Margaret put her hand to her mouth, “No, husband! There have been enough deaths. Will you put our son in danger? Will you put yourself in harm’s way again? And for what? He is a worthless knight who will come to a bad end. God will punish him”
I nodded, “Aye and it is I who will do God’s work! We leave on the morning tide. The hunt begins!”
The End
Glossary
Bylnge -Billinge, near Wigan
Chevauchée- a raid by mounted men
Courts baron-dealt with the tenants' rights and duties, changes of occupancy, and disputes between tenants.
Fusil - A lozenge shape on a shield
Garth- a garth was a farm. Not to be confused with the name Garth
Groat- English coin worth four silver pennies
Hovel- a makeshift shelter used my warriors on campaign- similar to a ‘bivvy’ tent
Luciaria-Lucerne (Switzerland)
Mêlée- a medieval fight between knights
Nissa- Nice (Provence)
Reeve- An official who ran a manor for a lord
Rote- An English version of a lyre (also called a crowd or crwth)
Vair- a heraldic term
Wrecsam- Wrexham
Wulfestun- Wolviston (Durham)
Historical Notes
This series of books follows the fortunes of the family of the Earl of Cleveland begun in the Anarchy series of novels. As with that series the characters in this book are, largely, fictional, but the events are all historically accurate.
The events in Scotland and Wales are largely fictitious. The Welsh King did try to take advantage of a boy King but he was defeated. Pembroke was attacked after the Earl Marshal died. The council of regents were in command until Henry reached the age of 20. The Charter of the Forests and the reissued Magna Carta helped to bring peace to England. Newark was held by a mercenary and was captured when a speedy attack took the town first. The siege of Bedford happened almost exactly the way I said. It marked the end of opposition to Henry. I have concentrated many sieges and battles for the purpose of the story.
The Charter of the Forests was issued by the Council of Regents and then endorsed, later, by the King to show his authority.
Carucage: Carucage was a medieval English land tax introduced by King Richard I in 1194, it was based on the size—variously calculated—of the estate owned by the taxpayer. It was a replacement for the danegeld, last imposed in 1162, which had become difficult to collect because of an increasing number of exemptions. Carucage was levied just six times: by Richard in 1194 and 1198; John, his brother and successor, in 1200; and John's son, Henry III, in 1217, 1220, and 1224, after which it was replaced by taxes on income and personal property.
Norham Castle
Two photographs taken by the author in 2018. They were taken from the inner ward. This is a modern bridge but you can see the gorge/ditch below. The river lies beyond the trees in the left-hand photograph. The gate house has gone but you can clearly see the foundations.
The story will continue when the Earl and his son seek the killers of Alfred.
Books used in the research:
The Crusades-David Nicholle
Norman Stone Castles- Gravett
English Castles 1200-1300 -Gravett
The Normans- David Nicolle
Norman Knight AD 950-1204- Christopher Gravett
The Norman Conquest of the North- William A Kappelle
The Knight in History- Francis Gies
The Norman Achievement- Richard F Cassady
Knights- Constance Brittain Bouchard
Knight Templar 1120-1312 -Helen Nicholson
Feudal England: Historical Studies on the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries- J. H. Round
English Medieval Knight 1200-1300
The Scandinavian Baltic Crusades 1100-1500
The Scottish and Welsh Wars 1250-1400- Rothero
Chronicles of the age of chivalry ed Hallam
Lewes and Evesham- 1264-65- Richard Brooks
Ordnance Survey Kelso and Coldstream Landranger map #74
The Tower of London-Lapper and Parnell
Griff Hosker
September 2018
Other books
by
Griff Hosker
If you enjoyed reading this book, then why not read another one by the author?
For more information on all of the books then please visit the author’s web site www.griffhosker.com where there is a link to contact him. Or you can Tweet me at @HoskerGriff
Ancient History
The Sword of Cartimandua Series
(Germania and Britannia 50A.D. – 130 A.D.)
Ulpius Felix- Roman Warrior (prequel)
Book 1 The Sword of Cartimandua
Book 2 The Horse Warriors
Book 3 Invasion Caledonia
Book 4 Roman Retreat
Book 5 Revolt of the Red Witch
Book 6 Druid’s Gold
Book 7 Trajan’s Hunters
Book 8 The Last Frontier
Book 9 Hero of Rome
Book 10 Roman Hawk
Book 11 Roman Treachery
Book 12 Roman Wall
Book 13 Roman Courage
The Aelfraed Series
(Britain and Byzantium 1050 A.D. - 1085 A.D.)
Book 1 Housecarl
Book 2 Outlaw
Book 3 Varangian
The Wolf Warrior series
(Britain in the late 6th Century)
Book 1 Saxon Dawn
Book 2 Saxon Revenge
Book 3 Saxon England
Book 4 Saxon Blood
Book 5 Saxon Slayer
Book 6 Saxon Slaughter
Book 7 Saxon Bane
Book 8 Saxon Fall: Rise of the Warlord
Book 9 Saxon Throne
Book 10 Saxon Sword
The Dragon Heart Series
Book 1 Viking Slave
Book 2 Viking Warrior
Book 3 Viking Jarl
Book 4 Viking Kingdom
Book 5 Viking Wolf
Book 6 Viking War
Book 7 Viking Sword
Book 9 Viking Raid
Book 10 Viking Legend
Book 11 Viking Vengeance
Book 12 Viking Dragon
Book 13 Viking Treasure
Book 14 Viking Enemy
Book 15 Viking Witch
Bool 16 Viking Blood
Book 17 Viking Weregeld
Book 18 Viking Storm
Book 19 Viking Warband
Book 20 Viking Shadow
Book 21 Viking Legacy
The Norman Genesis Series
Hrolf the Viking
Horseman
The Battle for a Home
Revenge of the Franks
The Land of the Northmen
Ragnvald Hrolfsson
Brothers in Blood
Lord of Rouen
Drekar in the Seine
Duke of Normandy
The Anarchy Series England 1120-1180
English Knight
Knight of the Empress
Northern Knight
Baron of the North
Earl
King Henry’s Champion
The King is Dead
Warlord of the North
Enemy at the Gate
Fallen Crown
Warlord's War
Kingmaker
Henry II
Crusader
The Welsh Marches
Irish War
Poisonous Plots
The Princes’ Revolt
Earl Marshal
Border Knight 1190-1300
Sword for Hire
Return of the Knight
Baron’s War
Magna Carta
Welsh War
Struggle for a Crown England 1367-1485
Blood on the Crown
Modern History
The Napoleonic Horseman Series
Book 1 Chass
eur a Cheval
Book 2 Napoleon’s Guard
Book 3 British Light Dragoon
Book 4 Soldier Spy
Book 5 1808: The Road to Corunna
Waterloo
The Lucky Jack American Civil War series
Rebel Raiders
Confederate Rangers
The Road to Gettysburg
The British Ace Series
1914
1915 Fokker Scourge
1916 Angels over the Somme
1917 Eagles Fall
1918 We will remember them
From Arctic Snow to Desert Sand
Wings over Persia
Combined Operations series
1940-1945
Commando
Raider
Behind Enemy Lines
Dieppe
Toehold in Europe
Sword Beach
Breakout
The Battle for Antwerp
King Tiger
Beyond the Rhine
Other Books
Carnage at Cannes (a thriller)
Great Granny’s Ghost (Aimed at 9-14-year-old young people)
Adventure at 63-Backpacking to Istanbul