His daughters-in-law took lovers, cuckholded their royal husbands and you may guess what happens to them. This handsome king had his hands full not only with building up the Kingdom of France and keeping the French under his heel, but with his own household and the infamous scandal of the Tower of Nesle. Misfortune did fall on the shoulders of the king and those who succeeded him. In fact, when the Cardinals met in conclave last week, I was reminded of Druon's account of the conclave in Avignon when Philippe le Bel's son, Philippe the Long walled up the entrances to the chapel and kept the Cardinals walled in until they came to a decision! The Iron King is the first of the seven part series, and begins with Philippe le Bel's suppression of the Templars and the aftermath of the so-called 'curse' Jacques deMolay pronounced on the King and his heirs before his death at the stake. Truth be told, this series, in addition to Disney's 'Sleeping Beauty' hooked me on the medieval period in history.

The prose is still fresh in my mind, though dated, given that it was first published in 1956. Quite a scarce book.I read this series when I was in my teens and I was thrilled that it was being re-released by Harper Collins. French jewish historical novelist Maurice Druon (1918-2009), was a member of the Academie Française, of which he served as chairman between 19. Bent on the persecution of the rich and powerful Knights Templar, Philip sentences Grand Master Jacques Molay to be burned at the stake, thus drawing down upon himself a curse that will destroy his entire dynasty. A web of scandal, murder and intrigue is weaving itself around the Iron King but his downfall will come from an unexpected quarter. His sons are weak and their wives adulterous, while his red blooded daughter Isabella is unhappily married to an English king who prefers the company of men. He governs his realm with an iron hand, but he cannot rule his own family.

'Accursed! Accursed! You shall be accursed to the thirteenth generation!' The Iron King, Philip the Fair, is as cold and silent, as handsome and unblinking as a statue. Some slight edge wear and chipping to top and bottom of jacket and spine, spine of largely pink jacket slightly faded, corners slightly rubbed and bruised, some slight spotting to page fore edges, not price clipped (15s), small previous owner's signature to ffep, internally clean tight and almost square, overall a vg+ copy for its age. First published in the UK 1956, this is a third impression of 1958.

The iron king by maurice druon