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The Burgundians

By: Bart van Loo, Nancy Forest-Flier - translator
Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
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Publisher's summary

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 must-listen 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.

©2019 Bart Van Loo (P)2023 Tantor
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
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What listeners say about The Burgundians

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great book but really needs a PDF companion

This is a great book but it really needs a PDF companion with maps and artwork to reference while listening. That one piece would make all the difference in making this a much richer experience.

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8 people found this helpful

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Excellent.

As a history reader, I enjoyed this book very much for the meandering and side stories. Refreshing that religion was not a main focus as in most historical books.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A wonderful tale of Burgundy’s pivotal role

This is an engaging account of Burgundy”s rise and fall as a state and how it contributed to the emergence of early modern Europe.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Lovely book and perfectly narrated

Good mix of depth and speed moving forward in the narrative. Author seems really competent

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1 person found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

well researched

Over all, I enjoy the book. there were areas that seemed to drag, but that is the way of history.

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1 person found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

History of the Low Countries 1300-1500

Rather niche field of study, with the implication being this era of Low Countries history is understudied and requisite to understanding the later Spanish - Austria - independent Netherlands and Belgium. The 1111 years thing is bullshit and I would have liked more history than your court machinations and feasts, but that is kind of the Burgundians’ thing.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Different Perspectives of Familiar Stories

This is a fascinating take on the medieval period in Europe, it's like finding new episodes of your favorite show. The narrator is fantastic.

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8 people found this helpful

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Fascinating history

Fascinating subject including the early art history of the region. Refreshing to hear history other than France or England.

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    3 out of 5 stars

Please get better title conventions please

Good book, author clearly did a lot of research. Not a fan of some of his “x or y” chapter naming convention, especially one he started added “but also z” to it as well. I would’ve preferred something a little less biased, as you can tell Van Loo has a high opinion on the Burgundian’s of yore. A personal pet peeve of mine was how he referred to Johanna of Castile or Johanna the mad. I know she was a minor character in the narrative but I felt he was rather dismissive about her mental health and the various cruel treatments/attitudes afflicted on her by her parents and later her son. Van Loo also used the word “savages” in regards to debates on indigenous peoples during the reign of Charles V and god I really really hated hearing that.
3/5 book, 5/5 performance

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a fascinating look at an overlooked area of Europe

I've never read anything quite like this. The author is not only a great historian but a great writer. very enjoyable, even for someone who had scant knowledge of burgundian history.

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4 people found this helpful