This work begins with the birth of Arthur and the establishment of his kingdom and the fellowship of knights. It describes courtly society which is outwardly secure and successful, but which is, in reality, torn by dissent and ultimately treachery.

Jean le Viste, a newly wealthy member of the French court, commissions the tapestries to hang in his chateau. Nicolas, his chosen designer, meets le Viste's wife Genevieve and his daughter Claude, both of whom take a keen interest in the tapestries. This novel is written by the author of Girl with a Pearl Earring and Falling Angels .

An historical novel about Richard III that covers the period of The War of the Roses opening with Richard as a child of seven and following him through a turbulent youth and manhood to his betrayal and death at The Battle of Bosworth Field. It depicts the historical detail.

* Reissued in a new look is this richly imagined historical novel that combines mystery, history, politics and passion in a story of gripping power, from the author of SACRED HEARTS

Presents the adventures of Sir Tristram de Liones and the treachery of Sir Mordred, and follows Sir Launcelot's quest for The Holy Grail, his fatally divided loyalties, and his forbidden love for the beautiful Queen Guenever. This book weaves a story of adultery, treachery and ultimately - in its tragic finale - death.

Presents an evocative version of the Arthurian legend. This book describes Arthur's ascendancy to the throne after claiming Excalibur, his ill-fated marriage to Guenever, the treachery of Morgan le Fay and the exploits of the Knights of the Round Table.

Christine de Pisan was a pioneer among female authors of the Middle Ages. This text is her first and foremost attempt to defend women from literary misogyny prevalent at the time.

The story of the death, in sinister circumstances, of the boy-king Edward V and his brother Richard, is one of the fascinating murder mysteries in English history. This book re-examines the evidence - including that against the Princes' uncle, Richard III. It reconstructs the chain of events and reveals how, why and by whose order they died.

An introduction to 15th century Italian painting and the social history behind it, arguing that the two are interlinked and that the conditions of the time helped fashion distinctive elements in the painter's style.

One of the best-loved books of Christianity after the Bible, The Imitation of Christ is a passionate celebration of God and His love, mercy and holiness, which has inspired conversion and stimulated religious devotion for over five hundred years. With great personal conviction, Thomas a Kempis (1380 1471) demonstrates the individual's reliance on God and on the words of Christ, and the futility ..

In April 1478, a plot to murder the two heads of the powerful Medici family miscarried dramatically in the cathedral of Florence. A bloodbath followed in reprisal. All Italy was affected as it emerged that the Pope, the King of Naples and the Duke of Urbino were deeply implicated in the plot.

Even in an age of soaring skyscrapers and cavernous sports stadiums, the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, with its immense, terracotta-tiled cupola, retains a rare power to astonish. This book tells the story of how the cupola was raised, from its conception to its consecration.

In 1421, the largest fleet the world had ever seen set sail from China under the command of Emperor Zhu Di's loyal eunuch admirals. But by the time they returned home, Zhu Di had lost control and China was turning inwards, leaving the records of their discoveries to be forgotten for centuries.

Reissue of a detective novel featuring Inspector Alan Grant, a correct, unassuming type from Scotland Yard, who becomes immersed in the mystery surrounding the fate of the young nephews of the infamous King Richard III. Tey's other novels include Brat Farrar , and The Franchise Affair.

The story of the eventful and controversial life of Margery Kempe wife, mother, businesswoman, pilgrim and visionary is the earliest surviving autobiography in English. Here Kempe (c.1373 c.1440) recounts in vivid, unembarrassed detail the madness that followed the birth of the first of her fourteen children, the failure of her brewery business, her dramatic call to the spiritual life, her ...

The War of the Roses turned England upside down. Between 1455 and 1485 four kings lost their thrones, more than forty noblemen lost their lives on the battlefield or their heads on the block, and thousands of the men who followed them met violent deaths. Yet almost nothing is known about the thoughts and feelings of the people who lived through this bloody conflict. Almost nothing, but not quite.

Offers advice to women of various ages and levels of medieval society, from royal courtiers to prostitutes. This work paints a picture of daily life in the courts and streets of fifteenth-century France and gives a glimpse into the considerations of running a household, dressing appropriately and maintaining a reputation in all circumstances.

Christopher Columbus' arrival on a Bahamian island in 1492 is often judged to be a defining moment in the history of mankind, changing forever the map of the world. This is an assessment of the man and his legacy. It examines the global consequences of the discovery, revealing the impact this moment in history had on a continent and on the world.

For this treatise on statecraft the author drew upon his own experience of office under the turbulent Florentine republic, rejecting traditional values of political theory and recognizing the complicated, transient nature of political life.