The origins of the
Nursery rhyme 'The
King of France went
up the hill' are
believed to reflect
the history and
events detailed in
The Chronicles of
Jean le Bel which
were published in
about 1356 about
King Philippe IV of
France (1285-1314)
and King Edward I of
England (1272-1307).
King Philip of
France lead an army
against the English
estimated at 20,000
men on horseback and
more than a 100,000
on foot. The arrows
of the English were
directed with such
marvellous skill at
the horsemen that
their horses refused
to advance. The King
of France and his
company never came
close to the
fighting due to the
mastery of the
English bow men. A
similar Nursery
rhyme is "The Grand
old Duke of York".
The King of France
Nursery Rhyme lyrics, origins and history
The King
of France went up the hill
With twenty thousand men;
The King of France came down the hill,
And ne’er went up again.
The King of France
Nursery Rhyme lyrics, origins and history
