New-York tribune., 1908-08-01
CHARLES THE BOLD.
II Popular Sketch of the Last Duke
Of Burgundy.


GUNDY 1433-I477. BY Ruth Putnam illus
trated Svo, Xxx, asa G. P. Putnam's Sons
The situation of the House OF Burgundy in the
hfteenth century was in many ways similar to
that Of the House of HohenzolIern in the eigh-
teenth. Their patrimony was a miscellaneous
assortment OF duchies, counties and cities scat
tered disjointedly over a strip of territory ex-
tending from the mouth of the Rhine to the
borders Of the Swiss mountains. There was no
natural boundary, no national bond or tradi-
tion nothing but the prince himself to keep this
estate together, and the mere necessity of de-
Tending such exposed borders created situa-
ton always tending toward military action
But whereas the Hohenzollerns, somewhat sim
iIarly situated. built up great state by organ
izlng a powerful military machine and an ef-
1ectlVe administration, the Burgundian princes
failed to create the mechanism of nation and
SO lost their power. There were other causes
too, at work one was that on either side of
Burgundy lag greater national focus, the
Germanic empire to the north, the French mon
archy TO the south; another was that the Bur
gundian house produced few great princes The
last OF them, Charles the Bold, subject Of
this history. was ambitious and brave but his
craftsmanship was little better than a craving
Tor pomp and vanity his generalship was com
pounded of ferocity and rashness
One may, therefore well inquire how It is that
this prince, who was neither great nor fortunate
has long occupied conspicuous a place in the
annals Of Europe? The reason is to be found
largely in certain minor circumstances. The two
great Burgundjan dukes, Charles and his father
Philip, reigned at moment when France and
England We're emerging from the Hundred
Years War. For this, and other reasons
neither the French nor the English court at that
particular moment made much show in the
To,,4+ +J,o
drawing their cities of the Netherlands very
largely for the means of doing so. They daz-
zled the contemporary Chronclers, who in turn
dazZed their successors, who in turn dazzle the
modern historians. So that to this day We are
under false Impressions Of greatness that to
very large extent was the greatness of tinsel and
trappings and Gargantuan gluttony. While
Charless great defeats at Grandson and Morat
are so curtly treated that one gets no very clear
impression Of those decisive and very interesting
battles, the chroniclers linger with lighted eyes
and nloistened lips the appalling CASTRO
nomic details Of the famous Feast of the Pleas
ant Pies were served capacious enough to con-
tain twenty-eght musicians. Courses consisted
of forty-eight dishes. Lions and elephants
part of the entertainment. a history of the
banquet was compiled. Long and secret meet
ings of the Dukes Council We're held to regulate
the order of the banqueting. Imagine Fred
erick William or Frederick the Great engaged
in such business during the critical years in
which Prussia was being made into a great
statei
Miss Putnam tries hard TO become pathetic
over the body of Charles lying in the marshes
of Nancy, where he had been defeated and
slain. but the case is poor one. His headlong
r1,shes into the ranks of his enemies had far
too often placed him within the reach Of death
for his end TO be thought surprising or prena-
ture. And the struggle he was engaged in was
uniustifable and i'll conducted. On the whole
Europe was we'll rid of him. Though Louis XI
is far from sympathetic figure, it was quite as
well for Burgundy that the King of France
seized the occasion to annex the duchy to his
domains.
On the whole. the book is a careful compila-
ton from the annalsts chroniclers of the
time, dealing with the outward manifestations
OF the reign of Charles. Miss Putnam finds it
difficult to keep within the limits of style
marked by pretentiousness on one side and col
loquialism on the other; special word Of praise
is due TO the illustrations, which are well chosen
and well executed.