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'This was the original game of thrones' George R.R. Martin

“This is the original Game of Thrones.” George R.R. Martin. A collection of the first three books in Maurice Druon’s epic historical fiction series, The Accursed Kings.

No man is impervious to the poisons of the crown...Having murdered his wife and exiled his mistress, King Louis X of France becomes besotted with Princess Clemence of Hungary and makes her his new Queen. However, though the matter of the succession should be assured, it is far from so, as Louis embarks on an ill-fated war against Flanders. Where his father, Philip IV, was strong, Louis is weak, and the ambitions of his proud, profligate barons threaten his power and the future of a kingdom once ruled by an Iron King. This is the third book in the author's Accursed Kings series of novels set in the early 14th century during the period of crisis within the ruling Capetian dynasty when after the death of the Iron King, Philip IV, his three sons ruled for short periods, thus encouraging England's King Edward III to claim the French throne through his mother, thereby precipitating the conflict known later as the Hundred Years War. The first of these sons, Louis X is the subject of this novel, and in particular his relationship with his second wife Clementia of Hungary. More plotting, scandal and family tensions abound, though the plot of this novel seems a little lighter than that of the first two books.

A struggle for the crown of France follows the death of Louis X in 1316 and culminates in the coronation of Philip V.

This was the original game of thrones' George R.R. Martin From the publishers that brought you A Game of Thrones comes the series that inspired George R.R. Martin's epic work. "Accursed! Accursed! You shall be accursed to the thirteenth generation!" The Iron King - Philip the Fair - is as cold and silent, as handsome and unblinking as a statue. He governs his realm with an iron hand, but he cannot rule his own family: his sons are weak and their wives adulterous; while his red-blooded daughter Isabella is unhappily married to an English king who prefers the company of men. A web of scandal, murder and intrigue is weaving itself around the Iron King; but his downfall will come from an unexpected quarter. Bent on the persecution of the rich and powerful Knights Templar, Philip sentences Grand Master Jacques Molay to be burned at the stake, thus drawing down upon himself a curse that will destroy his entire dynasty...

‘This is the original game of thrones’ George R.R. Martin From the publishers that brought you A Game of Thrones comes the series that inspired George R.R. Martin’s epic work.

THE NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR! "The best writer of medieval fiction currently around."—Historical Novels Review A bittersweet tale of obsession, love, and tragic choices. In England's Middle Ages, the Plantagenet courts are a dangerous place to fall in love. Roger Bigod arrives at King Henry II's court to settle a bitter inheritance dispute, but he quickly becomes enchanted with Ida de Tosney, young mistress to the powerful king. A victim of Henry's seduction and the mother of his son, Ida sees in Roger a chance to begin a new life. But Ida pays an agonizing price when she leaves the king, and as Roger's standing grows in the court, their marriage comes under increasing strain. Among some of the most notorious names of the Plantagenet Era, including Eleanor of Aquitaine and William Marshal, Roger and Ida must make choices that grow more heartbreaking by the day. Based on the true story of a royal mistress and the young lord she chose to marry, For the King's Favor is the perfect historical fiction for readers of The Book of Eleanor by Pamela Kaufman and The Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory. More Novels of Elizabeth Chadwick's William Marshal: The Greatest Knight The Scarlet Lion For the King's Favor Templar Silks To Defy a King Praise for Elizabeth Chadwick: "An author who makes historical fiction come gloriously alive."—Times of London "Everyone who has raved about Elizabeth Chadwick as an author of historical novels is right."—Devourer of Books Blog "I rank Elizabeth Chadwick with such historical novelist stars as Dorothy Dunnett and Anya Seton."—Sharon Kay Penman, New York Times bestselling author of Devil's Brood