The 7 Lives of the Sparrowhawk – The White Death

A tragic and spellbinding first volume

Published in 1983, *La Blanche Morte* (The White Death) inaugurates the great historical fresco *Les 7 vies de l’Épervier* (The 7 Lives of the Sparrowhawk), created by Patrick Cothias (writer) and André Juillard (artist). This saga, which has become a benchmark in historical comics, plunges the reader into the early 17th century, amidst court intrigues, family dramas, and shattered destinies. From this first volume, the tone is set: intimate tragedy and epic grandeur intertwine to lay the foundations for a captivating narrative.

A birth marked by tragedy

The story opens on a freezing night in Auvergne. Blanche de Troïl, pregnant and fleeing from her husband Yvon, collapses on a frozen lake. Before dying, she gives birth to a daughter, swaddled in her red dress: Ariane de Troïl.
At the same moment, in Paris, Queen Marie de' Medici gives birth to the future Louis XIII. This simultaneous birth bestows a peculiar destiny upon Ariane, as if her life were meant to be intertwined with that of the Dauphin.
But misfortune continues to strike: Yvon de Troïl, suspecting his brother Gabriel of being Ariane’s true father, banishes him, sowing a grudge that will weigh upon the entire saga.

The appearance of the Sparrowhawk

A few years later, Ariane grows up in Auvergne, under the brutal rule of Count Thibaud de Bruantfou. It is then that a mysterious knight dressed in red, the masked vigilante known as the Sparrowhawk (*l’Épervier*), emerges to protect the oppressed and defy the powers that be.
An elusive figure shrouded in mystery, the Sparrowhawk fascinates Ariane and embodies the hope of a people crushed by injustice. But who is hiding behind this flamboyant mask? The narrative expertly builds suspense around his identity.

Between historical chronicle and legendary scope

*La Blanche Morte* is not limited to Ariane's story. The album introduces numerous characters destined to play a central role:

Gabriel de Troïl, banished and haunted by guilt,

Germain Grandpin, a former captain of the King turned master-at-arms,

an old blind prophetess, who links fates across the centuries.

The story thus weaves grand history—Henri IV, Marie de' Medici, Louis XIII—with an almost mystical dimension, where hawks and visions herald an extraordinary destiny.

An intense and promising first volume

Patrick Cothias and André Juillard deliver a narrative where the intimate blends with the epic. The tragic death of Blanche, the birth of Ariane, and the emergence of the Sparrowhawk lay the foundations for an ambitious saga.
Juillard’s precise and elegant artwork elevates the landscapes of Auvergne, the castles, and the period costumes, while Cothias builds a dense narrative that is both realistic and poetic.

Conclusion

With *La Blanche Morte*, *Les 7 vies de l’Épervier* opens with a prologue of rare intensity. More than a simple introduction, this volume inaugurates a tragic historical fresco where passions, conspiracies, and mysteries intersect.
Ariane de Troïl, born in blood and cold, already appears as a heroine destined for an exceptional path. A masterful beginning that heralds an essential saga in historical comics.

✨ In summary: *La Blanche Morte* is a powerful and poignant starting point. Between individual destinies and major political maneuvers, Cothias and Juillard establish a series that will leave a lasting mark on the history of comics.