David Potter is a scholar of early modern France, who has devoted much attention throughout his career to military history in the Renaissance. Renaissance France at War is one of his most comprehensive works, seeking to cover 80 years of warfare in a single volume. Potter focuses mainly on the practical elements of warfare but also addresses art and literature. The mere scope of the book is in and of itself a challenge for both author and reader, as the main actors, infrastructure, and justifications for the wars hardly stayed the same throughout this lengthy period. Nonetheless, we benefit from the availability of a centralized reference source.
As for his methodological approach, Potter grounds himself in contemporary sources. He is rightly critical of theories not rooted in contemporary Renaissance perspectives and sources and/or that advocate too strongly for the wars as a catalyst for modernity in France. (p. 1–3) Yet, he does not cast aside the work of previous scholars or the need for scholarly scrutiny, stating: “In the period 1490–1560, France was actively at war for around 42 years. Such a military effort needs explanation, which is partly the theme of this book.” (p. 3) Readers may at times wish for a more proactive thesis, but they can nonetheless expect an all-in-one reference resource that stays true to its archival and literary sources and whose scope is broad enough to appeal to researchers from different backgrounds. Potter elects to structure the book into themed chapters rather than a chronological timeline, covering personnel, infrastructure, and propaganda in their own sections. It naturally follows that each chapter is obligated to address the whole of the wars at once and how the topic of the chapter changed over time, a formidable task, and one which makes it difficult to form a deep impression of a single moment during the wars, though this does not appear to be the goal of the book.
In the first chapter Potter immediately addresses contemporary justifications for the wars and the complex political scenarios that engendered each conflict, promptly dispelling any notions of a grand narrative. (p. 15) While the author refrains from imposing an overarching framework of justification for the wars, he is certainly successful in using contemporary sources to illuminate the motivations of select groups of people.
Chapters 2–5 guide the reader through a detailed explanation of the function and roles of high-ranking officers, nobility, infantry, and foreign mercenaries, highlighting changes in the composition and recruitment of these groups over time. The level of detail is exhaustive, but Potter’s many charts and graphs and his ability to address different eras and sub-topics of the wars in chunks effectively counterbalance the density of the text. The appendices alone are a valuable resource for scholars looking for an overview of the information covered in these chapters.
Chapters 6–9 focus on infrastructure and logistics, covering France’s burgeoning use of firearms, its fortifications, battlefield tactics, finance, and its approach to feeding its army. His descriptions of technical advancements do not lose sight of the social history entwined in their creation. Of particular interest are the biographical details of the Italian engineers in French service and the concerns of espionage surrounding their employment. (p. 180–2) When Potter relies more heavily on literary sources, he does not do so unquestioningly. In chapter 7 “The Field of Battle,” he precedes his analysis with an introduction into the military memoirists of the era and existing scholarly analyses of this corpus. (p. 187–90)
Finally, chapters 10–12 cover the literary, musical, and artistic responses to the wars in public propaganda as well as courtly commemoration. Potter noticeably distinguishes between propaganda geared to elite versus general audiences, mentioning the effect of print culture on the dissemination of such works in chapter 10. (p. 262) In contrast, chapter 12 addresses the propaganda and criticism of poets more appropriately as part of their own “literary milieu.” (p. 311) The last three chapters provide a quick overview of many works of art and literature and do not seek to provide a textual analysis of all the works covered; however, this approach may be useful for readers needing a comprehensive introduction into the literary and artistic response to the wars.
Renaissance France at War is a much-needed centralized resource for France’s involvement in Italy from 1480–1560. Potter does not seek to lay out a new framework for understanding the wars but instead emphasizes the importance of considering contemporary sources and perspectives. In this way, the book is able to more successfully center the people, infrastructure, and literature that fueled Renaissance France’s culture of war. Though the book covers vast swaths of information, the scope of the detail is well-suited to guide scholars in future research on the Italian wars.