- Discover the origins of the original de Wolfe pack, led by the man known as WARWOLFE. Before the Duke of Normandy conquered England, a legend arose. A man so fierce, so brave, and so noble, that the mere whisper of his name could strike both fear and admiration into the hearts of all men. That name is Warwolfe. Gaetan de Wolfe is this man. A legend from a family of legends, the greatest de Wolfe warrior arises as William the Conqueror sets foot in England to claim what he believes is his birthright. Gaetan brings with him nine of the fiercest knights the realm has ever seen, plowing their way into the English countryside, forging their legacies at the Battle of Hastings. But when one of Gaetan’s men is kidnapped by the rogue brother of the Earl of Mercia, Gaetan refuses to let his man go. His loyalty to his men is above all. A rescue mission of epic proportions begins. Guiding the original de Wolfe Pack on this task into deadly enemy territory is a lady warrior known as Ghislaine of Mercia. The sister of the man who kidnapped Gaetan’s knight, her loyalties are torn. Wary of the big Norman knight with the fierce manner, her attraction to Gaetan is nonetheless undeniable. There is a spark between them that refuses to die. Together, Gaetan and Ghislaine embark on a dangerous adventure where myths are revealed, loyalties are tested, and where a growing passion between them becomes all-consuming. Live the legend.

    – Eyes as black as night…. A decorated knight for Richard the Lionheart and an ally of the House of de Lohr, Sir Garret de Moray was a man described as cold… intimidating… foreboding. A man with eyes as black as night. Receiving a royal appointment as Captain of the Household Guard, there was no man more qualified or prepared for the role because on the sands of the Holy Land where Garret went on Richard’s great quest, the Christian armies whispered of a knight whose wisdom was ancient. Some wondered if he was the walking dead, an immortal soul who had lived many lifetimes over, because his skill and power exceeded earthly restraints. Kronos, they called him. The father of the gods. Then came a lady without hope…. Beautiful Lyssia du Bose has lost everything – her father, her home, her family. Taken in by an aunt who was a lady-in-waiting for the Duchess of Wendover, Lyssia finds a quiet existence in the shadows of a great home. A chance meeting with a warrior with eyes as black as night and, suddenly, her perspective on life begins to change. The quiet, sometimes-frightening knight took an interest in her, and she in him. Is it possible that someone should actually want her? More than she knows. When Lyssia catches the Duke of Wendover’s attention as well, the gentle romance between her and Garret quickly becomes something they must fight to hold on to. When Garret, one of the most powerful knights in King Richard’s stable, is challenged by a married duke who wishes to make Lyssia his mistress, it is a battle that all of London will witness.

    There they’ll discover the true meaning of Christmas.Loki Grant has never been happier. The winter solstice is almost upon Castle Curanta, his wife is carrying their second babe, his sons are a constant joy, and his new clan is slowly but surely growing. So why is he being kept awake by a recurring dream of an old man in furs? When he discovers his adopted son, Kenzie, is dreaming of the same man, the two embark on a voyage to find him.After his mother’s death, Fergus MacNicol has felt restless and out of sorts. When Loki and his son pass through Grant land on their way to Ayr on a mysterious mission, he’s driven to go with them. Something tells him this is the path that will lead him to his destiny—the woman who has filled his waking thoughts and his dreams for many moons.When the group arrives in Ayr, they will meet Bor, the very man who’s filled Loki and Kenzie’s dreams. Bor’s surprising message will change their lives and give them a new understanding of the meaning of family and the solstice holiday.Loki's Christmas Story is a stand-alone novella. For the richest experience, read LOKI first, the first novel in The Highland Clan Series.No cliff-hanger.

    - His name is Valor. Sir Valor "Val" de Nerra is one of Henry II's most trusted knights. As the Itinerant Justice in Basingstoke and surrounding villages, Val's word is law. A fair and just man, and a very handsome one, he enjoys a good deal of attention and respect. His life is a prestigious and wealthy one until he faces a decision one day that will change the course of his life. Val must order the execution of his betroth's brother. Val has adored Lady Vesperia for as long as he can recall. As he strives to win her back, the king orders Val to participate in an event that will shock the country for years to come - the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket. Will he obey? Or will he refuse? From a man who had enjoyed the wealth, love, and admiration of all to a man who falls swiftly from grace, be part of Val and Vesperia's journey as Val struggles to regain what he lost and comes to understand what is truly important in life in this novel of astonishing emotion, passion, and pain.

    Over TWO thousand pages of Medieval Pagentry - purchase this limited edition set or read for free in KINDLE UNLIMITED! Where England and Wales meet among the dark and rolling hills of the Welsh Marches, romance is born. Powerful English and Scottish men and their Welsh brides come together in a limited edition bundle that is a must-have for your Le Veque library. Delight in the drama and passion of these highly rated, full-length border romances, including: Rise of the Defender: The greatest knight in Richard the Lionheart's realm assumes his post, and his bride, on the Welsh Marches. The Red Lion: A Highlander serving in Wales finds more than he bargained for in a Welsh warrior woman. Spectre of the Sword: A half-Welsh knight is charged with protecting the heir to the throne against those who wish to see her dead. Island of Glass: A big English knight and a fiery lass on her search for the Holy Grail. Netherworld: A seasoned English knight makes a bargain with the devil to assume his post at a bleak Welsh castle called Netherworld. The Welsh Marches never looked so dark and sexy. Get this collection before it's gone!

    Will his love run just as deep? Craven of the Clan MacCara is a fierce Highland warrior, fighting endless battles and conquering his foe, but there is nothing the mighty warrior can do to save his wife and unborn child. He can, however, make the person responsible for their deaths suffer for it. He had nearly taken the healer’s life that tragic day, his hands having been at her throat. To his regret, he let her live and warned her never to return. He has lived with that regret for the past year, but no more. She has dared to return home and he intends to make her suffer before he takes her life. He is called the beast for a reason and he intends to release the beast on her. Nothing will stop him. Nothing… or so he thinks. Espy has no place to go but home… to her grandmother, the one person who loves her. She has no choice, for what awaits her there is far less frightening than what she is running from. She is a healer, wise in the old ways and knowledgeable in the ways of a physician, her father having taught her. She is hopeful that Craven MacCara, a beast of a man, might find it in his heart to forgive her, since a day has not gone by that guilt, misplaced as it is, has not weighed heavily upon her. If not, then death will be her only salvation… or so she thinks. Truths begin to surface, lives are threatened, secrets are discovered, and love finds a way to heal the heart, and Espy discovers what it means… To Love A Highlander. Escape to the Highlands, late 1400s, in this historical romance, book one in the Highland Warrior Trilogy.

    Conn Iggulden's Wars of the Roses Ebook Bundle contain the following:TrinityStormbirdBloodlineRavenspur

    Masquerading as a titled, English lady, Ava must convince the cynical and darkly handsome chief of the Macleans of Aros to wed her before the devil tracks her down.Tor Maclean, the new chief of Aros Castle, has sworn off marriage after his first wife tricked him into it. Despite his efforts to scare away the Englishwoman, his father arranged for him to wed, Tor is drawn to her fire, courage, and beauty. But when truths are revealed, and hearts as well as lives are on the dagger's edge, Tor doesn't know if he can forgive or if he will truly become the solitary Beast of Aros Castle...

    He'd never looked back and never intended to But fate had other plans... Now, nineteen years later, he runs headlong into his past. The Ruthvens are in trouble and Tomas is in a position to help them. But can he set aside his hatred for Laird Ruthven for the good of the clan into which he was born? Fate always adds a twist... Laird Ruthven's daughter is not what Tomas expected. Vida Ruthven is sweet, smart, and utterly irresistible. Now, Tomas must choose between being the savior or taking the ultimate revenge.

    His hopes of inheriting his family's manor are dashed when Prince John takes power in his brother's absence. With a handful of men Sir Thomas is forced to travel to Sweden where he joins The Jarl Birger Brosa fighting the Estonians, Karelians and Slavs. Fighting in a the harsh environment of a Baltic winter makes Sir Thomas and his men stronger. There he learns of further treachery and dishonour among Bishops, Kings and Princes who value thrones more than men.

    He dreamed of the Viking ideal, sailing to distant shores and battling honorable foes. Laden with gold, he would return home in glory. The same life of adventure that his grandfather, Ulfrik Ormsson, experienced awaited him. It proved a false dream. Along with his cousin and best friend, Yngvar discovers a world unlike the sagas of the great heroes. He encounters murder and treachery. Raiding is nothing more than merciless theft. True riches remain elusive and sea kings dominate the waves. Yngvar trusts to his honor and courage to carry him. Yet powerful enemies swarm all around him. Fate guides him into the teeth of a clash between two of history's mightiest jarls. He will require all his cunning and daring to survive. So begins a new saga of Viking adventure and war. Join the shield wall once more and witness the fierce history of the Norsemen.

     They call the sword l'Espada - the sword of the ancestors of the House of de Winter. The first born male in every generation carries this sword, infused with a legacy beyond compare. The House of de Winter is descended from the Visigoths, a line of men both powerful and fearful, but with the passage of time and the development of civilized society, the wild ways of their ancestors has turned to the warring Medieval ways. De Winter always supports the king upon the throne of England, right or wrong, and Lespada is wielded only for the rulers of England. This collection contains: Lespada - the first book in the series. Davyss de Winter and his sword marry a resistant bride. Swords and Shields - Drake de Winter marries a lady of Scottish/French ancestry who is not who she pretends to be. The Questing - Drake de Winter is a secondary character in this sweeping epic of love and loss. The Thunder Lord - A young Davyss de Winter is a secondary character in the first book in the Lords of Thunder series. With Simon de Montfort upon the throne, Davyss and his best friend, Gallus de Shera, must fight on opposite sides. Silversword - Enjoy bonus chapters of a story with Davyss de Winter as a secondary character. (Note: The origins of the House of de Winter can be read about in WARWOLFE, released 6/7/17.) Enjoy this limited edition collection!

