Simon deMontfortwas aman ahead of his time in the thirteenth century, a disinherited Frenchman who talked his way into an English earldom and marriage with a sister of the English king, Henry III. A charismatic, obstinate leader, Simon soon lost patience with the king's incompetence and inability to keep his word, and found himself the champion of the common people. This is his story, and the story of Henry III, as weak and changeable as Simon was brash and unbending. It is a tale of opposing wills that would eventually clash in a storm of violence and betrayal'”an irresistible saga that brings the pages of history completely, provocatively, and magnificently alive.

Sharon Kay Penman is the author of six critically acclaimed historical novels and four medieval mysteries, one of which was a finalist for an Edgar Award for Best First Mystery from the Mystery Writers of America.

“A marvelous literary and historical achievement…. Impossible to put down.” ---Boston Herald

“Absorbing. . . . [Penman] manages to illuminate the alien shadowland of the Middle Ages and populate it with vital characters whose politics and passions are as vivid as our own.” ---San Francisco Chronicle

“A remarkably detailed look at how people lived in medieval England and Wales. . . .Worth reading.” ---The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)

“A vivid portrait of a lost time . . . full of fascinating personality studies . . . Once you enter her world you’re hooked.” ---Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Supplemental Materials

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.