Politics or Leisure? A Day in the Life of King Charles V of France (1364–80)

Abstract

The present article examines the daily routine of King Charles V of France as a case study on the political aspects of medieval rule. In contrast to the view of conventional scholarship which states that the king's schedule included more leisure than work, a whole array of representative and symbolic activities will be uncovered. To suit his ceremonial needs, Charles V even had his main residence, the Louvre in Paris, rebuilt. According to a new and wider approach to the history of politics, these actions form a crucial part of political communication. As for the share of leisure and recreation, the analysis of Christine de Pizan, who recounted the daily routine of Charles V, arrives at a surprising result: Only a king with a balanced lifestyle, which includes recreation, is able to govern a realm. It is an all-encompassing, pre-modern notion of politics that might, in turn, stimulate research on modern politics.