    He learns a great many things that he has never known or dreamed about the world beyond his family's small farm. He begins to learn the secrets of the memory stones, the extraordinary objects that can store information for people. He learns to handle weapons, and puts his knowledge to use in the turbulent world he experiences. And he learns that even though a beautiful young daughter of a high noble family is beyond a commoner's reach, he can dream about breaking through that social barrier!

    The son of a baron, he has been reduced to stealing the resources he needs to reclaim his family legacy. Just when he’s on the verge of success, his uncle asks him to put his plans on hold to help protect a wealthy countess. It’s a distraction Geoffrey resents, even more so when he meets Lady Sara. The gorgeous, complicated and alluring lady is everything he’d want in a woman—and everything he can’t have. THE COUNTESS With her betrothed coming to claim her hand in marriage and a distant cousin intent on usurping her earldom, Lady Sara Caiser feels beset by controlling, unwanted men. As if that weren’t enough, her father’s deathbed request was for two lawless border reivers to serve as her protectors. Despite her misgivings, an undeniable attraction pulls her into Sir Geoffrey’s arms. The man she thought nothing more than a thief is more dangerous than she believed, for he’s noble, caring and sinfully attractive. As the threats against her continue to mount, Sara must decide what’s more important—her duty or her heart.

    - She's a mercenary, a tough lady warrior known as the Lady of the Moon. Samarra le Brecque is hired by the father of a reluctant groom to take his son to the Caves of St. Agnes in Cornwall, where the groom's intended will be waiting. According to local legend, if a man and a woman touch the red stains upon the walls of the cave, said to be left by doomed lovers, then the man and woman shall fall in love forever. But the situation doesn't go as planned. Sir Rhodes de Leybourne is a powerful knight for the Earl of Bristol, Bastian de Russe (BEAST). He wants to choose his own wife, not the woman his father has selected for him, and in his haste to escape he falls right into the trap set by the lady mercenary. Now, a game of wits begins as Rhodes finds himself attracted to this strong, beautiful woman who commands a misfit army of mercenaries. Will Rhodes honor his father's wishes or will he follow his own heart? (Note: this novella was originally published in the Mists and Moonrise collection, released 6/2017, but this novella is the extended version with additional content)

    The struggle for England begins. Matilda, Lady of Flanders, Duchess of Normandy, rules as Regent of Normandy for her husband, Duke William. William has won the Battle of Hastings, but Saxon England does not wish to surrender to him as King. As William sets England to flame, Matilda waits in Normandy for the time to come when she can claim her crown. Through bloodshed, battle and struggle will England be won, but even as Matilda rejoices for her new power, a prophesy is spoken, linking the fates of her children to the wailing voices and horrific images in dreams which come to haunt her. Matilda comes to understand that God is watching, and is not pleased with what He sees. As Matilda battles to save her children, she finds she must stand against her own husband, in order to protect the lives, and immortal souls, of her sons and daughters. Through heartache, discord, battle, rebellion and slaughter, the fate of England, and the future of the house of Normandy, will be decided. The Forest and The Flames is book two in The Chronicles of Matilda, Lady of Flanders, by G. Lawrence The author's thanks to Julia Gibbs, proof reader, as well as Consuelo Parra, the artist who designed the cover, and the model featured on the cover, Jaymasee,deviantart.

    Romance will run deep as these men find lasting love with strong, passionate women. This limited edition bundle includes: Word of Honor: A knight vanishes for years after his wedding night then returns without revealing where he has been. Can he recapture his wife’s love? Marked by Honor: A knight rescues a noblewoman from a band of highwaymen, but her white lie to protect herself drives a wedge between them. Code of Honor: A betrothed woman falls in love with a dashing knight while they deliver a foal less than a day before her wedding.

    But what gave the eventual victor, Henry Tudor, the right to claim the throne? What made his mother the great heiress of medieval England? And how could an illegitimate line come to challenge the English monarchy? Whilst the Houses of York and Lancaster battled directly for the crown, other noble families of England also played integral roles in the war; grand and prestigious names like the Howards, Nevilles and Percys were intimately involved in the conflict but arguably none symbolised the volatile nature of the period quite like the House of Beaufort. The story of the Beauforts, with their rise, fall and rise again, is the story of England during the period, a dramatic century of war, intrigue and scandal. Many books have been written about individual members of the dynasty but never has the whole family been explored as one. This book will uncover the rise of the Beauforts from bastard stock of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, to respected companions of their cousin Henry V, celebrated victor of Agincourt. The Beauforts fell with the House of Lancaster during the 1460s and 1470s, and their hopes and fortunes came to rest upon the shoulders of a teenage widow named Margaret and her young son, Henry. From her would rise the House of Tudor, the most famous of all England’s royal houses and a dynasty who owed their crown to their forebears, the House of Beaufort. From bastards to princes, the Beauforts are medieval England’s most intriguing family.

     A YULETIDE KISS (short story) Half-Viking shieldmaiden Kimbery of Rivenloch has until Yuletide to choose a bridegroom…or one will be chosen for her. But when the barbarian Brude the Brutal travels to claim his betrothed, he finds himself bewitched instead by a runaway bride.

    Spring is the sister that was stolen as a baby. It is recommended to read that series first, but is not required, as this book stands on its own.) Spring has been raised as a warrior, always trying to please her father of Viking descent. Through the years she's tried to be the son he wished her to be. At a young age she's chosen the bow and arrows of a dead man as her weapon, and now she's mastered the skill. Growing up without a mother, the only skill she hasn't mastered is how to be a lady and someday a mother. But now her father decides to marry her off to their enemy, Shaw Gordon, in order to get inside the castle walls. Wanting to be a part of overtaking the castle, she goes along with the plan. Shaw Gordon, chieftain and laird, is a widower with two boys and one unruly adolescent daughter. He decides it's time to take a wife again, but never expects to be presented with his enemy's daughter. The woman is fierce, and nothing like the mother he wants for his children. The Gunn clan has been an enemy of the Gordons for as long as he can remember. While an alliance would be good, he doesn't trust them. As he's about to reject the offer, he spots the coveted bow and arrows of his late father in the girl's hands. In order to retrieve it, he does the only thing he can besides fighting - he marries her. Can two enemies push aside their differences for the benefit of all? And can a woman draw strength from herself as well as from her new husband when she discovers the horrible secret of her past - that her entire life is nothing but a lie?

    These four lasses are about to meet their matches in an original digital anthology featuring stories from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sabrina York, Lecia Cornwall, Anna Harrington, and May McGoldrick.How a Lass Wed a Highlander by Lecia CornwallIn this retelling of The Princess and The Pea, Laird Alex Munro of Culmore has just five weeks to find a bride and marry her...or else the clan will be cursed with ill luck. Cait MacLeod finds herself caught in a clan feud, and when she tries to stop a deadly raid, she ends up as Alex Munro’s prisoner. With timing running out, is this couple meant to be?A Match Made in Heather by Anna HarringtonShe was the laird's daughter. He was nothing more than a penniless, nameless Scot with nothing to offer but his heart. Fate tore them apart, but now he's back in her life with status, money and a title. Can they let go of past hurts and find love?A Midsummer Wedding by May McGoldrickTheir marriage was two decades in the making. The young, educated woman and her highland, pirate husband, betrothed when they were still children. But on the day of their wedding, Elizabeth Hay and Alexander Macpherson are in for a surprise.The Scot Says I Do by Sabrina YorkCatherine Ross's world is turned upside down when her brother gambles away every penny they own. But to make matters worse? He’s lost everything to none other than Duncan Mackay, the rugged Scot who Catherine loved for years--but he never noticed her, and now she positively loathes him. But her brother’s in danger of going to Newgate, and the despicable Duncan has a plan– she can claim back the money and save her brother. If she marries him…

    Unfortunately, when she arrives, she finds the home abandoned and the man who contacted her non-existent. If that isn’t enough, the mystery only deepens when she discovers something in the attic she dreamt about as a child. A Claddagh ring that whisks her back in time to medieval Scotland. Reborn into a new life, Laird Adlin MacLomain knows things are about to get complicated. Devoted to both William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, he and his clan are determined to fight in the First War of Scottish Independence. However, it will take more than brawn and battle skills to see their country through to freedom. It’s going to take help from the future. Specifically, from a lass named Milly. When Adlin and Milly connect across time, enemies take notice. England becomes more of a threat as well as its unknown allies. After all, there’s power to be had in a Scottish Laird and a modern day woman finding each other…remembering one another. The life they once shared. The love that was theirs. More so, the strength and perseverance they were capable of together. Will it be enough to fight all that’s coming their way? Find out in Sworn to a Highland Laird.

