Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Iron King | 1955 | Maurice Druon | Buy |
| 2 | The Strangled Queen | 1955 | Maurice Druon | Buy |
| 3 | The Poisoned Crown | 1956 | Maurice Druon | Buy |
| 4 | The Royal Succession | 1957 | Maurice Druon | Buy |
| 5 | The Lily and The Lion | 1959 | Maurice Druon | Buy |
| 6 | The She-Wolf of France | 1959 | Maurice Druon | Buy |
| 7 | The King Without a Kingdom | 1977 | Maurice Druon | Buy |
Maurice Druon’s Accursed Kings stands as one of the greatest historical fiction series ever written. Originally published in French as Les Rois maudits between 1955 and 1977, these seven novels dramatize the turbulent final years of the Capetian dynasty that had ruled France for centuries.
The saga begins with The Iron King, set in 1314. King Philip IV, called Philip the Fair, has consolidated royal power by destroying the wealthy Knights Templar order and seizing their assets. As the last Grand Master Jacques de Molay burns at the stake, he pronounces a curse on the king and his descendants to the thirteenth generation. Within months, Philip is dead, and his three sons will follow him to the grave without leaving male heirs.
The subsequent books trace the political chaos, papal intrigues, and family betrayals that followed. Druon drew heavily on historical records to create characters who feel real despite the passage of centuries. The series covers the adultery scandal of the royal daughters-in-law, the succession disputes, the rise of figures like Robert of Artois, and the events that eventually placed the Valois dynasty on the French throne while setting the stage for generations of war with England.