Tag: medieval history

Congratulations to Isolde Martyn!

Congratulations to Isolde Martyn, whose enchanting medieval romance, The Lady of Mirascon, is out now!

1208

When cruel King John makes advances on her, young Adela de Whitchurch is forced to flee her comfortable position as hairbraider to the Queen of England.

After stowing away on a ship, Adela finds herself in France. Surviving on her wits and courage, she is soon accepted into the retinue of Lady Alys FitzPoyntz — a noblewoman who is on her way to meet her betrothed, Lord Ricart, Vicomte of Mirascon.

On the journey, disaster strikes when the party is attacked by brigands. As one of the only survivors, Adela decides to make her way to Mirascon to deliver Lady Alys’s jewels to Lord Ricart and throw herself on his mercy.

But when the vicomte mistakes Adela for his betrothed, she is swiftly pulled into a web of deception. With Mirascon threatened by the Pope’s brutal crusade against heretics, Lord Ricart is occupied with protecting his people, and Adela is unable to find an opportunity to tell him the truth.

And as she begins to fall for his charm and passion, she wonders whether she will ever summon the strength to leave his side…

Will Lord Ricart discover Adela’s true identity? Can he return her love?

Or will Adela’s deception cost her her life?

An Empire Lost is Published Today

Congratulations to Austin Hernon, whose absorbing Medieval saga, An Empire Lost, is published today!

An Empire Lost is the third historical novel in The Berengaria of Navarre Medieval Trilogy: Early Plantagenet novels set during the Third Crusade and the reign of Richard the Lionheart.

1192

Having defeated Saladin’s forces in Jaffa, Richard the Lionheart has sent his queen, Berengaria of Navarre to Rome while he handles business elsewhere.

Not knowing when the king will return, Berengaria sets about making diplomatic connections with Pope Celestine III and Rome’s high-ranking cardinals.

Disaster strikes when the news arrives that Richard is being held hostage by Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich VI — a major political rival. Horrified, Berengaria and the king’s mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, begin to raise funds to pay his ransom.

But not everyone is so eager to see Richard’s release. Having designs on England’s throne and the king’s French possessions, Richard’s brother, Prince John, has revolted in his absence, supported by King Philip of France. Together, they conspire to prolong Richard’s captivity.

With tensions rising throughout Europe, Berengaria worries that she will once more be caught in the middle of a war. And without her husband by her side, she begins to despair of ever producing an heir to secure England’s unwieldy throne…

Will Berengaria and Richard ever be reunited? Will they be able to secure England’s line of succession and their lands in France?

Or is Richard’s empire destined to fall…?

Brotherhood of Wolves is Out Now

Congratulations to Daniel Colter, whose gripping historical adventure, Brotherhood of Wolves, is published today!

Brotherhood of Wolves is the first instalment of Knights Templar Thrillers series: action-packed Crusader novels set during the Medieval era.

Jerusalem, 1177

The Holy City is in Christian hands and the Sultan Saladin has vowed to retake her, whatever the cost.

Two faiths are warring over sacred ground. It is within this feverish hotbed that Finn of Struan, a young knight dedicated to the Templars, is stationed.

Finn’s world unravels when his mentor, Robert of Saint Albans, murders a brother in cold blood. Worse, Robert joins the Devil himself — Saladin.

The foul deeds stain the Templar name and Finn is tasked with killing Robert, a man with a mind sharper than any sword.

But as Finn slips into enemy territory, he finds the hunter has become the prey…

As Templar fights Templar for control of the Holy City, can Finn avenge his dead comrade? Will the Brotherhood prevail?

Or will Saladin’s army emerge victorious?

Happy Publication Day to Coirle Mooney!

Congratulations to Coirle Mooney, whose enchanting Medieval drama, The Cloistered Lady, is published today!

Eleanor of Aquitaine has been arrested for rebelling against her husband, King Henry II of England.

Her loyal ladies-in-waiting, Alice and Joanna of Agen have fled to the nunnery at Fontrevault, where they are anxiously awaiting news of their queen.

Alice and Joanna struggle to adapt to their cramped new home at the Abbey. Each is secretly nursing a broken heart – and harbouring unholy desires.

Joanna left behind a lover, Jean, at Eleanor’s court in Poitiers, and Alice has long been in love with the queen’s daughter, Marie.

And as the days stretch on with no news, they both begin to fear the worst.

What has happened to Eleanor? Will Alice and Joanna be forced to remain at the Abbey indefinitely? And will they ever be reunited with the ones they love?