    Now she must make the ultimate sacrifice for peace.Dark Ages Scotland, the Isle of Skye. Far north of Hadrian's Wall--beyond the shadow of the Roman Empire--the daughter of a Pictish chieftain prepares to wed her enemy. To forge peace, Tea's brother has promised her to the leader of a neighboring tribe that killed their parents.Dark and brooding--but committed to peace--Tea's new husband isn't what she expects. Unlike her, Galan mac Muin is determined to end decades of bloodshed between two warring tribes, even if it means sacrificing his own happiness.Tea isn't what Galan expects either. A statuesque, embittered beauty, she hates him and his people. Yet neither of them can deny the powerful attraction between them. Together, Galan and Tea have the chance to forge a new future--one that will ensure lasting peace--if only they can only let go of the past.BLOOD FEUD is the exciting first book in THE WARRIOR BROTHERS OF SKYE series. Follow the lives and loves of three warrior brothers: Galan, Tarl and Donnel. Fans of Historical Fiction, Scottish Historical Romance and Historical Action & Adventure, and those who enjoy Kathryn Le Veque, and who loved Donna Fletcher's Pict King series, should enjoy this series set in Dark Ages Scotland.Want more novels set in Dark Ages Britain?

    But against all odds, they find something more than love.You can get this book for free from the author's page.http://www.alisaadams.com/52h5

    At Poitiers, in 1356, his victory over King John II of France forced the French into a humiliating surrender that marked the zenith of England’s dominance in the Hundred Years War. As lord of Aquitaine, he ruled a vast swathe of territory across the west and southwest of France, holding a magnificent court at Bordeaux that mesmerized the brave but unruly Gascon nobility and drew them like moths to the flame of his cause.He was Edward of Woodstock, eldest son of Edward III, and better known to posterity as “the Black Prince.” His military achievements captured the imagination of Europe: heralds and chroniclers called him “the flower of all chivalry” and “the embodiment of all valor.” But what was the true nature of the man behind the chivalric myth, and of the violent but pious world in which he lived? This exemplary new history uses contemporary chronicles plus a wide range of documentary material—including the Prince's own letters and those of his closest followers—to tell the tale of an authentic English hero and to paint a memorable portrait of society in the tumultuous fourteenth century.

    By the early eleventh century, the empire was the most powerful state in the Mediterranean. It was also expanding economically, demographically, and, in time, intellectually as well. Yet this imperial project came to a crashing collapse fifty years later, when political disunity, fiscal mismanagement, and defeat at the hands of the Seljuks in the east and the Normans in the west brought an end to Byzantine hegemony. By 1081, not only was its dominance of southern Italy, the Balkans, Caucasus, and northern Mesopotamia over but Byzantium's very existence was threatened.How did this dramatic transformation happen? Based on a close examination of the relevant sources, this history-the first of its kind in over a century-offers a new reconstruction of the key events and crucial reigns as well as a different model for understanding imperial politics and wars, both civil and foreign. In addition to providing a badly needed narrative of this critical period of Byzantine history, Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood offers new interpretations of key topics relevant to the medieval era. The narrative unfolds in three parts: the first covers the years 955-1025, a period of imperial conquest and consolidation of authority under the great emperor Basil "the Bulgar-Slayer." The second (1025-1059) examines the dispersal of centralized authority in Constantinople as well as the emergence of new foreign enemies (Pechenegs, Seljuks, and Normans). The last section chronicles the spectacular collapse of the empire during the second half of the eleventh century, concluding with a look at the First Crusade and its consequences for Byzantine relations with the powers of Western Europe. This briskly paced and thoroughly investigated narrative vividly brings to life one of the most exciting and transformative eras of medieval history.

    When his cruel cousin tries to take Laurel for himself, Eirik breaks his oath in an attempt to protect her. He claims her as his thrall, but can he claim her heart, or will Laurel fall prey to the devious schemes of his enemies?She has the heart of a warrior...Laurel refuses to be bested by the backbreaking work and lecherous advances she must endure at Whitby Abbey. When Viking raiders storm the abbey and take her captive, her strength may finally fail her--especially when she must face her fear of water at every turn. But under Eirik's gentle protection, she discovers a deeper bravery within herself--and a yearning for her golden-haired captor that she shouldn't harbor. Torn between securing her freedom or giving herself to her Viking master, will fate decide for her--and rip them apart forever?Shieldmaiden's Revenge (Viking Lore, Book 2):Madrena burns hot for revenge against the man who attacked her village and shattered her life five years ago. When a dark-haired stranger named Rúnin washes ashore in her village, he promises to be her guide in exchange for his freedom. Though Rúnin knows the man Madrena seeks, his life depends on keeping her at a distance, lest her sharp eyes discover the secret he must protect at all costs.Despite the danger, Madrena risks trusting Rúnin. The two travel deep into the Northland wilds, only to be entangled in a world of secrets and peril. Even as they resist the heat that crackles between them, the fires of desire rival those for vengeance. But when Madrena's plans are threatened, will the fierce shieldmaiden choose love over war?The Bride Prize (A Viking Lore Novella, Book 2.5):Tarr leaves the only home he's ever known with nothing but a dream--to sail across the North Sea to the mysterious lands in the west. In order to earn a spot on his Jarl's voyage, he must compete against his fellow Northmen in games of strength and skill. But when he learns that the prize for winning the competition is the hand of the dark-haired beauty he met only days ago, will he be forced to choose between his dreams and his heart?Eyva wants nothing more than to train as a shieldmaiden, but her parents refuse, hoping to yoke her to their Northland farm forever. When they put her up as the bride prize for their village's festivities, she fears she will never escape the fate of a grueling life on her parents' farm. But Tarr's longing gaze and soft kisses just might give her the courage to fight for herself--and for their budding love.Desire's Hostage (Viking Lore, Book 3):She is his hostage...As the daughter of a proud Pict chieftain, Elisead's duty is to make a marriage alliance for the betterment of her people. Yet the forest spirits whisper to her, calling her to carve in stone the long forgotten markings of the old ways. But when she witnesses a terrifying band of Northmen land on the shores of her village, she senses that her fate lies with the golden leader who entrances her with his dancing emerald eyes and claims her with his forbidden touch.Desire binds them together...

    His dream of a united kingdom of all England will stand or fall on one field—on the passage of a single day.At his side is the priest Dunstan of Glastonbury, full of ambition and wit (perhaps enough to damn his soul). His talents will take him from the villages of Wessex to the royal court, to the hills of Rome—from exile to exaltation. Through Dunstan's vision, by his guiding hand, England will either come together as one great country or fall back into anarchy and misrule . . .From one of our finest historical writers, The Abbott’s Tale is an intimate portrait of a priest and performer, a visionary, a traitor and confessor to kings—the man who can change the fate of England.

    But first he must survive his apprenticeship as squire to a man determined to build a kingdom on an island ravaged by rebellion. The Greek insurgents have already driven the Knights Templar from the island, and now stand poised to destroy Richard the Lionheart's legacy to the Holy Land: a crusader foothold on the island of Cyprus.

    He vows to return to Inverfyre and take his vengeance from the Hawk, but arrives to discover that the fierce maiden in possession of his heart has blossomed into a beauty, and that her kiss has the power to give him hope for the future again. Can Quentin prove himself to the Hawk and win Mhairi—or will she spurn him for being less than once he was? The Mercenary's Bride is a Christmas Scottish medieval romance novella which was originally published in the Christmas 2017 anthology, The Nutcracker Reimagined.

    At a time when successful queens regnant were few and far between, Isabella faced not only the considerable challenge of being a young, female ruler in an overwhelmingly male-dominated world, but also of reforming a major European kingdom riddled with crime, debt, corruption, and religious factionism. Her marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon united two kingdoms, a royal partnership in which Isabella more than held her own. Their pivotal reign was long and transformative, uniting Spain and setting the stage for its golden era of global dominance.Acclaimed historian Giles Tremlett chronicles the life of Isabella of Castile as she led her country out of the murky Middle Ages and harnessed the newest ideas and tools of the early Renaissance to turn her ill-disciplined, quarrelsome nation into a sharper, truly modern state with a powerful, clear-minded, and ambitious monarch at its center. With authority and insight he relates the story of this legendary, if controversial, first initiate in a small club of great European queens that includes Elizabeth I of England, Russia's Catherine the Great, and Britain's Queen Victoria.

    Each book is a stand-alone novel full of love, romance, and suspense. Two of the four novels center around The Battle of Largs in 1263. Fall in love with Clan Grant and feel like part of their family. Book One-RESCUED BY A HIGHLANDER-Laird Alexander Grant vows revenge against Madeline MacDonald's abusers, but can he help her fight the demons left behind in her mind? **WARNING** Mature content- Contains references to abuse and a previous rape that may be disturbing for some readers. AGE 18+ Book Two-HEALING A HIGHLANDER'S HEART-Kidnapped at knifepoint in the middle of the night, healer Brenna Grant is spirited across the Highlands to heal a chieftain who’s near death. The last thing she expects is for her patient to be a handsome laird who steals her heart. Book Three-LOVE LETTERS FROM LARGS-A testament to love’s ability to transcend the most harrowing of obstacles, Love Letters from Largs is the emotional story of two soul mates who are determined to be together when everyone around them seems intent on pulling them apart. Book Four-JOURNEY TO THE HIGHLANDS-Robbie Grant will stop at nothing to rescue Caralyn and her lasses and bring them to the safety of the Highlands, but will Caralyn be able to heal the wounds of her past enough to let herself be loved? THE CLAN GRANT SERIES #1- RESCUED BY A HIGHLANDER-Alex and Maddie #2- HEALING A HIGHLANDER’S HEART-Brenna and Quade #3- LOVE LETTERS FROM LARGS- Brodie and Celestina #4-JOURNEY TO THE HIGHLANDS-Robbie and Caralyn #5-HIGHLAND SPARKS-Logan and Gwyneth #6-MY DESPERATE HIGHLANDER-Micheil and Diana #7-THE BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE HIGHLANDS-Jennie and Aedan #8- HIGHLAND HARMONY-Avelina and Drew

    They may be villains, but they're irresistible, and sometimes the right hero can steal their hearts and help them mend their wicked ways. Raised by her abusive uncle, Cristy Moffat will do anything to impress her brawny cousins, including reiving the neighbor's cattle...until she steals the wrong cow and is caught in the act by the new laird. Brochan Macintosh has his hands full, repairing his tower house and raising his motherless twins. But when his plans to trade Cristy for his cattle go awry, he wonders if he wants to ransom her after all. Can he tame her wild ways and give her a family to love, and will Cristy be the one to heal his loneliness?

