Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- A Note on Spelling, Quotations and Translations
- Dedication
- Introduction
- Part I Memoirists as Eyewitnesses and Individuals
- Part II The Reality of Renaissance Military Memoirs
- Part III Things Worthy of Remembrance
- Part IV The Politics of Renaissance Military Memoirs
- Conclusions
- Appendix A Were Renaissance Military Memoirs a Novel Phenomenon?
- Appendix B The Memoirists
- Works Cited
- Index
- Warfare in History
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- A Note on Spelling, Quotations and Translations
- Dedication
- Introduction
- Part I Memoirists as Eyewitnesses and Individuals
- Part II The Reality of Renaissance Military Memoirs
- Part III Things Worthy of Remembrance
- Part IV The Politics of Renaissance Military Memoirs
- Conclusions
- Appendix A Were Renaissance Military Memoirs a Novel Phenomenon?
- Appendix B The Memoirists
- Works Cited
- Index
- Warfare in History
Summary
In the year 1523, Fery de Guyon, native of the County of Burgundy, aged sixteen, departed with the lord of l'Estoille, whom he then served as a page, taking their road towards the city of Besançon, where the wise and virtuous knight Monsieur Charles, duke of Bourbon, was retired from the kingdom of France. In that city he [Bourbon] was received with great honor, principally by the lord Danssier, who at that time governed that city. For he assisted Bourbon, and lodged him in his own house, long enough for many gentlemen of the said kingdom [of France] to come and join him there, as did the count of Poinctieure, the lords of Leursy, of Lullière, of Pomperant, and many others, who left their wives, children, relatives and friends, to follow their good lord and master.
Thus opens a curious text, written by Fery de Guyon himself many years later. The text opens in a decisive moment in Guyon's life. He and l'Estoille left Burgundy to join the refugee duke of Bourbon, who had just deserted France and joined Emperor Charles V. Guyon was thus leaving his country, his relatives and friends, and his home, which he was not destined to see again for twenty years. He was embarking on a long military career in Habsburg service, during which he rose from being a simple page to being a commander of medium rank, gaining on the way considerable honor and wealth.
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- Renaissance Military MemoirsWar, History and Identity, 1450–1600, pp. 1 - 22Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2004