The Life and Writings of Alexandre Dumas/Appendix A

by Harry A. Spurr

APPENDIX A.

Comparative List showing the Events in French History covered by the Romances of Dumas.

As we have said, it was Dumas's ambition to write the history of his country in romance. As even he quailed before the task of telling the story from the days of Cæsar, or of Charlemagne downward, he contented himself with biographies of those heroes, and began his task in the fourteenth century, when literature had so far developed as to afford the novelist some material for his background. It was Barante's work dealing with this era which fired the author to attempt "Isabel de Bavière," and he saw no reason for going backwards down history for his subjects. Henceforth, although there are gaps, there is scarcely a reign which he does not touch. We have thought it best to add the histories and historical plays to the romances, to show that Dumas fulfilled his intentions in one form or another. The task was practically completed with the Napoleonic romances, although one or two intermittent attempts to bring the record up to his own time were made by Dumas. The reign of Louis XI. was probably abandoned by the author because of "Quentin Durward," and the episode of the death of Charles the Bold, Louis's enemy, because of "Anne of Geierstein."

1328	The House of Valois—Philip VI. ascends—Edward III. of England claims the French crown—Anglo-French Wars.	"La Comtesse de Salisbury"
1350	John II.—Poitiers—Regency of Charles "The Dauphin."
1364	Charles V.—Spanish Civil War—French interposition under du Guesclin.	"Le Bâtard de Mauléon."
1389	Charles VI.—His insanity—The feuds of the Burgundians and Armagnacs.	"Isabel de Bavière."
1415	Agincourt.
1422	Charles VII. and Agnes Sorel, etc.	"Charles VII. chez ses grands Vassaux" (tragedy).
1429-31	Joan of Arc.	"Jehanne la Pucelle" (chronique).
1461	Louis XI.
1477	Charles the Bold of Burgundy slain by the Swiss.	"Charles le Teméraire" (biography).
1483	Charles VIII.
1498	Louis XII.
15	Francis I.—"Field of the Cloth of Gold"—The Reformation (1517), etc.
1540	Charles V. and Francis I.	"Ascanio"
1547-59	Henri II.—Calais taken from the English—War in the Low Countries.	"Les Deux Diane" and "Le Page du Duc de Savoie" (1555-57).
1559-60	François II. and Mary (Queen of Scots).	"L'Horoscope."
1560	Charles IX.	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$ "La Reine Margot."
1572	Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve.
1574	Death of Charles.
1574-89	Henri III.—Assassination of Duc D'Anjou—Death of St Mégrin, etc.—Huguenot-Catholic Wars.	"La Dame de Monsoreau" and "Les Quarante-Cinq"; "Henri Trois et Sa Cour" (drama).
1589-1610	Henri IV.—The wars of the Holy League—Edict of Nantes, etc.	"Henri IV." (biography).
1610-28	Louis XIII.—Richelieu—Capture of La Rochelle, etc.	"Le Comte de Moret," "La Colombe," "Les Trois Mousquetaires." (See also "Les Grand Hommes en Robe-de-Chambre.")
1643-60	Louis XIV.—Mazarin—The war of the Fronde—Colbert and Fouquet—The king's loves (De la Vallière and de Montespan)—The Man in the Iron Mask, etc.	"La Guerre des Femmes" (1650) and "Vingt ans Après" (the Fronde); "Le Vicomte de Bragelonne" (1660); "La Jeunesse de Louis XIV." (comedy); "Louis XIV. et son Siècle" (history).
1708	Old age of Louis—Marriage with Madame de Maintenon—Death of Louis XIV.	"Sylvandire"
1717	The Regency of the Duc D'Orleans.	"Chevalier d'Harmenthal" (Cellamare conspiracy) and "Une Fille du Régent." "La Régence" (history).
1727-29	The youth of Louis XV.	"Olympe de Cièves."
1756	The Seven Years' War—Canada won from France by the English (1760).	"Louis XV. et Sa Cour" (history).
1770-74	Last years of Louis XV.—Court intrigues, etc.	"Les Mémoires d'un Médecin."
1774	Death of Louis XV.	"Le Testament de M. Chauvelin."
1774	Louis XVI.—The affair of the queen's necklace (1784).	"Le Collier de la Reine."
1789	The Revolution,	"Ingénue," "Louis XVI. et la Révolution" (history).
1789	Taking of the Bastille.	"Ange Pitou" ("The Taking of the Bastille").
1791	The Royal Family's attempted flight from France, etc.	"La Comtesse de Charny," "La Route de Varennes" (history).
1793	Execution of Louis XVI, and Marie Antoinette—Reign of Terror—The Revolution, from Valmy and Jemappes to the fall of Robespierre.	"Le Chevalier de Maison-Rouge"; "Les Blancs et les Bleus" and "Blanche de Beaulieu"; "Le Docteur Mystérieux" and "La Fille du Marquis"; "Ninety-three" (history).
1798-9	French in Italy—Conquest and loss of Naples.	"La San Felice."
1799-1800	The Directorie—La Vendée—Rise of Napoleon—Royalist conspiracies.	"Les Compagnons de Jehu" and "Les Blancs et les Bleus."
1801	Napoleon in Egypt—Siege of Acre, etc.	"Les Blancs et les Bleus" (second series).
1805	Napoleon's Continental Campaigns.	"Le Trou de l'Enfer."
1812	The Russian Expedition.	"Le Capitaine Richard."
1814	Louis XVIII.—The "Hundred Days"—Return of Napoleon from Elba	"Black," "Monte Cristo."
1815	Waterloo.	"Napoléon" (history); "Napoléon" (drama).
1824	Death of Louis XVIII. and Accession of Charles X.
1830	The Revolution of July—Charles X. flies to England, Louis Philippe, king,	"Dieu dispose."
1832	The Duchesse de Berri's "Second Vendée."	"Les Louves de Machecoul."