    Until he met her….“‘Knight and Day’ set in the Middle Ages!” USA TODAY® bestselling author Kris Kennedy spins a thrilling tale of medieval outlawry, scorching hot passion, and a warrior’s redemption. Outlawed and on the run, Irish warrior Tadhg has a single mission: escape with the legendary dagger of King Richard before a brutal nobleman hunts him down. Trapped and almost cornered, his plan is simple: plant his contraband on the innocent woman with the long hair and complicated eyes. Then abduct her and use her as camouflage to escape. Igniting a raging passion is not part of the plan. Neither is falling in love.Magdalena knows she should be terrified, but all she feels is excitement as this mysterious stranger drags her deeper into his perilous mission–and grand adventure.Swept into a thrilling chase across France and England, their passion burns hot, forging a connection that melts the icy wall around Tadhg’s war-torn heart. In the end, when his enemies close in, he’s going to have to choose which matters more: his mission or the brave, passionate woman who’s stolen his heart.*Novella originally appeared in the CAPTURED BY A CELTIC WARRIOR anthology as The King’s Outlaw. This is an extended, full-length novel edition, with many additional scenes. Over 80K words.

    Includes an exclusive extract from his next novel in the series, the follow up to Dark Serpent. Perfect for fans of Robin Hobb and Michael Jecks. In the summer of 1311, a jousting tournament is about to commence in the Tower of London, supervised by Sir Hugh Corbett, Keeper of the Secret Seal.Two powerful lords have come forward with writs from the late king, promising them both the inheritance of a lucrative estate. To settle the dispute, they are submitting their quarrel to the judicium Dei: the Judgement of God. But when a third claimant comes forward, Corbett suspects that something is awry.Corbett launches an investigation to uphold the reputation of the late king as treachery looks set to spread. But it soon becomes clear that more than one person in the Tower has secrets to keep...What readers are saying about Paul Doherty:'A magical author''Paul Doherty has the rare talent of making you feel as though you are there, be it medieval England, or battling with Alexander. The sounds and smells of the period seem to waft from the pages of his books''Doherty has a gift for bringing distant ages alive and for populating his books with endearing, believable characters'

    Along her journey Anika befriends Prince Valdemar, future king of Brevalia but their relationship hits many twists and turns along the way. Lady Winifred Paxel Flemming pursues the prince relentlessly. His grandmother, Queen Marguerite, expects him to wed whoever she thinks is suitable, even if it means marrying a foreign princess he’s never met. Anika’s mother, Lady Sarah, wants Anika to help ease the family’s financial burdens by marrying Erland Riccats, National Chairman of the Merchants’ Guild. Lady Sarah also harbors secrets regarding Prince Valdemar’s mother, Princess Karin, who met an untimely death years before. In the end, will both Anika and Prince Valdemar be forced into loveless mar-riages, or will they be able to outwit their enemies?

    Richard of York, the most powerful magnate in the land, steps in to manage affairs whilst Henry is unwell. Many people prefer York’s rule, which does not please the queen. The country begins to divide and plots start to hatch. York himself is directly descended from the royal family line, in fact, a little more directly than Henry but he puts this fact aside and strives only to serve the king. This, however, becomes increasingly difficult due to the acts of the queen, who, now feeling threatened by York, calls her men to get rid of him. The York family is strong and the two eldest sons, Edward and Edmund are approaching manhood. Edward, bold and eager, is keen to leave his childhood behind and enter the world of men, of politics, combat and love. Edmund, the younger brother is more introspective and struggles to project his public image. Both boys look to York as their mentor, a match for any king; and Richard is proud of them both. But with sons comes the question of inheritance. Who will succeed Henry’s throne? His own son, the young Prince Edward, or the capable York and his heirs? This historical window into the past lifts figures from the history books and gives the personality and purpose behind their actions. The story bears witness to the extremes of the human condition, from loving tenderness in court to vengeful violence on the battlefield.

    But when nearly all her clan is killed and she is betrayed, she loathes doing the unthinkable, but must seek the help of an Englishman who owed her father’s his life. Thomas Godfrey never married, but when a Scottish warrior lass shows up needing his aid, he finds her both annoying and irresistible. But the last thing he wants is to marry a woman who fights alongside him. If he was going to marry—which he isn’t—it would be to a soft, submissive woman. But when the Lady Brithwin meets the Scottish lass, she’s sure she’s found the perfect match for Thomas and nothing is going to stop her from seeing a summer wedding.

    According to Voltaire, it represented "a worthless collection of miracles, a disgrace for the human mind" for Hegel it was "a disgusting picture of imbecility."A Cabinet of Byzantine Curiosities will reinforce these old prejudices, while also stimulating a deeper interest among readers in one of history's most interesting civilizations. Many of the zanier tales and trivia that are collected here revolve around the political and religious life of Byzantium. Thus, stories of saints, relics, and their miracles--from the hilarious to the revolting--abound. Byzantine bureaucracy (whence the adjective "Byzantine"), court scandals, and elaborate penal code are world famous. And what would Byzantium be without its eunuchs, whose ambiguous gender produced odd and risible outcomes in different contexts? The book also contains sections on daily life that are equally eye-opening, including food (from aphrodisiacs to fermented fish sauce), games such as polo and acrobatics, and obnoxious views of foreigners and others (e.g., Germans, Catholics, Arabs, dwarves). But lest we overlook Byzantium's more honorable contributions to civilization, also included are some of the marvels of Byzantine science and technology, from the military (flamethrowers and hand grenades) to the theatrical ("elevator" thrones, roaring mechanical lions) and medical (catheters and cures, some bizarre). This vast assortment of historical anomaly and absurdity sheds vital light on one of history's most obscure and orthodox empires.

    She is a noble English girl, betrothed by her family to a much older Earl. But nothing, not even war can stop this peculiar love.

    Thrown off course by a storm, they follow the route up the Rhine.When Harald hangs back to assist Selia, a beautiful Frisian woman, his path turns perilous. Newfound enemies, retainers of Robert the Devil, Duke of Normandy, pursue them. Harald, Selia, and their companions fail to rendezvous with King Cnute, and are forced to travel cross-country on horseback. If Duke Robert's plan to assassinate Cnute succeeds, an invasion of Engla-lond will follow.Can Harald and Selia reach Rome in time to warn the King?

    With Traveon's help, and a gift for Gorawen as his goal, he is careless of any risk. As he gazes at the Governor’s Keep, he has two thoughts: He can't allow himself to be caught, and this will be an adventure worth remembering.A Shadows of the Hersweald short story.

    An English lady as a prisoner can certainly be used in many ways to help satisfy his thirst for revenge against the English When an English Lady, Georgina Bannerman, is kidnapped by Scottish Reivers, she finds the barbaric men loathsome. While doing her best to make life difficult for the leader of her brutish guard, Alasdair McGregor, she soon discovers a softness in his eyes she didn’t know existed among such uncivilized men. Alasdair has his own plans though, and after taking his revenge on Sir Henry Drake through a ruthless ploy that uses Georgina as bait, the once cloistered English lady finds herself a prisoner in what used to be her betrothed’s castle. When Sir Drake escapes, it’s hard to know who he'd like to take revenge on more, the Scottish Laird who stole his castle or his traitor bride. If only she knew that her captor wanted her for more than just his thirst for revenge.

    An Audio Course

    The humans have long harbored a mistrust of the spell-casting Fae and vice versa. In the midst of this conflict, Estrella the Sorceress lays waste to the Training Academy for Human Warriors, making an enemy in the soldier, Jalen. During their standoff, Jalen is turned into a squid and Estrella, unable to restore him to his original form, takes pity on him and travels west across the Sea to bring him to the Wizard in hope he can be saved. But is there more to the unrest in Perth than meets the eye?

    Once again the companions are scattered as the struggle against dark forces--both old and new--threatens to overwhelm them.Legend of the Pendragon: Cade and his companions have reached the final reckoning. He must either rise to the promise of his birth and become the legend that prophecy foretold--or facethe ultimate destruction of his country and his people.The complete series reading order: The Last Pendragon, The Pendragon's Blade, Song of the Pendragon, The Pendragon's Quest, The Pendragon's Champions, Rise of the Pendragon, The Pendragon's Challenge, Legend of the Pendragon.

    Join a young girl and her father, the falconer at a medieval castle, as they experience the joys of taking a goshawk out for a training flight. The girl leads readers through all the preparations and equipment needed for the flight from the hawk s hood and bells to the falconer s gloves culminating in a dramatic demonstration of the hawk s hunting skill. Bagram Ibatoulline s masterful illustrations capture the vivid details and beauty of a day spent hawking, while Danna Smith s poetic storytelling will make readers long to experience the art and sport of falconry firsthand."

