The French Royal Household in Captivity

Abstract

This chapter analyses the operation of John II’s household in captivity, focusing especially on the activities of John’s staff. The French monarch relied on the talents of his servants and officials to construct an image of Valois power during a period when it was under great threat. Certainly, John’s achievements in recasting the royal image would not have been possible without the skills of his household staff. This chapter considers the benefits of royal service and examines how John was able to attract both French and English staff to join his household during his time in captivity. This chapter also reconstructs the commercial networks John developed to obtain the range and volume of luxury goods he needed to live nobly, before moving on to consider how he raised the funds he required to purchase these goods.