Paris and Its Story
1904
Paris and Its Story
1904
Paris has been a dream for two thousand years. In this evocative history written in 1904, Thomas Okey traces the city's transformation from a muddy Gallic trading post called Lutetia into the luminous capital that captivated the world. Written with the tender admiration of a devoted francophile, Okey interweaves hard historical facts with the romantic legends that give Paris its mythic quality - the pageant of Roman conquerors, medieval kings, revolutionary crowds, and imperial glory that built a city unlike any other. He shows how a settlement on a muddy island became the crucible of Western art, philosophy, and revolution, surviving Viking raids, plagues, and the terror of its own making to emerge as something transcendent. This is history as love letter, full of the particular affection an Edwardian Englishman felt for the City of Light.
About Paris and Its Story
Chapter Summaries
- I
- The origins of Paris as Lutetia, settlement of the Parisii tribe, strategically located for commerce and defense. Julius Caesar's conquest and the city's development under Roman rule, including the arrival of Christianity with St. Denis.
- II
- The fall of Roman Gaul to barbarian invasions, St. Genevieve's miraculous protection of Paris from Attila, and Clovis's conversion to Christianity establishing the Frankish kingdom with Paris as capital.
- III
- The rise of the Carolingian dynasty under Charlemagne, the devastating Norman raids culminating in the heroic defense of Paris, and the emergence of feudalism from the chaos.
Key Themes
- Divine Providence in History
- Okey presents Paris's development as guided by divine will, from St. Genevieve's miraculous interventions to the rise of Christian kings. The city's survival through countless crises is portrayed as providential.
- The Price of Greatness
- Every period of glory in Paris's history comes at tremendous human cost - wars, famines, persecutions, and revolutions. The author shows how the pursuit of power and grandeur inevitably leads to suffering.
- Cultural Continuity
- Despite political upheavals, Paris maintains its essential character as a center of learning, art, and civilization. The university, the Church, and artistic traditions provide continuity through chaos.
Characters
- Thomas Okey(protagonist)
- The author and narrator of this historical work about Paris. He serves as the guiding voice throughout the chronicle, drawing from extensive research and personal familiarity with the city spanning over thirty years.
- Clovis(major)
- First Christian king of the Franks who made Paris his capital in 508. A savage but astute ruler whose conversion to Christianity was pivotal to French history.
- Charlemagne(major)
- Great Frankish emperor who shifted focus from Paris to Aix-la-Chapelle. A patron of learning who established schools and promoted scholarship throughout his empire.
- Philip Augustus(major)
- Transformative French king who greatly expanded the realm and began major improvements to Paris including paving and fortification. Defeated the English and made France a major European power.
- St. Louis (Louis IX)(major)
- Saintly king who built the Sainte-Chapelle and represented the pinnacle of medieval Christian kingship. Led crusades and was canonized after his death.
- Louis XIV(major)
- The Sun King who moved the court to Versailles and ruled France for 72 years. His reign saw the height of French power but also financial ruin and religious persecution.
