Glorious Failure
The Forgotten History of French Imperialism in India
$65.51
- Hardcover
412 pages
- Release Date
9 October 2025
Summary
From war with the British to the enslavement of Indians, Ivermee uncovers the dark history of France’s doomed imperial project in South Asia.
This is a powerful new account of a chapter in history that is crucial to understand, yet often overlooked. For 150 years, from the reign of Louis XIV to the downfall of Napoleon, France was an aggressive imperial power in South Asia, driven by the pursuit of greatness and riches. Through their East India company and state, the …
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781805262954 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1805262955 |
| Author: | Robert Ivermee |
| Publisher: | C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd |
| Imprint: | C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 412 |
| Release Date: | 9 October 2025 |
| Weight: | 648g |
| Dimensions: | 216mm x 138mm |
What They're Saying
Critics Review
‘Luminous.’
* The Spectator *’[A] pacy, perceptive history of France’s cack-handed foray into India.’
* Literary Review *‘The absence of a measured and digestible account in English of France’s once extensive empire in India has long been rued. Glorious Failure promises to be a glorious success.’
– John Keay, historian, journalist and author‘From the ambitious launch of the Compagnie des Indes to the astonishing but ultimately ephemeral expansion of its successor, the Compagnie perpétuelle des Indes, Ivermee charts the fascinating and oft-neglected rise and fall of French commercial and territorial designs in India in a compelling and accessible read.’
– David Veevers, author of The Great Defiance‘Slashing through the euphemism and nostalgia rampant in Francophone scholarship, Ivermee unearths France’s abortive attempt at conquering India. Blazingly bold, immensely readable, and an indispensable contribution to historical writing that lays bare the staggering human cost of Europe’s imperial fantasies, Ivermee’s book is a dazzling triumph.’
– Shashi Tharoor, politician and author of Inglorious Empire‘An innovative and highly commended book. Early successes, the impact of the French Revolution and Enlightenment thinking, which did not inhibit slave-trading, are all examined in new research and told in an engaging, narrative style.’
– Rosie Llewellyn-Jones, author of Empire BuildingAbout The Author
Robert Ivermee
Robert Ivermee is a historian of British and wider European colonialism in South Asia. He is Associate Professor at the Catholic University of Paris, and the author of Hooghly: The Global History of a River.
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