    William Duke of Normandy is to be crowned King of England on Christmas day 1066; and he expects presents. For reasons beyond reason the monastery of De'Ath's Dingle is invited to the ceremony and the only ones who can be let out on their own are Brother Hermitage and Wat the Weaver. But it will be a rush to get there. With only 7 days to travel over 100 miles, the pair must cross a frozen and largely lawless country if they are to make it to Westminster alive. And then there's the problem of Wat's attitude towards gifts in principle. He doesn't mind a reasonable exchange but simply giving sounds like a very poor deal. Perhaps the days of the journey will give Brother Hermitage the opportunity to breath the spirit of the season into his weaving friend. Or perhaps not. Recent reviews for Howard of Warwick continue a theme: 5* "Very funny" 5* "Another demented tale" 5* "Briiiiiliant as always."

    Left with few options, she is forced to enter the workhouse and suffer the habitual injustices commonplace to that sad institution. Her beauty and naivety a target for the unscrupulous master of the workhouse and Edward Wells, the owner of the local textile mill, Emma will be compelled to make the difficult decision between the safety of her brother and sister, and her own virtue.Gideon, Lord de Monthaut, is instantly smitten the moment he sees Emma, despite the fact that she is on the arm of one of the most notorious blackguards in Manchester society.Will Emma find it possible to rise above her circumstances and find love? And in the process learn the true Proof of Virtue?

    They embark on a journey of retribution against those who have wronged them. Will they survive the path they have chosen, and finally get the revenge they seek? A historical romance, which captures the imagination with a story of love, deception, adventures, and revenge.

    Among its holdings are The Adoration of the Magi and The Garden of Earthly Delights triptychs, as well as the original of The Haywain, making it the ‘home of Bosch’ and the perfect institution to hold a major exhibition marking the quincentenary of the artist’s death. This magnificent, richly illustrated book reproduces these masterpieces and other recently cleaned and restored paintings, and reveals hitherto unknown facets of Bosch’s art. A distinguished team of Bosch scholars contribute to the volume. Pilar Silva Maroto’s essay presents an updated biography of Bosch and his family, and includes all the surviving documents dating from his lifetime. It also locates the artist in the context of his home town, ’s-Hertogenbosch, and offers an in-depth appreciation of his status as a painter and draughtsman. Eric De Bruyn considers Bosch’s sources in texts and images; Paul Vandenbroeck, his values and ideology; and Larry Silver, the sins and their punishment, a fundamental theme in the artist’s work. Finally, there is a ‘conversation’ between Reindert Falkenburg and The Garden of Earthly Delights triptych, and a reflection by Fernando Checa on the reception of Bosch at the Habsburg court in Flanders and in Spain in the 16th century. The catalogue entries for the paintings belonging to the Prado collection discuss the findings of recent technical research carried out specifically for the exhibition, which has shed new light on these works.

    Using a framework derived from studies of early medieval kingship, he assesses each phase of William’s life to establish why so many trusted William to invade England in 1066 and the consequences of this on the history of the so-called Norman Conquest after the Battle of Hastings and for generations to come. A leading historian of the period, Bates is notable for having worked extensively in the archives of northern France and discovered many eleventh- and twelfth-century charters largely unnoticed by English-language scholars. Taking an innovative approach, he argues for a move away from old perceptions and controversies associated with William’s life and the Norman Conquest. This deeply researched volume is the scholarly biography for our generation.

    Malgard is named thegn of the town of Stybbor in East Anglia while Brand is made outlaw and hunted through the woods by Malgard's men, determined to extinguish the last possible claim to Malgard's thegnship.Aided by a strange young woman, Valla, who claims to be 242 years old, Brand escapes and is befriended by Harold Godwinson, Earl of Wessex and the choice of the Saxon nobles to be king after the childless Edward (the Confessor). Brand nurses his dream of vengeance over Malgard while sharing Harold’s perils and waiting for Valla who will only return from The Place of Dreams if Brand has remained true to his promise to lie with no other woman.All stories come together at the Battle of Hastings, where Harold’s great banner, The Fighting Man, flew above the field at Senlac Ridge in opposition to the papal cross carried by William the Bastard."Not since reading Sharpe have I felt such a sense of being in the story. Outstanding." - Stuart Quin, Full Circle Films"I read it on the train, walking down the street, well after my usual bed time and when I was supposed to be working. Even though I knew exactly where the story was headed, I was compelled to know what happened next." - Jane B Rawson, From The Wreck

    This is poetry as stunning in its vitality as it is true to its sources. Were Williamson's idiom not so modern, we might think that the Anglo-Saxon poets had taken up the lyre again and begun to sing once more.

    During their journey, they encounter and make a powerful enemy of Baron Thomas—the self-proclaimed heir to the throne of Eldridge—who also has his sights set on ruling the country of Knox. Together, the boys dodge the baron’s henchmen and race against time to stop an assassination that would plunge the two kingdoms into war in this exciting conclusion to the series.

    Rebecca can’t resist its charm, but when Mason buys it for her birthday, their routine existence unravels. Chaos opens the door for vengeance. In another place and time, the same ring symbolizes the bond between a husband and wife living dangerously in medieval Europe. For Tiana and Burke, the price of wealth runs deep. How are the burdens of today linked to the past? In many more ways than we can imagine.

    Early in the saga, we hear about how the young Didrik assembles a formidable group of warriors, and about their journey to challenge a powerful king. These warriors include Wideke, whose father, Weland the smith, forged his unbeatable sword Mymming, and Heym, who was raised on a stud farm with magnificent black and grey horses. The saga then tells of Didrik's feud with his father's brother Ermentrik, and his long exile at the court of Attilia, King of the Huns.The saga is driven by human drama, but giants, dwarfs, dragons, and other mythical and magical creatures all appear. Tales of other legendary figures and heroes from northern Europe are interwoven with the story of Didrik: The saga tells about Weland, and the many ways he used his smithing skills, and also tells a version of the story of Sigurd the dragon slayer and the Nyfflings.The saga was probably compiled in Norway based on German poems about Didrik (also known as Dietrich, Thidrek, or Theoderic), and a Swedish version was produced later. Presented here is a translation of the medieval Swedish version of the saga.Also included in this edition is a prose translation of the medieval Danish poem The Dwarf King Laurin, which tells one more story about Didrik of Bern.

    Find the weapon used to defeat the horde of the Black Knight and save what remains of her kingdom. But things are not going as planned. Hidden as a knight, she saves the young prince of the neighboring kingdom, and tales of her fighting prowess spread like a raging fire. Now within the castle walls of a foreign kingdom, a disguised young girl serves as her page and confidante. And the widower king and his enemies are taking notice of her. But the legendary weapon is nowhere to be found. What is God doing? Will Aria be able to save her home without losing her heart?

    The sixteenth century in Europe was a tumultuous time. Monumental inventions like the printing press rocked society as huge philosophical shifts caused by Copernicus split the scientific world. But just as important was the seismic upheaval within Christendom herself, as the Church of Rome responded to internal rebuke with oppression. In thirty short biographies, Heralds of the Reformation tells the important story of the struggle between the theological authorities and the men and women who refused to keep quiet about the sheer grace of the Gospel. Designed for students young and old, this book also includes: + a Reformation Overview of key events and authorities, + a detailed Timeline of the pivotal years from 1516 to 1598, + seven short summaries of Reformation Basics, the key doctrines of the time, + and Comprehension Questions and Answers covering all thirty biographies.

    In the Skin of a Beast shows how the concept of sovereignty comes to the fore in such narratives, reflecting larger concerns about relations of authority and dominion at play in both human-animal and human-human interactions. Peggy McCracken discusses a range of literary texts and images from medieval France, including romances in which animal skins appear in symbolic displays of power, fictional explorations of the wolf’s desire for human domestication, and tales of women and snakes converging in a representation of territorial claims and noble status. These works reveal that the qualities traditionally used to define sovereignty—lineage and gender among them—are in fact mobile and contingent. In medieval literary texts, as McCracken demonstrates, human dominion over animals is a disputed model for sovereign relations among people: it justifies exploitation even as it mandates protection and care, and it depends on reiterations of human-animal difference that paradoxically expose the tenuous nature of human exceptionalism.

    Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels and HBO's Game of Thrones series depict a medieval world at war. But how accurate are they? The author, an historian and medieval martial arts expert, examines in detail how authentically Martin's fictional world reflects the arms and armor, fighting techniques and siege warfare of the Middle Ages. Along the way, he explores the concept of "medievalism"--modern pop culture's idea of the Middle Ages.

     In The Scoundrel, Evangeline is determined to recover her family's relic from the thief Gawain. She knows he's a charming trickster with no moral code and has vowed to play by his rules to regain the prize, never expecting that Gawain will steal her heart. Gawain is intrigued by the first lady who is his match—when he falls in love with Evangeline, will he be able to convince her that his sweet confession isn't just another ruse? In The Frost Maiden's Kiss, Catriona arrives pregnant at notorious Ravensmuir, home of the Hellhound, a mercenary of dangerous repute. The last person she expects to save her child is this grim and fearless man, and she knows herself to be in his debt. When Malcolm suggests a marriage of convenience to give her son a future, Catriona knows the only way to repay the Hellhound is to save him from the curse placed upon him, whatever the cost to herself. In The Crusader's Heart, Christina takes a chance on Wulfe, challenging the Templar to aid her in escaping her captivity in a brothel in Venice. She will do anything to convince him that he has need of her by his side as Wulfe is the key to her safe return home. Wulfe finds himself dangerously tempted by the beautiful and resolute Christina, to the point of discarding his vows. He has nothing to offer her in his own right, but Christina's optimism is infectious and he revisits his own past, in the hope of building a future with her. Three bold women each dare to challenge and to love a disreputable rogue, tempting the heartbreakers to change their ways. Love does conquer all in Heartbreakers: Three Medieval Bad Boys!

