The Burgundians

Bart Van Loo does something extremely difficult; he brings to life an illusion of a state in an unfamiliar world. And he does this with such verve and energy that you very nearly believe it * Literary Review *
A thrilling narrative of the brutal dazzlingly rich wildly ambitious duchy that was the most advanced and sophisticated economy and the most extravagant flashy court of its time. Filled with flamboyant murderous and debauched dukes, courtesans, courtiers and maniacs, it is a total pleasure to read -- Simon Sebag Montefiore, Aspects of History, Books of the Year
In this perky popular history, a bestseller on mainland Europe, Bart Van Loo traces the steady rise and sudden end of the Burgundians, sprinkling his narrative with many entertaining asides * The Times *
Bart van Loo is in top form. The Burgundians reads like a train and hits you like a sledgehammer. A masterpiece... He does not try to be a wise man or a moralist. What he does make clear is that that the history of early Dutch unification is one that came about both through excessive bloodshed and praiseworthy magnanimity. Mission accomplished' * De Morgen *
History told – and well told, too – for those who value narrative at least as much as the finicky details of economics or treaty-making * Daily Telegraph *
To narrate the legendary story of the dukes of Burgundy, you need a learned and visionary guide like Bart Van Loo... A masterful work' * Le Figaro *
Suitably epic * BBC History Magazine *
A sparkling history of the origins of the Low Countries... Van Loo arouses interest in the past among thousands of readers, spectators and listeners in an inimitable way' * The Low Countries *
A pleasure to read from start to finish. How fortunate that Van Loo is not just a historian but also a writer. Truly spectacular! * Neue Züricher Zeitung *
The political and the personal, economics and culture, belief and violence, success and failure, major developments and spicy details – it's all there. The Burgundians expertly draws on the latest scientific insights, but is also told with lightness and elegance' -- Frits van Oostrom
The formidable saga of our Burgundian origins. Over 650 pages that read like a great political adventure novel, a Game of Thrones soap opera where everything is true * La Libre Belgique *
Full of cliff hangers and moving passages. Irresistible -- Herman Pleij
Bart van Loo is back and emerges once again as a true storyteller. Van Loo is the perfect guide through the past. It is as if we are there * De Standaard *
A history book that reads like a thriller * Le Soir *
Colourful and multidimensional: a Belgian master storyteller * Kulturradio, SWR2 *
Narrative history of the highest level... The author conjures the tastes, smells, colours and feelings of the past' * Kulturradio, WDR 3 *
Thrillingly colourful and entertaining * Sunday Times *
Most of us think of wine when we hear the word 'Burgundy', but Bart Van Loo uncovers a lost empire of mad dukes, strange delicacies and great wealth * The Times, Books of the Year *
A worthwhile and satisfying read * Sunday Independent *
A sumptuous feast of a book... Van Loo recreates the world of Ghent and Bruges in loving detail, a bustling, blood-soaked landscape of quays, merchants and money changers' * The Times, '21 best history books of 2021' *
Lively, anecdotal unpicking of this fascinating but nebulous entity * New Statesman *
Belgian historian Bart Van Loo tells its story in 'rollicking' style * The Week *
Stuffed with elaborate feasts and bloody battles, Van Loo's thrillingly colourful and entertaining book has been an enormous success in his native Belgium and it's easy to see why * Sunday Times *