HIST 281EEarly Modern France, 1500-1800

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HIST 281E - Early Modern France, 1500-1800 Professor Howard Brown Fall 2026 Course Description: Between France's invasion of Italy in 1494 and the revolutionary Reign of Terror in 1794, France emerged as the most powerful and influential country in Europe. During these three centuries dynastic rivalries, religious wars, peasant revolts, and radical revolution combined with famines, plagues, taxation and misogyny, to threaten the lives of every generation. At the same time, a rich artistic and intellectual climate fostered the Enlightenment and novel political thought. This course combines lectures, special readings, feature films, and group discussions.