    Nowhere is this more apparent than in the medieval bestiary. Sarah Kay’s exploration of French and Latin bestiaries offers fresh insight into how this prominent genre challenged the boundary between its human readers and other animals. Bestiaries present accounts of animals whose fantastic behaviors should be imitated or avoided, depending on the given trait. In a highly original argument, Kay suggests that the association of beasts with books is here both literal and material, as nearly all surviving bestiaries are copied on parchment made of animal skin, which also resembles human skin. Using a rich array of examples, she shows how the content and materiality of bestiaries are linked due to the continual references in the texts to the skins of other animals, as well as the ways in which the pages themselves repeatedly—and at times, it would seem, deliberately—intervene in the reading process. A vital contribution to animal studies and medieval manuscript studies, this book sheds new light on the European bestiary and its profound power to shape readers’ own identities.

    To undo the damage done by his father, he must forge alliances with those he once considered enemies. Across the great Madion Sea, Olivia Collins oversees her company’s hasty cross-ocean move while closely watching the events back home. But when Prince Rhys asks her to help, she realizes they’re more alike than she thought. The Prince and the Heiress is a novella in the Madion War Trilogy and contains spoilers for the end of The Union. It is available as a preorder gift for The Union.

    In presenting the first English-language history of the Khanate of Khoqand (1709–1876), Scott C. Levi examines the rise of that extraordinarily dynamic state in the Ferghana Valley. Levi reveals the many ways in which the Khanate’s integration with globalizing forces shaped political, economic, demographic, and environmental developments in the region, and he illustrates how these same forces contributed to the downfall of Khoqand.             To demonstrate the major historical significance of this vibrant state and region, too often relegated to the periphery of early modern Eurasian history, Levi applies a “connected history” methodology showing in great detail how Central Asians actively influenced policies among their larger imperial neighbors—notably tsarist Russia and Qing China. This original study will appeal to a wide interdisciplinary audience, including scholars and students of Central Asian, Russian, Middle Eastern, Chinese, and world history, as well as the study of comparative empire and the history of globalization.

    Life is a succession of hunts, feasts, and revels, with little attention paid to the welfare of his vassals. Tired of the young duke’s dissolute behaviour and ashamed of his illegitimate birth, a group of traitorous barons force their way into his castle. While William survives their assassination attempt, his days of leisure are over. He’ll need help from the king of France to secure his dukedom from the rebels.On the other side of the English Channel lives ten-year-old Ælfgifa, the malformed and unwanted youngest sister to the Anglo-Saxon Jarl, Harold Godwinson. Ælfgifa discovers powerful rivalries in the heart of the state when her sister Ealdgyth is given in a political marriage to King Edward, and she finds herself caught up in intrigues and political manoeuvring as powerful men vie for influence. Her path will collide with William’s, and both must fight to shape the future.An Argument of Blood is the first of two sweeping historical novels on the life and battles of William the Conqueror.

    

     Unexpected complications arise as the enigmatic, sexy Lord Zanar reappears. Does he cast a shadow of doubt on the idyllic marriage of Polyxena and Arsenio? The Duchess wonders why the unpredictable rogue is back despite a death sentence looming upon his head…Is he a friend now, or an evil foe? The Count of Rozenberk tells the Duchess many facts about her mysterious and noble ancestor, Wilfred the Valiant, Third Duke of Nemours. He reveals to the young woman, the shocking and unexpected genesis of the Templar's Treasure. Will the centuries old family curse that places a grave peril to the house of Nemours be dispelled due to the heroic efforts of Polyxena's father…will he survive? Will Lord Zanar's presence cast a permanent shadow between Polyxena and Arsenio?

    By looking at the island across this long expanse of time and during the periods of transition from one dominant culture to another, Davis-Secord uncovers the patterns that defined and redefined the broader Muslim-Christian encounter in the Middle Ages.

    That is until Lord John Lindsay, known as The King’s Blade, is ordered to find her. As the Crown’s chief criminal investigator, Lindsay metes out justice as he deals with murder, betrayal and intrigue but never has he encountered such female resistance. Life has taught John and Megan not to believe in love. So, when forced into marriage by a Royal Decree, can they set aside their differences and learn to trust their hearts?

    Her idealism and love lead her to leave a Cathar school and follow the man who will become Saint Dominic. As the world around her erupts into the Albigensian Crusade, Elmina finds herself complicit in its horror, and her spiritual and emotional life begins to unravel. With the aid of the counsel of her wise prior, Brother Noel, Elmina learns to paint her experiences within a sacred circle a practice that helps her discover the origins of her lifelong fears and wrestle with questions that are as divisive today as they were eight centuries ago: the nature of God, the purpose of creation, the nature of evil, and the possibility of reincarnation."

    In the waning years of the 14th century, Fiore dei Liberi was a famed master of this art, whose students included some of the most renowned and dangerous fighting men of his day. Credited by fencing historians as the father of Italian swordsmanship, toward the end of his life, Master Fiore preserved his teachings in a series of illustrated manuscripts, four of which have survived to the present day, and have become the basis of a world-wide effort to reconstruct this lost martial art. This magnum opus, il Fior di Bataglia (The Flower of Battle), composed in early 1409, is one of the oldest, most extensive, and most clearly elucidated martial arts treatises from the medieval period. Freelance Academy Press is proud to announce Flowers of Battle, a multi-volume series of lavishly illustrated, hard-cover books, combining full-color facsimiles of the master's original manuscripts; professional, annotated translations; and extensive, peer-reviewed essays. Vol. I: Historical Context and the Getty Manuscript Vol. II: Florius de Luctandi Vol. III: Flos Duellatorum Vol. IV: A tradition with Deep Roots--The Morgan Ms, Later Transmissions and General Concordance Vol. I: Historical Context and the Getty Manuscript presents a complete translation, transcription and reproduction of the largest and most complete of the manuscripts. Serving as a sourcebook for the entire series, it also includes chapters on the life of Fiore dei Liberi, his students, and patrons, arms & armour in the Getty Manuscript, dueling and chivalric culture in Italy at the close of the 14th century, a detailed analysis of the manuscripts' use of pedagogy, number and metaphor and the Flower of Battle's relationship to other medieval combat manuscripts. Not only a record of a complete, medieval martial tradition, this work provides unique insights into the life, mindset and milieu of the professional fighting man at the birth of the Italian Renaissance.

    Tracking women's life experience across class lines, outside as well as inside the domestic realm, Xu challenges the accepted wisdom about women and gender roles in medieval China. She contextualizes women in a much broader physical space and social network, investigating the gaps between ideals and reality and examining women's own agency in gender construction. She argues that women's autonomy and mobility, conventionally attributed to Ming-Qing women of late imperial China, can be traced to the Song era. This thorough study of Song women's life experience connects women to the great political, economic, and social transitions of the time, and sheds light on the so-called "Song-Yuan-Ming transition" from the perspective of gender studies. By putting women at the center of analysis and by focusing on the local and the quotidian, Crossing the Gate offers a new and nuanced picture of the Song Confucian revival.

    

    As a child capable of communing with horses, our Gisela realizes "her body is connected to every other body," and "glory…only a reflection in a puddle of words." Never losing faith with her inner light even as her life ends, she is "strangely serene and happy to embrace a blue beginning." To read the story of Gisela is to discover a magic that will never stop "as long as the sun shines and the stars turn."

    In The Transmission of Beowulf, Leonard Neidorf addresses philological questions that are fundamental to the study of the poem. Is Beowulf the product of unitary or composite authorship? How substantially did scribes alter the text during its transmission, and how much time elapsed between composition and preservation?Neidorf answers these questions by distinguishing linguistic and metrical regularities, which originate with the Beowulf poet, from patterns of textual corruption, which descend from copyists involved in the poem's transmission. He argues, on the basis of archaic features that pervade Beowulf and set it apart from other Old English poems, that the text preserved in the sole extant manuscript (ca. 1000) is essentially the work of one poet who composed it circa 700. Of course, during the poem's written transmission, several hundred scribal errors crept into its text. These errors are interpreted in the central chapters of the book as valuable evidence for language history, cultural change, and scribal practice. Neidorf's analysis reveals that the scribes earnestly attempted to standardize and modernize the text's orthography, but their unfamiliarity with obsolete words and ancient heroes resulted in frequent errors. The Beowulf manuscript thus emerges from his study as an indispensible witness to processes of linguistic and cultural change that took place in England between the eighth and eleventh centuries. An appendix addresses J. R. R. Tolkien's Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary, which was published in 2014. Neidorf assesses Tolkien's general views on the transmission of Beowulf and evaluates his position on various textual issues.

