Sir Walter Scott

The plot centres on the medieval rivalry between Louis XI of France and Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. Louis incites the citizens of Li ge to revolt against Charles, and they seize and murder Charles's brother-in-law, Louis de Bourbon, Bishop of Li ge, under the command of Louis's ally, William de la Marck, who was hoping to install his son in Louis de Bourbon's place (a real historical event which occurred in 1482). At the time of the murder, Louis is present in Charles' camp at Peronne, hoping to fool him with a false display of friendship. Charles, however, sees through his mask of deceit, accuses him of instigating the uprising, and has him imprisoned. Louis's superior coolness of mind permits him to allay Charles's suspicions and to regain his liberty. In a sub-plot, the Burgundian heiress Isabelle de Croye takes refuge at Louis's court when Charles attempts to give her hand in marriage to his odious favourite Campo-Basso. Louis, in turn, resolves to give her in marriage to the bandit-captain William de la Marck, and sends her to Flanders under the pretence of placing her under the protection of the Bishop of Li ge. She is guarded on her journey by Quentin Durward, an archer, who has left behind poverty in Scotland to join the Archers of Louis's Scottish Guard. Quentin prevents the intended treachery and earns Isabelle's love. Charles, though, promises her in marriage to the Duke of Orl ans (heir to the French crown) but she refuses, and, in anger, the Duke promises her to whoever brings him the head of de la Marck. This Quentin does with the help of his uncle, Ludovic Lesley, and wins Isabelle's hand.

Six years after the death of Napoleon, Sir Walter Scott wrote the first, hugely successful biography of his contemporary Napoleon that riveted Britain and the continent. It led to him being challenged to duels by former Napoleon generals. Originally covering over a million words, this edited edition gathers what is most interesting for the modern reader. Scott's thundering assault on Napoleon, inspired eminent writers such as Carlyle and Macaulay to engage with history and is a rare contemporaneous assessment that remains as fresh as it was then. Written before the advent of the nation state. Scott's travel narrative through post-Napoleonic Europe also provides a lost snapshot of a Europe that was still a patchwork of different local cultures and customs centred on cities and regions.