Christian Europe—Reading Assignments by Era

    Frankish Empire     Norman and Crusaders     Medieval France     Renaissance France     Early Modern France     Holy Roman Empire     German Reformation     Renaissance Italy



Frankish Empire—500 to 845

Baptism of Clovis to Treaty of Verdun


Book Title
Selected Chapters (# chapters)

Core Reading Assignments

Guerber - The Story of Old France   France Long Ago to The Strassburg Oath (24)
Marshall - A History of France   Gauls Defeat Romans to Louis the Stammerer (15)

Supplemental Recommendations

Macgregor - The Story of France   The Druids to Louis the Good-Natured (9)
Lansing - Barbarian and Noble   Clovis, King of the Franks to The School of the Palace (4)
Marshall - The Story of Europe   Rise of the Franks to Treaty of Verdun (3)
Morris - Historical Tales: French   The Huns at Orleans to The Crowning of Charlemagne (6)

Easy Reading Selections

Finnemore - France: Peeps at History   Gauls and the Franks to Merovings and Carlovings (2)
Haaren - Famous Men of the Middle Ages   Clovis to Charlemagne (3)
Evans - Old Time Tales   Clovis Becomes a Christian to The Death of Roland (6)
Dalkeith - Stories from French History    entire book



Norman and Crusaders—845 to 1270

Viking's besiege Paris to Battle of Bouvines


Book Title
Selected Chapters (# chapters)

Core Reading Assignments

Guerber - The Story of Old France   Normans Besiege Paris to The Battle of Bouvines (10)
Marshall - A History of France   Paris defies the Sea Kings to Battle of Bouvines (18)

Supplemental Recommendations

Macgregor - The Story of France   The Vikings to The Battle of Bouvines (10)
Marshall - The Story of Europe   Coming of the Northmen to Normans in Sicily (4)
Wilmot-Buxton - The Story of the Crusades    entire book
Yonge - The Little Duke    entire book
Tappan - In the Days of William the Conqueror    entire book

Easy Reading Selections

Finnemore - France: Peeps at History   Merovings and Carlovings to House of Capet (2)
Haaren - Famous Men of the Middle Ages   Rollo the Viking to William the Conqueror (2)
Evans - Old Time Tales   How Normandy Got its Name to Peter the Hermit (6)
Stein - Our Little Norman Cousin of Long Ago    entire book
Kelman - Stories from the Crusades    entire book
Stein - Our Little Crusader Cousin of Long Ago    entire book



Medieval France—1200 to 1380

Saint Louis to Bernard du Guesclin


Book Title
Selected Chapters (# chapters)

Core Reading Assignments

Guerber - The Story of Old France   Blanche of Castile to Achievements of Charles V (12)
Marshall - A History of France   Hugh De La Marche to Duguesclin Fights for France (14)

Supplemental Recommendations

Macgregor - The Story of France   The Vow of St. Louis to Sir Bertrand du Guesclin (12)
Morris - Historical Tales: French   The Franco-Prussian War to Bertrand du Guesclin (2)
Tappan - When Knights Were Bold    entire book

Easy Reading Selections

Finnemore - France: Peeps at History   House of Capet (cont.) to House of Valois (2)
Evans - Old Time Tales   William Tell, Swiss Patriot to TArnold Winkelried (7)
Haaren - Famous Men of the Middle Ages   Louis the Ninth (1)
Dalkeith - Stories from French History    entire book



Renaissance France—1380 to 1560

Charles the Mad to Italian Wars


Book Title
Selected Chapters (# chapters)

Core Reading Assignments

Guerber - The Story of Old France   Charles VI to Reign of Henry II (18)
Marshall - A History of France   The Madness of Charles VI to Calais Returns to France (13)

Supplemental Recommendations

Macgregor - The Story of France   The Battle of Roosebek to Prince of Conde Prisoner (22)
Morris - Historical Tales: French   Joan of Arc to The Life of a Traitor (6)

Easy Reading Selections

Finnemore - France: Peeps at History   House of Valois (cont.) to House of Valois (cont.) (2)
Evans - Old Time Tales   The Story of Joan of Arc to Field of the Cloth of Gold (3)
Stein - Gabriel and the Hour Book    entire book



Early Modern France—1560 to 1715

Amboise Conspiracy to Spanish Succession Wars


Book Title
Selected Chapters (# chapters)

Core Reading Assignments

Guerber - The Story of Old France   A Young King and Queen to The Age of Louis XIV (26)
Marshall - A History of France   The Riot of Amboise to War of Spanish Succession (14)

Supplemental Recommendations

Macgregor - The Story of France   The Prince of Conde Killed to Louis XIV and the Huguenots (13)
Morris - Historical Tales: French   St. Bartholomew's Day to The Man with the Iron Mask (7)
Abbott - Henry IV of France    entire book
Abbott - Louis XIV    entire book
Forbes - Life of St. Vincent de Paul    entire book

Easy Reading Selections

Finnemore - France: Peeps at History   House of Valois (cont.) to House of Bourbon (cont.) (3)
Haaren - Famous Men of Modern Times   Henry of Navarre (1)
Haaren - Famous Men of Modern Times   Cardinal Richelieu to Louis XIV (2)



Holy Roman Empire—912 to 1350

Henry the Fowler to Great Interregnum


Book Title
Selected Chapters (# chapters)

Core Reading Assignments

Marshall - The History of Germany   Henry the Fowler to Maximilian I (32)

Supplemental Recommendations

Aston - Stories from German History   Rise of Three Kingdoms to The Aftermath (4)
Lansing - Patriots and Tyrants   Henry the Fowler to The Men of the Forest Cantons (4)
Marshall - The Story of Europe   The Feudal System to Pope versus Emperor (4)
Morris - Historical Tales: German   The Misfortunes of Duke Ernst to The Siege of Belgrade (15)
Upton - The Swiss Heroes    entire book
Upton - Barbarossa    entire book
Pyle - Otto of the Silver Hand    entire book

Easy Reading Selections

Finnemore - Germany: Peeps at History   The German Tribes to The Seven Electors (6)
Haaren - Famous Men of the Middle Ages   Henry the Fowler to Frederick Barbarossa (2)
Marshall - Stories of William Tell Told to the Children    entire book



German Reformation—1350 to 1650

House of Luxembourg to Peace of Westphalia


Book Title
Selected Chapters (# chapters)

Core Reading Assignments

Marshall - The History of Germany   Charles V to Joseph I and Charles VI (12)
Finnemore - Germany: Peeps at History   The Reformation to The Thirty Year's War (2)

Supplemental Recommendations

Aston - Stories from German History   Dawn of the Reformation to The Aftermath (4)
Marshall - The Story of Europe   Beginning of Reformation to Spain and Netherlands (5)
Morris - Historical Tales: German   Ziska, the Blind Warrior to The Siege of Vienna (8)
Singmaster - Martin Luther    entire book
Upton - Youth of the Great Elector    entire book
Upton - Prince Eugene, the Noble Knight    entire book
Upton - William of Orange    entire book
Macgregor - The Netherlands    entire book

Easy Reading Selections

Haaren - Famous Men of Modern Times   Wallenstein to Gustavus Adolphus (2)