    By examining the wealth of under-explored evidence available, Downham challenges this popular notion and demonstrates what a culturally rich and diverse place medieval Ireland was. Starting in the fifth century, when St Patrick arrived on the island, and ending in the fifteenth century, with the efforts of the English government to defend the lands which it ruled directly around Dublin by building great ditches, this up-to-date and accessible survey charts the internal changes in the region. Chapters dispute the idea of an archaic society in a wide-range of areas, with a particular focus on land-use, economy, society, religion, politics and culture. This concise and accessible overview offers a fresh perspective on Ireland in the Middle Ages and overthrows many enduring stereotypes.

    It lies in a burial ground which contains all the elements of archaeological mystery: seventeen mounds, buried treasure, and sacrificed horses. In this very accessible book, Martin Carver explains what we know of this site, at which the leaders of the Dark Age kingdom of East Anglia signalled the pagan and maritime nature of their court. This is the story not only of this dramatic place, but also of its exploration over half a century, which amounts to a potted history of British archaeology.

    Now you can read exactly how that scene unfolded in The Girl By the River.With only the clothes on his back and a few belongings, lowly serf Robert tries to escape from the lord who would have him killed, but he doesn't get far before he's trapped between the river's edge and a pack of hounds hot on his trail. Robert's only hope is to swim across the river, but the water will destroy his most precious possession. Can he risk losing his life to protect the one thing he prizes most? Frozen with indecision, with time running out, he stumbles across a ten-year-old girl also hiding among the reeds. Can the child help him, or will he die protecting her as well?

    But it is also by turns an intimate story of less eminent individuals, whose adventures, struggles and ambitions were reflected in the fortified residences they constructed. Be it ever so grand or ever so humble, a castle was first and foremost a home.To understand castles—who built them, who lived in them, and why—is to understand the forces that shaped medieval Britain.

     This set includes: Lord of Illusion - Book 3 (Legacy of the Blade Series) Wanting to live a different life, Lady Abigail uses a robbery on the road as an excuse to escape her guards who are taking her to marry a man she hates. Madac ap Powell is a thief, who uses his disguises to his advantage, trying to support his mother and brother. Although he hates the life he lives, he finds a young lady in the woods who hates her life even more. Can a lady and a thief help each other realize exactly what they are running from? Ruby - Book 1 (Daughters of the Dagger Series) Ruby de Burgh is furious when her father promises her hand in marriage to the Lord of Death, Nyle Sheffield. The man's last three wives have died and rumor has it, he's killed them. Lord Nyle Sheffield is on a mission from the king, and at the same time trying to flesh out the murderer of his late wives. So when he finds Ruby who is skilled with a sword and also able to protect herself, he makes a betrothal so he can use her as a pawn to draw out the killer. The Baron's Bounty - Book 2 (Barons of the Cinque Ports Series) The Scottish lassie, Isobel MacEwen, is sent as a proxy to marry the English lord, Conlin de Braose in her cousin's stead. But before she leaves, she is witness to the Scottish king's murder - but has only seen the shoes of the killer. Isobel is infatuated with shoes and has learned to identify people by their shoes and the way they walk. Lord Conlin de Braose is a widower, and also a Baron of the Cinque Ports. It's important to him to make an alliance with the Scots, as well as to secure a mother for his young daughter. But when he finds himself falling in love with a proxy, his life is turned upside down. Ian - Book 3 (MadMan MacKeefe Series) Kyla has grown up alongside her older brother, always having eyes for Ian - her brother's best friend. But Ian thinks of her as a pest and the furthest thing from a romantic partner. Ian is troubled by his secret, dark past. When he sees a face in the Samhain fire of an enemy he killed, he has no idea the dead will come back to life. And while he's worried about confronting an enemy again, what troubles him more is that his best friend's sister is in love with him - and now she's to be married off to his enemy to make an alliance with the clan. Will Ian's tarnished past come back to haunt him, exposing his secrets and taking from him a woman who holds a special place in his heart?

    The work also contains a famous defense of the value of studying ancient pagan poetry in a Christian world.The complete work in fifteen books contains a meticulously organized genealogical tree identifying approximately 950 Greco-Roman mythological figures. The scope is enormous: 723 chapters include over a thousand citations from 200 Greek, Roman, medieval, and Trecento authors. Throughout the Genealogy, Boccaccio deploys an array of allegorical, historical, and philological critiques of the ancient myths and their iconography.Much more than a mere compilation of pagan myths, the Genealogy incorporates hundreds of excerpts from and comments on ancient poetry, illustrative of the new spirit of philological and cultural inquiry emerging in the early Renaissance. It is at once the most ambitious work of literary scholarship of the early Renaissance and a demonstration to contemporaries of the moral and cultural value of studying ancient poetry.

    It is primarily composed of material dealing with the legendary character Finn mac Cumaill, his warrior band ( fian ), his son Oisin and his grandson Oscar. In a fashion recalling the expansion of the Arthurian legend throughout Britain and then Europe, the traditions centred on Finn grew from localized beginnings to spread throughout the entire Gaelic-speaking world. This study takes as its focus the early Finn Cycle, up to and including the composition of the most significant fianaigecht tale, Acallam na senorach ('The colloquy of the ancients'), at the beginning of the Early Modern Irish period. The volume also deals in detail with topics such as the nature of the fian; the extent of early fragmentary Finn Cycle sources; the background to Toraigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghrainne ('The pursuit of Diarmaid and Grainne'); the boyhood deeds and death of Finn; and the development of the Fenian lay tradition. The Early Finn Cycle details and investigates the primary and secondary sources for the study of this material and traces the literary development of the early fianaigecht corpus. In so doing, it seeks to account for the emergence of the Finn Cycle from fragmentarily documented beginnings to become the dominant genre of Gaelic literature after 1200.

    These romances launched the plots, themes and structures of the genre, then blossoming in the hands of authors such as Chretien de Troyes. As an account of the Trojan War, Benoit's work is of necessity a poem about war and its causes, how it was fought and what its consequences were for the combatants. But the author's choice of the octosyllabic rhyming couplet, his fondness for description, his ability to recount the intensity of personal struggles, and above all his fascination with the trials and tribulations of Love, which affect some of the work's most prominent warriors (among them Paris and his love for Helen, and Troilus and his love for Briseida), all combine to fashion this romance - in which events from long ago are presented as a reflection of the poet's own feudal and courtly worlds. This translation, the first into English, aims to bring the poem and the author to a wider audience. It is accompanied by an introduction and notes. Glyn S. Burgess is Emeritus Professor of French at the University of Liverpool; Douglas Kelly is Emeritus Professor of French and Medieval Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

    Frankish Christianity required obedience to ecclesiastical superiors, voluntary participation in reform, and the belief that salvation was possible for allbaptized believers. Yet Gottschalk-a mere priest-developed a controversial, Augustinian-based theology of predestination, claiming that only divine election through grace enabled eternal life. Gottschalk preached to Christians within the Frankish empire-including bishops-and non-Christians beyondits borders, scandalously demanding they confess his doctrine or be revealed as wicked reprobates. Even after his condemnations for heresy in the late 840s, Gottschalk continued his activities from prison thanks to monks who smuggled his pamphlets to a subterranean community of supporters. Thisstudy reconstructs the career of the Carolingian Empire's foremost religious dissenter in order to imagine that empire from the perspective of someone who worked to subvert its most fundamental beliefs. Examining the surviving evidence (including his own writings), Matthew Gillis analyzesGottschalk's literary and spiritual self-representations, his modes of argument, his prophetic claims to martyrdom and miraculous powers, and his shocking defiance to bishops as strategies for influencing contemporaries in changing political circumstances. In the larger history of medieval heresyand dissent, Gottschalk's case reveals how the Carolingian Empire preserved order within the church through coercive reform. The hierarchy compelled Christians to accept correction of perceived sins and errors, while punishing as sources of spiritual corruption those rare dissenters who resisted itsauthority.

    She was said to have ruled Edward IV 'as she pleased' and Richard III made his bid for the throne from her home. Yet Cecily has been a shadowy figure in modern histories, noted primarily for her ostentatious piety, her expensive dresses, and the rumours of her adultery. Here J. L. Laynesmith draws on a wealth of rarely considered sources to construct a fresh and revealing portrait of a remarkable woman. Cecily was the only major protagonist to live right through the Wars of the Roses. This book sheds new light on that bloody conflict in which Cecily proved herself an exceptional political survivor. Skilfully manipulating her family connections and contemporary ideas about womanhood, Cecily repeatedly reinvented herself to protect her own status and to ensure the security of those in her care.From her childhood marriage to Richard duke of York until her final decade as grandmother of the first Tudor queen, the story of Cecily Neville's life provides a rich insight into national and local politics, women's power and relationships, motherhood, household dynamics and the role of religion in fifteenth-century England.

    A central figure in the politics of medieval Europe, Blanche was a sophisticated patron of religion and culture. Through Lindy Grant’s engaging account, based on a close analysis of Blanche’s household accounts and of the social and religious networks on which her power and agency depended, Blanche is revealed as a vibrant and intellectually questioning personality.

    We hath wryttn down alle Oure thoughts and anecdotes for your pleasure. We know ye follow Us on Ye Booke of Faces and enjoy Oure wordes of wisdom, so now can ye owne a whole booke of them. And, We hope ye shalle agree, right entertainyng it is, by Oure troth.Let not any saye your King is not a generous and kindlie monarch! Now readeth ye on!

    It defines the traditional expectations for effective Tudor queens—particularly the queen’s critical function of producing an heir—and evaluates them within that framework, before moving to consider their other contributions to the well-being of the court. This fresh comparative approach emphasizes spheres of influence rather than chronology, finding surprising juxtapositions between the various queens’ experiences as mothers, diplomats, participants in secular and religious rituals, domestic managers, and more. More than a series of biographies of individual queens, Elizabeth of York and Her Six Daughters-in-Law is a careful, illuminating examination of the nature of Tudor queenship.

