An Inglorious Voyage of Discovery

In the middle ages, as today, pseudo-historians often wrote about past events to praise, or flatter, a king and his acolytes. It was very true that Histories were then written by the mighty and powerful, or by the victors; dead men tell no tales. And Roberval, an adventurer, corsair, and sycophant, knew this better than most. To further his own interests, to keep in good graces with the reigning power, he befriended not only the king of France, François Ier, but also his sister; Marguerite ...