Ranum analyzes the canons of writing history and describes the lives and achievements of the royal French historiographers. He examines the manner in which these writers described and, in some sense, created the glory that surrounded the lives of the nobility, hoping by so doing to enhance their own glory. Through studying the careers of these men, the author demonstrates how rhetorical, ideological, and social beliefs determined the way history was written. Originally published in 1980. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.