Eleanor of Aquitaine
The Generation
Description:... With The Generation comes the fourth volume in Mark Richard Beaulieu's extraordinary cycle of novels bringing Eleanor of Aquitaine to life in her rich, complex 12th-century world. Two years after a dismal Crusade, Eleanor aspires to a fulfilling life. Behind the walls of Paris, the queen mother is of little value to the French. Outside the walls, she is a crusade legend, bringer of trade, sagacious, wealthy, a woman of beauty - especially to aspiring princes. Deliberating the end to her marriage to King Louis Capet, Eleanor wants to return home and rule the Aquitaine at age 27. The Capets are at war with the Angevins. In a sudden accident, she meets her foe, 18-year-old Prince Henri of Anjou. In a flash, their intense relationship begins. He offers to make her Queen of England and have a noble family. There is one problem. King Stephen sits on the English throne, and Eleanor's young man has lost every battle to the monarch. Making matters worse, her husband Louis has joined forces with Stephen to crush Henri's army. Using her court, her charm, and intelligence, she must find a way forward for her love and her lands. We enter a medieval world as multifaceted as Eleanor, full of conflicting political and religious ambitions, and relationships that bridge justice, personal faith, sexuality, and destiny. On the River Loire, she escapes abductors with her bodyguard. On the River Thames, she ferries adventure with her children. On The Strand, she rehearses a fantastic parade for Chancellor Thomas Becket to enter Paris. Helping him build the family 'Camelot' in Berkhamsted and lending him knights to expand Aquitaine, Eleanor becomes entangled in his ascent to power and conflict with Henri. A rich cast of householders, a troubadour who blurts his true feelings, a hunchback Justicer of England, as well as Eleanor, Henri, and Becket distinguish this landmark series, redefining historical fiction as a web of unforgettable characters who build on their lifetime of experiences. Ultimately, Eleanor's creation of a generation and their many thousand mile journey across medieval England and France to form an empire leads her to master the powerful forces of love, justice, and power, making her one of the greatest queens you never knew. June 2017 edition
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