 

Click here to order The Cloistered Lady

Traitor’s Arrow is Published Today

Congratulations to David Field, whose gripping medieval thriller, Traitor’s Arrow, is published today!

England, 1110

When King William Rufus of England is killed mysteriously during a hunting accident in the New Forest in 1100, his younger brother Henry, who had been present, loses no time in riding hard to claim both the Treasury and the crown.

Rumours quickly being swirling that Henry was himself responsible for Rufus’s death. One of Henry’s main accusers is his older brother Robert, Duke of Normandy, who believes the throne of England is his by right and threatens to invade from across the Channel.

King Henry entrusts the task of proving his innocence to Sir Wilfrid Walsingham, a Saxon-born knight who was elevated by Henry’s father, only to be cast by the perverted and tyrannical Rufus into a jail cell from which, after almost two years, few men could have emerged alive, or with their sanity intact.

Can Walsingham unearth the truth about Rufus’s death and clear his name? Or will England be torn apart by those in power…?

 

Click here to order Traitor’s Arrow

Happy Publication Day to David Field!

Congratulations to David Field, whose thrilling Medieval saga, Conquest, is published today!

It’s 1065 and the Saxon kingdom is under threat of invasion at both ends. From the north comes Harald Hardrada of Norway intent on pillage, while across the Channel, Duke William of Normandy is about to enforce his claim to the throne.

Between the two lie the villages and townships defended only by part-time armies maintained by the Earls of Wessex, Mercia and Northumbria, barely united under King Harold Godwineson.

It falls to brave and determined young men like Will Riveracre and Selwyn Astenmede to stand firm against whichever marauding invader reaches them first.

But the initial battle could be the least of their worries as a new king ascends the throne – threatening to annihilate their traditions and customs forever…

 

Click here to order Conquest

Sapere Books Sign a New Medieval Saga Series by David Field

Following the publication of David Field’s absorbing Esther & Jack Enright Mysteries, Tudor Saga Series and Carlyle & West Victorian Mysteries, we are delighted to have signed up his new Medieval Saga Series.

In David’s words:

“I consider myself blessed to have found Sapere Books, who not only share my enthusiasm for historical novels, but also provide the most generous author royalties in the business, and never lose sight of the fact that their many authors have invested a massive amount of emotional energy into creating, nurturing, and revealing their characters.

“It’s therefore with great optimism and a sense of purpose that I’ve embarked on my latest venture with them — the Medieval Saga Series, a set of seven novels that follow the fortunes of the same family from immediately prior to the Battle of Hastings all the way through to the death of Simon de Montfort in the Battle of Evesham in 1265.

“The first in the series — THE CONQUEST — introduces the Riveracres, a Saxon family living on the Sussex coast whose tiny village is directly in the path of Duke William of Normandy’s invasion army, and the Astenmedes, the local Thegn’s brood whose traditional privileged status is about to be shattered. Amidst the turmoil, two brave men, Will Riveracre and Selwyn Astenmede, form an unlikely partnership as they stand against both Duke William and Harald Hardrada’s invading Viking force to the north.”

 

Click here to find out more about the Esther & Jack Enright Mysteries

Click here to find out more about the Tudor Saga Series

Click here to find out more about the Carlyle & West Victorian Mysteries

History for Sale: Laxton Village Under the Hammer by Austin Hernon

Laxton Village is believed to be the last remaining example in Europe where the Open Field System and Court Leet have been preserved. It boasts a unique 1,845 acre heritage estate — including 525 acres of unenclosed open fields — produces in excess of £230,000 per annum, and is of significant educational and curatorial interest. The village is now on sale for £7m.

Castle mound: the site of an 11th-century castle in Laxton.

THE ESTATE

The Laxton Estate is situated in and around the picturesque village of Laxton, surrounded by rolling countryside. The village is linear and unusual in appearance, comprising 17 traditional red brick farmsteads in addition to a village pub and visitor centre. The majority of the estate is farmed under Agricultural Holdings Act (AHA) and Farm Business Tenancy (FBT) agreements. Each farm tenant benefits from a home farmstead and land let under AHA and/or FBT and a right to farm land within the open field system as administrated by Laxton Court Leet, an ancient manorial Court with legal status as a court of Law.

You can find out more about the history of Laxton from the Wars of the Magna Carta series. The first instalment, The Battle For England, features Laxton Castle, domain of the brave heroine Matilda.

 

Image credit:

Castle mound at Laxton, Nottinghamshire. Source: Wikipedia, contributed by Robert Goulden. Used under Creative Commons CC BY-SA 2.0 licence.