Quentin Durward (1823) was Scott's first `European' novel, and an experiment in transferring the historical romance to foreign soil. Fifteenth-century France, the French Revolution of 1789, and contemporary Britain come together in this sharp-eyed novel of political expediency and intrigue. The young Scottish adventurer Quentin Durward embarks upon a dangerous journey through the forest of the Ardennes seeking a name, a partner, and a position in the world. Meanwhile the machiavellian King Louis XI of France manoeuvres his realm out of the hands of feudal barons and into the centralized control that Scott believed to characterize the modern state. This edition includes a map of Quentin Durward's journey, notes, and an Introduction which shows how Quentin Durward broke new ground for Scott and examines his treatment of history, nationality, and personal heroism. This book is intended for general readers, students of Scottish literature, 19th century literature, Franco-Scottish relations, the political novel at sixth-form, undergraduate, and graduate level.