical research combined with a great story-telling ability make this a superb introductory overview of the subject. Highly recommended.
7 people found this helpful
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Mary Poppins
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2021
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You think it might be a book about the Franche-Comte and it is strictly the lowlands and specifically Belgium. If you think WWI and WW2 the worst thing the Belgian people could face, read this book about their remarkable courage and standing power. Makes me very clear on why the Reformation started!
10 people found this helpful
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George
4.0 out of 5 stars It was delivered one week before promised date.
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2023
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An excellent read
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Burgundy deserves better!
Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2022
Verified Purchase
Is the constant barrage of clichés in The Burgundians the style of its translator? Or is this book’s appearance in English an accurate presentation of the author’s original narrative? The rich history of Burgundy deserves better!

Andrew Laurie Stangel, PhD
Professor of History and Civilization
13 people found this helpful
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BIF
4.0 out of 5 stars GREAT BOOK...NICE PEOPLE
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2023
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TOOK A WHILE TO GET. A GREAT STORY,POST ROMAN TRIBE MIGRATED TO NW GAUL BECAME A HIGH MEDIVAL POWERHOUSE OF WEALTH & AMBITION. THEY PLAYED A LARGE ROLE IN THE BIRTH OF MODERN FRANCE,BELGIUM & THE NETHERLANDS.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Maaike S.M. van de Pijpekamp
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting history
Reviewed in the Netherlands on April 27, 2024
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A fascinating and often overlooked history of this dutchy that reached from France to what is now Belgium and Netherlands. However, this book may prove challenging if you require a well-written story to pull you in. Whether it is due the author or the translator Nancy Forest-Flier, the narrative is so riddled with metaphors, similes, and figurative language that you have to wade through the imagery to understand the text. Pity.
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Gemma
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 16, 2024
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Great book, really informative and told with flair and wit. I listened to the audio and then bought the book too, so I could refer to it.
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Jacek Grinholc
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting subject, entertainig author
Reviewed in Germany on August 23, 2023
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The subject of Burgundy (and in the background, the beginnings of Belgium and Holland) is a very interesting topic indeed. And the author makes it even more captivating with the way he writes—light, entertaining, but without making a clown of himself or the reader. I liked it a lot. The only problem is that now I want to go to Belgium and see all the works of art and architecture from this book
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Billy Jean
5.0 out of 5 stars Impressed
Reviewed in Australia on November 21, 2023
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Fabulous book and paintings
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Gabriel Stein
4.0 out of 5 stars Easy and enjoyable read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2022
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This is an easy and enjoyable read. In fact, occasionally perhaps too enjoyable, in that the author’s chatty style, almost stream of consciousness, gives the impression of being less than serious. Nevertheless, a good book and a must-read for anyone interested in the story of the four amazing Valois Dukes of Burgundy.
One person found this helpful
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