The King's Women

France in the Middle Ages. A country torn by internecine strife, and menaced by the might of England's King Henry V. At the country's head is a frightened youth, the Dauphin Charles. Isabeau and the mad King disinherit Charles, their last surviving son, and acknowledge King Henry V of England as the heir to the kingdom after his marriage to their youngest daughter Catherine. Charles VII still has a few supporters though not very many, the main one being Yolande of Aragon whose daughter Marie and Charles are married while still quite young. Yolande takes the reins and rules in the immature Charles's stead and single-handedly keeps Charles hopes alive. Charles's fortunes continue to hopelessly flounder but Yolande expertly manages to keep alive his hopes that one day he may rule France... Without the women in his life it is doubtful that Charles would have been able to finally defeat the English and regain all his lands lost to Henry V. The magnificent Yolande, more a mother to him than the depraved Queen Isabeau; Marie, his plain but intelligent wife; but above all, Jehanne, the unblemished girl who will ride at the head of his army whilst swearing allegiance to the mysterious Knights Templar. The girl who will become known to legend as Joan of Arc... 'A meaty dish of lust and medieval intrigue' Daily Mail 'Ingenious, long and highly readable' The Times 'Best writer of her kind' Kent Messenger Deryn Lake started to write stories at the age of five then graduated to novels but destroyed all her early work because, she says, it was hopeless. A chance meeting with one of the Getty family took her to Sutton Place and her first serious novel was born. Deryn was married to a journalist and writer, the late L. F. Lampitt, has two grown-up children and lives in Mayfield, Sussex, with two large cats. She is also the author of 'To Sleep No More', 'Sutton Place' and 'Pour The Dark Wine'. Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher.


Genre: Historical