The narrative repeatedly contrasts chivalric ideals with the nobility’s actual conduct. Beyond hypocrisy, what function did this “gilded shroud” of chivalry serve for the ruling class, and what were the consequences of its failures at Poitiers and Nicopolis?

Tuchman presents Enguerrand de Coucy as a model of competence. Using at least three examples from the text, analyze the moments where he embodies, defies, or is defeated by the “furious follies” of his era.

How does Tuchman employ the literary techniques of characterization and dramatic pacing, typically found in novels, to construct her historical account? How do these choices affect the book’s argument and its authority as a work of history?

Analyze the widespread institutional decay of the 14th-century Roman Catholic Church. In what ways did the Avignon papacy and the Papal Schism affect both high politics and the spiritual lives of ordinary people?

Contrast the leadership styles of the impulsive Jean II and the pragmatic Charles V. What does their succession suggest about the changing nature of kingship and the skills required to govern in a century of crisis?

Tuchman frames her book as a “distant mirror” reflecting 20th-century anxieties. Research the major social and political crises of the 1960s and 1970s. How does this context inform her interpretation of the 14th century’s “collapsing assumptions”?

How does Tuchman use the recurring motif of extravagant display—in clothing, feasts, and weaponry—to comment on the nobility’s psychology and priorities during a time of widespread suffering and military decline?

Tuchman relied heavily on Jean Froissart’s Chronicles. If you have read selections from Froissart or can research his work, discuss how Tuchman’s use of this source shapes her narrative, particularly her focus on the nobility.