This volume brings together previously published essays by Bryant (history, California State University, Chico) on the topic of rituals, especially the adventus. Through them he demonstrates the movement of the French monarchy from a medieval institution responsible to its subjects to a quasi-divine entity in which power was absolute, as exemplified by the reign of Louis XIV. The articles are arranged chronologically, starting with the coronation of King John II in 1350 and ending with the disintegration of the monarchy in 1789. The fluid nature of the early rituals, in which guilds, foreign merchants and religious representatives created their own parts, contrasts sharply with the later, printed rules for ceremonies that became absurdly pervasive under Louis XIV, touching every aspect of the king's daily life. Bryant shows how the form of public ceremony can signal changes in attitudes toward the nature of monarchy. This unified vision from scattered publications is most welcome. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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