August 1144. Osbern de Lench is known far and wide as a hard master, whose temper is perpetually frayed. After his daily ride to survey his land, his horse returns to the hall riderless, and the lifeless body of the lord is found soon after. Was it the work of thieves, or something closer to […]
The Silken Rose by Carol McGrath
1236. Beautiful Ailenor of Provence, cultured and intelligent, is only thirteen when she marries Henry III. Aware of the desperate importance of providing heirs to secure the throne from those who would snatch it away, she is ruthless in her dealings with Henry’s barons. As conflict escalates between them, Ailenor’s shrewd and clever Savoyard uncles […]
The Crescent and the Cross by SJA Turney
An epic battle of the Reconquista; a personal struggle to survive; a fight for glory. War is brewing, and the Pope has summoned a crusade. The nations of Christendom are rallying to fight the Almohad caliphate, but they are a formidable foe. Meanwhile, behind Moorish lines, a fortress held by Castile is under siege. As […]
A Plague on your Business by Michael Jecks: part 1
Historia is delighted to publish an exclusive extract from By the Sword, the new HWA collection of short stories set in the medieval period. This is part one of Michael Jecks’s story, A Plague on your Business. Part two follows in a few days. The body was wrapped at last. He had carefully washed her, […]
By the Sword: a HWA medieval short story collection
Immerse yourself in the medieval world. Read about some of your favourite characters from established series, or be introduced to new writers in the genre. The stories in By the Sword bring the medieval period vividly to life, encompassing the Crusades, the Hundred Years War and other historic events. This exclusive and entertaining new collection, […]
Cast the First Stone: A Mediaeval Mystery by CB Hanley
November 1217. Edwin Weaver is back in his home village of Conisbrough. But if he thinks life is going to be peaceful, he’s wrong: the new bailiff is unpopular and cruel, and soon his murdered corpse is discovered. Everything points to the culprit being a foreigner, and the villagers are happy to have an outsider […]
Magna Carta’s inspirational women
Historian Sharon Bennett Connolly writes about the women whose lives influenced Magna Carta, or who used Magna Carta to defend their rights; the inspiration for her latest book, Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England. When writing my first book, Heroines of the Medieval World, two women in particular stood out […]
Conquest: The Anarchy by Tracey Warr
Unhappily married to Stephen de Marais, the Welsh princess, Nest, becomes increasingly embroiled in her countrymen’s resistance to the Norman occupation of her family’s lands. She plans to visit King Henry in the hope of securing a life away from her unwanted husband, but grieving for the loss of his son, the King is obsessed […]