Autumn 1192, and with Jerusalem still in the Saracens’ hands and a peace treaty agreed with their leader Saladin, Richard the Lionheart is free at last to travel back to his strife-ridden kingdom.
By his side at every turn is the loyal knight Ferdia, also known as Rufus. Together they will face not just Richard’s arch-enemy Philippe Capet of France, but also Richard’s treacherous younger brother, John.
Shipwrecked on the Italian coast, the king and his small group of companions are forced into a perilous journey through lands controlled by their enemies.
Shortly before Christmas 1192, Richard is taken prisoner near Vienna by Duke Leopold of Austria. Kept prisoner for several months, the king is then handed over to Henry VI, the Holy Roman Emperor.
His captivity lasts for another year, fanning the flames of unrest in his territories in England and beyond.
Talks between Richard’s mother Queen Alienor and Henry VI last for months, but finally reach a bitter agreement. The extortionate sum demanded to free the king will empty the treasury and bleed England dry.
Philippe Capet and Richard’s brother John collude, offering vast sums to see the king kept captive for longer. Their efforts are in vain, leading Philippe to write a letter to John including the famous line: ‘Look to yourself, the devil is loose.’
Crowned for a second time to wash away the shame of his captivity, Richard restores order in England, forgiving John his shameful behaviour. His next task is to recover territories lost to Philippe Capet, and to re-establish his dominance over the French king.
Forging clever alliances, building strategic castles and when obliged, waging war, the Lionheart carves a unique path into history.
King by Ben Kane, the third and final book in his Lionheart series, is published on 26 May, 2022.
Read an exclusive extract from King in Historia.
Enter our giveaway and win one of ten copies of King! Entries close on 4 June and you’ve got up to four chances of winning.
