Book description
Richard I was crowned King in 1189 and set off almost immediately for
the Third Crusade. This was a bloody campaign to regain the Holy Land,
marked by internecine warfare among the Christians and extraordinary
campaigns against the Saracens. Men and women found themselves facing
new sorts of challenges and facing an uncertain future. John, the
youngest son, was left behind - and with Richard gone, he was free to
conspire with the French king to steal his brother's throne.
Overshadowing the battlefields that stretched to Jerusalem and beyond
were the personalities of two great adversaries: Richard and Saladin.
They quickly took the measure of each other in both war and diplomacy.
The result was mutual admiration: a profound acknowledgement of a worthy
opponent. In this gripping narrative of passion, intrigue, battle and
deceit, Penman reveals a true and complex Richard - a man remarkable for
his power and intelligence, his keen grasp of warfare and his concern
for the safety of his men, who followed him against all odds. Sharon
Kay Penman is the author of seven previous historical novels and four
medieval mysteries set during the reign of Eleanor of Aquitaine. She
lives in Mays Landing, New Jersey, and is working on A King's Ransom
, which will complete the story of Richard I.
