He notes that in his homes like the Louvre the king had a series of semi-secret corridors and staircases that would allow him to move around the building without being seen. In his recent article, “Politics or Leisure? A Day in the Life of King Charles V of France (1364-80)”, Michael Brauer takes a detailed look at this text as well as examining the palaces of the French king to see what light they might shed on his daily activities. After this, he spent a short period in recreation with his barons and knights before retiring to rest. In winter, especially, he often occupied himself by having read aloud to him fine stories from the Holy Scriptures, or the Deeds of the Romans, or Wise Sayings of the Philosophers, and other such matters until the hour of supper, where he took his place rather early for a high meal. Sometimes he received curious gifts from various places, perhaps artillery or other armaments and a variety of other things, or merchants would come bringing velvet, cloth of gold, and all sorts of beautiful, exotic objects or jewels, which he had them show to the connoisseurs of such things among members of his family. There he spoke with the women of the court, asking news of their children. Then he went to vespers, after which, if it was summertime, he sometimes went into the gardens where, if he was in his Hotel of Saint Paul, sometimes the queen would join him with their children. He took the recreation so the excessive demands on him would not damage his health, because of his delicate constitution, in view of the fact that he spent most of his time busy with demanding affairs. He occupied himself with such details as these for perhaps two hours, after which he withdrew and retired to rest for about an hour.īy now it would be about two or three o’clock in the afternoon, which would be spent in more recreation, as well as taking in the evening mass:Īfter this rest period, he spent a time with his most intimate companions in pleasant diversions, perhaps looking at his jewels or other treasures. There one might find several kinds of foreign ambassadors, noblemen, and knights, of whom there was often such a crowd, both foreign and from his own realm, that one could scarcely turn around…There he received news from all sorts of places, perhaps incidents and details of his wars, or the battles of others, and all such matters there he arranged what should be done according to what was proposed to him, or promised to solve some matter in council, forbade what was unreasonable, accorded favors, signed letters with his own hand, gave reasonable gifts, promised vacant offices, or answered reasonable requests.
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