Reddit mentions of Vanished Kingdoms: The Rise and Fall of States and Nations

I'll give you two that I've enjoyed lately:

Vanished Kingdoms: The Rise and Fall of States and Nations talks about some states that you see in Eu4 like Aragon, Burgundy and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century takes you into the life of a French nobleman during the Hundred Years War. I'd check out pretty much anything else by Tuchman while you're at it.

Maybe something by Norman Davies. I am not sure about the language level, though.

Click at the Look inside and check out the writing style, if it fits you: http://www.amazon.com/Europe-History-Norman-Davies-ebook/dp/B003ZDO8XE/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1420959075

http://www.amazon.com/Vanished-Kingdoms-Rise-States-Nations/dp/0143122959/ref=sr_1_3/175-7897043-1491535?ie=UTF8&qid=1420959075&sr=8-3&keywords=norman+davies

Vanished Kingdoms by Norman Davies is pretty interesting

Which reminds me, there is actually a whole chapter dedicated to all the Burgundies in Norman Davies’ Vanished Kingdoms. Of course, while interesting in pointing out how the concept of Burgundy shifted around geographically, it will not really tell you anything on how the Duchy of the Valois Dukes worked. I would not recommend it if you’re specifically looking on insights in how the medieval dukes organised their various and farflung holding from Bruges to Dijon. But it’s otherwise a very interesting book.