    She expects nothing from this marriage other than a lifetime of duty and obedience, but Edward is a man experienced in the art of pleasing a woman and he awakens unexpected passions in his young bride. Heedless of her mother’s warnings about the dangers facing a second wife, Marguerite is consumed with jealousy when she discovers a rival for her husband's affections, a woman whose power and influence she can have no hope of defeating. Marguerite believes she is content until she comes to desire a man who is not her husband and whose interests run counter to those of the king. When the quicksands of a Scottish war open beneath her feet and her beloved stepson finally rebels against his father, she is engulfed in a world of treachery, murder and hideous bloody revenge. Written from an unashamedly female perspective, The Pearl of France burrows deep into the experiences of a woman living in the early years of the fourteenth century who witnesses not just the fatal attraction of her stepson, the young Prince of Wales, for another man, but also the horrors of the bloody conflict between her husband, Edward I, and Robert Bruce, would-be king of Scotland. The Pearl of France is the second in a series of books about the women in Caroline’s family tree. Marguerite, the titular Pearl of France, is the author’s twenty-first great-grandmother and an almost unknown queen of England. The book will appeal to fans of historical fiction as well as those who have enjoyed Caroline’s previous book, The Fair Maid of Kent.

    Richard Utz wants to help reform the way we think about and practice our academic engagement with medieval culture, and he uses his own observations as a medievalist and medievalism-ist over the last 25 years to offer ways in which we might reconnect with the general public that has allowed us to become, since the late nineteenth century, a rather exclusive clan of specialists who communicate mostly with each other.

    Alys is on her way to marry the Lord of Mirascon, a fiefdom in southern France. However, the south is under threat from Pope Innocent III’s military crusade against the heretics.After trying in vain to rally his fellow lords against invasion, Richart, Vicomte de Mirascon, makes an alliance with King John. A political marriage to the Lady Alys – the king’s discarded mistress – will allow Richart to safeguard his people from a merciless land grab and cruel slaughter.When the bridal party is ambushed, Adela is mistaken for her dead mistress by the people of Mirascon. Adela knows she must tell Richart that she is not his betrothed, but as she is dragged deeper into the deception, she is also powerfully drawn to the beleaguered man trying to protect his people and his culture. Adela is recognised by the dwarf Derwent, Richart’s English jester, who seems willing to keep her secret for the time being. Yet as suspicion builds up against her, paying with her life seems inevitable.As the savage army marches south, can Richart and Adela overcome a web of deceit and treachery and evade the bonfires of the crusaders, or will their land of troubadours and tolerance be destroyed forever?Set in the time of the Crusades, Isolde Martyn’s newest historical adventure has all the battle, action and romance of the Outlander series, plus the political intrigue and danger of a Philippa Gregory novel.

    The essays in this volume extend, honour and complement her path-breaking work. They consider exchanges between England and other parts of Britain, analysing how communication was effected where languages differed, and probe cross-Channel relations from a new perspective. They also examine the play of features within single manuscripts, and with manuscripts in conversation with each other. And they discuss the continuing reach of the French of England beyond the Middle Ages: in particular, how it became newly relevant to discussions of language and nationalism in later centuries. Whether looking at primary sources such as letters and official documents, or at creative literature, both religious and secular, the contributions here offer fruitful and exciting approaches to understanding what the French of England can tell us about medieval Britain and the European world beyond. Thelma Fenster is Professor Emerita of French and Medieval Studies, Fordham University; Carolyn Collette is Professor of English Language and Literature at Mount Holyoke College. Contributors: Christopher Baswell, Emma Campbell, Paul Cohen, Carolyn Collette, Thelma Fenster, Robert Hanning, Richard Ingham, Maryanne Kowaleski, Serge Lusignan, Thomas O'Donnell, W. Mark Ormrod, Monika Otter, Felicity Riddy, Delbert Russell, Fiona Somerset, + Robert M. Stein, Andrew Taylor, Nicholas Watson, R.F. Yeager

    

    The senses were reckoned as modes of knowledge--intersecting realms both human and divine, bodily and spiritual, physical and intellectual.Scholars have attended to aspects of sight and sound in Byzantine culture, but have generally left smell, taste, and touch undervalued and understudied. Through collected essays that redress the imbalance, the contributors explore how the Byzantines viewed the senses; how they envisaged sensory interactions within their world; and how they described, narrated, and represented the senses at work. The result is a fresh charting of the Byzantine sensorium as a whole.

    Interspersing narrative with detailed analysis of key themes, the first volume in the Cambridge History of Ireland presents the latest thinking on key aspects of the medieval Irish experience. The contributors are leading experts in their fields, and present their original interpretations in a fresh and accessible manner. New perspectives are offered on the politics, artistic culture, religious beliefs and practices, social organisation and economic activity that prevailed on the island in these centuries. At each turn the question is asked: to what extent were these developments unique to Ireland? The openness of Ireland to outside influences, and its capacity to influence the world beyond its shores, are recurring themes. Underpinning the book is a comparative, outward-looking approach that sees Ireland as an integral but exceptional component of medieval Christian Europe.

    This is the only contemporary chronicle to recount these events from the point of view of the Hohenstaufen dynasty and their Ghibelline supporters. Here is the first English translation of the chronicle written in Latin at the traveling court of Manfred Hohenstaufen. Its publication in English is a milestone in the study of a key period in Italian and German history.The fascinating 'Jamsilla Chronicle' takes its name not from its narrator but from the medieval owner of its oldest manuscript, a codex kept in Naples. The name 'Jamsilla' is a corruption of 'Joinville,' an Angevin family that flourished in Italy after 1270. However, it is clear the chronicler was somebody close to King Manfred, and he offers us much insight into the monarch's exploits; many candidates have been advanced by historians as 'Nicholas of Jamsilla.'Most of the news recounted here centers on the period from 1250 until Manfred's coronation in 1258. The chronicle was completed by 1263, three years before Manfred's death at the Battle of Benevento. This text, one of the most important sources for a brief but pivotal period, has been consulted by such giants as Steven Runciman and David Abulafia. Mendola, who previously translated the memoir of John of Procida (The Rebellion of Sicily against King Charles) from Middle Sicilian, is intimately familiar with the Italian regions that are the focus of the chronicle, as well as the history itself. This book includes dozens of pages presenting maps, photographs and genealogical tables, while featuring the lengthiest commentary ever published in English about this oft-overlooked chronicle. Very little has ever been written about the chronicle in English, most of the existing essays being in Italian and German.A clear introduction considers the history of the Jamsilla Chronicle and its details. There are over 200 footnotes. The monolithic text of the chronicle has been divided into chapters for the reader's convenience. Additional sections are dedicated to historical outlines of the periods before and after those considered by the chronicle, framing it with useful context. A number of sources, such as royal decrees, support Mendola's commentary. Appendices focus on the feudal nobility, the nature of the Sicilian monarchy, the Teutonic Knights, the Duchy of Swabia, heraldry, and the Lancia family so influential during this era.This book will appeal to serious scholars but also to anybody interested in this complex transitional period of Italy's medieval history, which led to the end of Hohenstaufen rule, the beginning of the Angevin reign and the War of the Vespers. A superb 'background' source, the chronicle offers us a glimpse into the personalities and conflicts mentioned by Dante and Boccaccio.In bringing the chronicle to a wider audience, including Italian and German descendants around the world, this translation preserves a special piece of heritage. It opens the door to a colorful and significant era of European and Mediterranean history.

    is drawing to a close, and Simien, a Hebrew domain in the heart of Africa, feels the threat of its powerful Christian neighbor, the Kingdom of Aksum. A courageous traveler named Eldad ha-Dani sets out upon a journey to rediscover his long-lost Jewish brethren and save his kin from spiritual isolation. But when his only companion meets a brutal end and Eldad remains alone in the desert, it looks like the people of Simien might never be known to the rest of the Jewish world. This tale of speculative history breathes life into an epoch and man that are scarcely more than a legend. Uniting breathtaking adventure with spiritual yearning, Land of the Lost Tribe is a must read for anyone who has ever marveled at the resilience of the Jewish people.

    Pick looks to a much-neglected aspect of the history of the Spanish kingdoms in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Her book is novel and original."—Teofilo Ruiz, author of A King Travels" Her Father’s Daughter will contribute to and enrich ongoing discussions regarding the role and evolution of the medieval monarchy."—Nuria Silleras-Fernandez, author of Chariots of LadiesIn Her Father’s Daughter, Lucy K. Pick considers a group of royal women in the early medieval kingdoms of the Asturias and of León-Castilla; their lives say a great deal about structures of power and the roles of gender and religion within the early Iberian kingdoms. Pick examines these women, all daughters of kings, as members of networks of power that work variously in parallel, in concert, and in resistance to some forms of male power, and contends that only by mapping these networks do we gain a full understanding of the nature of monarchical power. Pick’s focus on the roles, possibilities, and limitations faced by these royal women forces us to reevaluate medieval gender norms and their relationship to power and to rethink the power structures of the era. Well illustrated with images of significant objects, Her Father’s Daughter is marked by Pick’s wide-ranging interdisciplinary approach, which encompasses liturgy, art, manuscripts, architecture, documentary texts, historical narratives, saints’ lives, theological treatises, and epigraphy.