Les Rois thaumaturges

Les Rois thaumaturges: Étude sur le caractère supernaturel attribué à la puissance royale particulièrement en France et en Angleterre (The Royal touch : Sacred Monarchy and Scrofula in England and France^[1]) is a work by historian Marc Bloch first published in 1924. It deals with the miraculous powers attributed to the Kings of France and the Kings of England, the most famous of which is the healing of scrofula by touch. Also known as the King's Evil, it was "an extremely frequent and dreaded ailment in Europe at the time" (p. 39). This is a groundbreaking book, as its approach draws on historical anthropology,^[2] Marc Bloch introduced anthropology, history of mentalities and comparative history into historical studies, heralding the historiographical revolution of the Annales.

^ translated by J.E. Anderson, 1973 Routledge Revivals 978-1138855212 ; The Royal Touch: Monarchy and Miracles in France and England, Dorset Press ISBN 10: 0880294086 / ISBN 13: 9780880294089)
^ Influenced by the works of James Frazer and Lucien Lévy-Bruhl, but neglecting the work of Marcel Mauss and Arnold van Gennep : see the preface by Jacques Le Goff, p. xxxv, in Marc Bloch, Les Rois thaumaturges, Paris, Gallimard, 1983.

[1] translated by J.E. Anderson, 1973 Routledge Revivals 978-1138855212 ; The Royal Touch: Monarchy and Miracles in France and England, Dorset Press ISBN 10: 0880294086 / ISBN 13: 9780880294089)

[2] Influenced by the works of James Frazer and Lucien Lévy-Bruhl, but neglecting the work of Marcel Mauss and Arnold van Gennep : see the preface by Jacques Le Goff, p. xxxv, in Marc Bloch, Les Rois thaumaturges, Paris, Gallimard, 1983.

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