28 biographies from Queen Elizabeth I (who came to the throne in 1560) through King Louis XIV who died in 1715. The 17th century was an age of religious wars and revolutions. The French had seven civil wars of religion from 1570-1590. The German Empire had a religious civil war from 1618-1648. The English had a civil war from 1642-1649. It was also the century in which the English and French settlements were founding in North America at Jamestown, Plymouth, Boston, & Quebec. But learning the wars will not convey to students what the times were like. Biographies will. Twenty-eight key individuals are profiled in chronological order.

Not the same as other Famous Men reprints - This one is better 190+ illustrations to go with the stories, five new chapters added by historian Rob Shearer on Augustine, Patrick, St. Francis, St. Benedict, and Hildebrandt. The stories begin with the tales of the Bishops who saved civilization: Augustine & Patrick. And the Germanic chiefs who defeated the Romans: Alaric, Genseric, and Theodoric. Then come stories of the famous kings of the Franks: Clovis, Charles Martel, and Charlemagne. The second half of the book includes chapters on Justinian, Mohammed, Harun-Al-Rashid, El Cid, William the Conqueror, Frederick Barbarossa, Tamerlane, Marco Polo, and Joan of Arc. The stories of many of these figures can't be found for children anywhere else. Don't just show children pictures of castles; let them read the stories of those who built them and lived in them.