While Hugh spies on these cut-throats, the King gathers all his forces to attack Kenilworth Castle, greatest of the rebel strongholds. Though hopelessly outnumbered, the defenders hurl defiance from the walls and refuse to surrender. One assault after another is repulsed, even as the north country slides into chaos and another band of Disinherited seize the Isle of Ely in the fens of Cambridgeshire. From their watery fastness they ride out to attack the Jews of Lincoln, burning deeds, slaughtering innocents and kidnapping the wealthiest for ransom.
One of those taken captive by the rebels is Esther, a widowed Jewess. She is carried away to Ely, where the Jews are treated with inhuman cruelty. Esther is rescued by Hugh, and they are hunted through the marshes by teams of soldiers and wolfhounds. Together they must survive all the dangers of a war-torn land, where law and justice are fallen away and only the strongest can hope to prosper.
One of those taken captive by the rebels is Esther, a widowed Jewess. She is carried away to Ely, where the Jews are treated with inhuman cruelty. Esther is rescued by Hugh, and they are hunted through the marshes by teams of soldiers and wolfhounds. Together they must survive all the dangers of a war-torn land, where law and justice are fallen away and only the strongest can hope to prosper.
1267 AD. Civil war continues to rage in England between the supporters of King Henry III and rebel barons known as the Disinherited. The memory of Simon de Montfort, butchered on the field of Evesham, is kept alive by his devoted followers. Disturbing rumours reach London of fresh trouble in distant Northumberland, where royal agents have vanished without trace. At the same time a band of discontended barons have formed an alliance against the crown and occupied Alnwick Castle, one of the strongest castles in the north.
Hugh Longsword, now a full-blown spy in royal pay, is sent north to investigate the rumours. Scarred by his recent experiences, he is also haunted by the memory of Esther, the beautiful Jewess of York. Along the way he encounters an assassin known only as the Wolf, a gang of fanatical Montfortian cultists, and a ruthless, sadistic clergyman who dreams of gaining power at all costs.
LONGSWORD (II) THE SONS OF MONTFORT is the second of the adventures of Hugh Longsword, swordsman, spy and assassin in the turbulent, war-torn England of the late 13th century.
1271 AD. The civil wars in England are over, and the Lord Edward has sailed to the Holy Land to save what remains of the crusader states. Abandoned by his allies, Edward insists on pushing on to Acre, one of the few cities still in Christian hands. On the way his fleet is almost destroyed by a storm, and he arrives to find Acre threatened by the host of Baibars, the all-conquering Mamluk sultan of Egypt, known as the Father of Conquest.
Among Edward’s followers is Hugh Longsword. With Acre surrounded by the Mamluks, Hugh is sent on a vital mission across hundreds of miles of enemy territory. His task is to deliver a message to the Tartars, the only power on earth that can defeat Baibars. The journey is long and dangerous, and Hugh must survive battle, treachery and the lethal agents of the Qussad, Baibars’ spy network.
LONGSWORD (III) HOLY WARRIOR is the third of the adventures of Hugh Longsword, swordsman, spy and assassin in the turbulent, war-torn 13th century.
Available on ebook and audio on Amazon UK and Amazon US
England, 1273 AD.
Henry III is dead. The new king, Edward I, is thousands of miles away in the Holy Land. In his absence, old enemies plan to shatter the fragile peace and plunge England into another civil war. Robert Ferrers, the outlawed Earl of Derby and Edward’s bitter enemy, raises the standard of revolt. He gathers an army of outlaws and secretly dreams of seizing the crown itself.
Hugh Longsword arrives home in disgrace after his failure to protect Edward from an assassin’s blade. He is given one chance to redeem himself and sent to investigate disturbances in northern England. The scale of the conspiracy soon becomes apparent as Hugh encounters enemies old and new: Sir John d’Eyvill, the outlaws of Sherwood, and a mysterious knight who calls himself the King of the North Wind.
Available on ebook and audio on Amazon UK and Amazon US
Henry III is dead. The new king, Edward I, is thousands of miles away in the Holy Land. In his absence, old enemies plan to shatter the fragile peace and plunge England into another civil war. Robert Ferrers, the outlawed Earl of Derby and Edward’s bitter enemy, raises the standard of revolt. He gathers an army of outlaws and secretly dreams of seizing the crown itself.
Hugh Longsword arrives home in disgrace after his failure to protect Edward from an assassin’s blade. He is given one chance to redeem himself and sent to investigate disturbances in northern England. The scale of the conspiracy soon becomes apparent as Hugh encounters enemies old and new: Sir John d’Eyvill, the outlaws of Sherwood, and a mysterious knight who calls himself the King of the North Wind.
Available on ebook and audio on Amazon UK and Amazon US
England prepares for war. Prince Llywelyn of Wales refuses to swear loyalty to the king, Edward I, and dreams of independence for his country. To defy the might of the English crown, Llywelyn will need allies. He looks to the west, to Ireland, where the ambitious Clan MacMurrough have set up their chieftain as High King. Together, the Welsh and Irish leaders plan to drive Edward’s forces from their land.
Sir Hugh Longsword is summoned by the king to deal with the crisis. With enemies at home thirsting for his blood, he is only too grateful to be sent to Ireland. There he encounters the galloglass, ferocious Gaelic warriors who will fight to the last man on the battlefield. Hugh has survived civil war in England, but will need all his skill and experience to survive the hell of Irish warfare.
Meanwhile an old friend is at work in Wales. Emma, the girl Hugh once rescued, is also working as a spy for the crown. As he fights in Ireland, she is ordered to break up the confederacy of Welsh princes. United, the king’s rebels may well be strong enough to overcome the English. Divided, King Edward can pick them off one by one. Yet, even as the clouds of war gather on every front, an old threat lurks in the background…
Available on ebook and audio on Amazon UK and Amazon US
The fragile peace is about to be shattered. King Edward’s victory over the Welsh and Irish five years earlier was only temporary, and now hostile forces gather again. In Wales the defeated prince, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, plans to claw back his lost power. His turncoat brother, Dafydd, seeks to break free of the king and help the Welsh to recover their liberty. At the same time a fresh revolt breaks out in Ireland.
England itself is threatened. In the northern countries, deep inside Sherwood Forest, the outlaw Robyn Hode conspires to raise the northern barons against the king. He is inspired by the enduring memory of Simon de Montfort, Edward’s old enemy. The northern rebels hope to destroy the king and replace him with Guy, one of Simon’s exiled sons. Robyn sends the broken arrow, a signal of rebellion, to all corners of the kingdom.
Sir Hugh Longsword, the king’s faithful servant, stands between the king and all these dangers. After sixteen years in royal service, he is determined to finally bring peace to a war-weary land. Yet he must also face an enemy within: Hugh’s rise to royal favour has made him unpopular, and his own master, Robert Burnell, conspires against him. While he fights off the enemies of the state, Hugh must guard against knives in the back.
Available on ebook and audio on Amazon UK and Amazon US
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