Lady of the English (64 page)

About the Author

E lizabeth Chadwick lives in

Nottingham with her husband

and two sons. Much of her research

is carried out as a member of Regia

Anglorum, an early medieval reen-

actment society with the emphasis

on accurately re-creating the past.

She also tutors in the skill of writing

historical and romantic fiction. Her

first novel,
The Wild Hunt
, won a Betty Trask award. She was shortlisted

for the Romantic Novelists’ Award in

Charlie Hopkinson

1998 for
The Champion
,
in 2001 for
Lords of the White Castle
, in 2002 for
The Winter Mantle
, and in 2003 for
The Falcons of
Montabard
. Her sixteenth novel,
The Scarlet Lion
, was nominated by Richard Lee, the founder of the Historical Novel Society, as one of the top ten historical novels of the last decade, and
To Defy a King
won the Romantic Novelists’ Association Historical Fiction Prize in 2011.

For more details on Elizabeth Chadwick or her books, visit www.elizabethchadwick.com.

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A Forgotten Hero

in a Time of Turmoil

“An author who makes

historical fiction come

gloriously alive.”

—Times of London

“Elizabeth Chadwick is

to medieval England what

Philippa Gregory is to the

Tudors and the Stuarts,

and Bernard Cornwell is

to the Dark Ages.”

—Books Monthly
, UK

A penniless young knight with few prospects, William Marshal blazes into history on the strength of his sword and the depth of his honor.

Marshal’s integrity sets him apart in the turbulent court of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, bringing fame and the promise of a wealthy heiress as well as enemies eager to plot his downfall. Elizabeth Chadwick has crafted a spellbinding tale about a forgotten hero, an ancestor of George Washington, an architect of the Magna Carta, and a legend of chivalry—

the greatest knight of the Middle Ages.

The Legend of the

Greatest Knight Lives On

“One of the landmark

historical novels of the

last ten years.”

—Richard Lee, Historical

Novel Society

“I rank Elizabeth

Chadwick with such

historical novelist stars

as Dorothy Dunnett and

Anya Seton. Read
The

Scarlet Lion
and see why.”

—Sharon Kay Penman,

New York Times
bestselling
author of
Devil’s Brood

William Marshal’s skill with a sword and loyalty to his word have earned him the company of kings, the lands of a magnate, and the hand of Isabelle de Clare, one of England’s wealthiest heiresses. But he is thrust back into the chaos of court when King Richard dies. Vindictive King John clashes with William, claims the family lands for the Crown—and takes two of the Marshal sons hostage. The conflict between obeying his king and rebelling over the royal injustices threatens the very heart of William and Isabelle’s family. Fiercely intelligent and courageous, fearing for the man and marriage that light her life, Isabelle plunges with her husband down a precarious path that will lead William to more power than he ever expected.

A Bittersweet Tale

of Love, Loss, and the

Power of a king

“The best writer

of medieval fiction...”

—Richard Lee,

Historical Novel Society

“Everyone who has raved

about Elizabeth Chadwick

as an author of historical

novels is right.”

—Devourer of Books

When Roger Bigod arrives at King Henry II’s court to settle a bitter inheritance dispute, he becomes enchanted with Ida de Tosney, young mistress to the powerful king. A victim of Henry’s seduction and the mother of his son, Ida sees in Roger a chance to begin a new life. But Ida pays an agonizing price when she leaves the king, and as Roger’s importance grows and he gains an earldom, their marriage comes under increasing strain.

Based on the true story of a royal mistress and the young lord she chose to marry,
For the King’s Favor
is Elizabeth Chadwick at her best.

Spirited Daughter.

Rebellious Wife.

Powerful Woman.

“Chadwick’s great strength

lies in her attention to

detail—she brings to life

all the daily humdrum of

the medieval age but also

seduces with the romance

of her characters and the

raw excitement of their

times.
To Defy a King
is
Chadwick on top form.”

—Lancashire Evening Post

“You don’t just read a

Chadwick book; you

experience it.”

—Shelf and Stuff

The adored and spirited daughter of England’s greatest knight, Mahelt Marshal lives a privileged life. But when her beloved father falls foul of the volatile and dangerous King John, her world is shattered. The king takes her brothers hostage and Mahelt’s planned marriage to Hugh Bigod, son of the Earl of Norfolk, takes place sooner than she expected. When more harsh demands from King John threaten to tear the couple’s lives apart, Mahelt finds herself facing her worst fears alone, not knowing if she—or her marriage—will survive.

Document Outline

• Front Cover
  
• Title Page
  
• Copyright
  
• Map of France & Belgium
  
• Map of the UK
  
• The English Succession
  
• One
  
• Two
  
• Three
  
• Four
  
• Five
  
• Six
  
• Seven
  
• Eight
  
• Nine
  
• Ten
  
• Eleven
  
• Twelve
  
• Thirteen
  
• Fourteen
  
• Fifteen
  
• Sixteen
  
• Seventeen
  
• Eighteen
  
• Nineteen
  
• Twenty
  
• Twenty-one
  
• Twenty-two
  
• Twenty-three
  
• Twenty-four
  
• Twenty-five
  
• Twenty-six
  
• Twenty-seven
  
• Twenty-eight
  
• Twenty-nine
  
• Thirty
  
• Thirty-one
  
• Thirty-two
  
• Thirty-three
  
• Thirty-four
  
• Thirty-five
  
• Thirty-six
  
• Thirty-seven
  
• Thirty-eight
  
• Thirty-nine
  
• Forty
  
• Forty-one
  
• Forty-two
  
• Forty-three
  
• Forty-four
  
• Forty-five
  
• Forty-six
  
• Forty-seven
  
• Forty-eight
  
• Forty-nine
  
• Fifty
  
• Fifty-one
  
• Fifty-two
  
• Fifty-three
  
• Fifty-four
  
• Fifty-five
  
• Fifty-six
  
• Epilogue
  
• Author�s Note
  
• Select Bibliography
  
• An excerpt from The Greatest Knight
  
• Acknowledgments
  
• About the Author
  
• Back Cover