In two stunning novels, C. W. Gortner brings to life two of history’s most intriguing and courageous women: Catherine de Medici, the last legitimate descendant of the illustrious Medici family of Italy, and Juana of Castile, daughter of Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand of Spain, who would be the last queen to inherit her country’s throne. THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI Catherine de Medici has been expelled from her native Florence and betrothed to Henri, son of François I of France. In an unfamiliar realm, she strives to create a role for herself through her patronage of the famous clairvoyant Nostradamus and her own innate gift as a seer. But in her fortieth year, Catherine is widowed, left alone with six young children in a kingdom torn apart by the ambitions of a treacherous nobility. Relying on her tenacity, wit, and uncanny gift for compromise, Catherine seizes power, intent on securing the throne for her sons, unaware that if she is to save France, she may have to sacrifice her ideals, her reputation, and the secret of her embattled heart. THE LAST QUEEN Born amid her parents’ struggle to unify and strengthen their kingdom, Juana, at the age of sixteen, is sent to wed Philip, heir to the Habsburg Empire. There, she finds unexpected love and passion with her dashing young husband, and at first she is content with her children and her married life. But when tragedy strikes and she becomes heir to the Spanish throne, Juana finds herself plunged into a battle for power against her husband that grows to involve the major monarchs of Europe. Besieged by foes on all sides, Juana vows to secure her crown and save Spain from ruin, even if it costs her everything. Includes an excerpt from C. W. Gortner’s much-anticipated new novel featuring Isabel of Castile, The Queen’s Vow.

Presents the English monarchy's family-owned jewels and details the history of the collection.

“This is the original Game of Thrones.” George R.R. Martin.

This special bundle collects six titles by military history specialist Gavin K. Watt. This series has a unique focus: The American War of Independence viewed from the perspective of British operations in the north. The Burning of the Valleys concerns a decisive campaign against the northern frontier of New York in the fifth year of the war. A Dirty, Trifling Piece of Business is about operations in the sixth year, including in the south. In Poisoned by Lies and Hypocrisy, Watt explores the first two campaigns of the American Revolution through their impact on Canada and describes how a motley group of militia, American loyalists, and British regulars managed to defend Quebec and repel the invaders. Rebellion in the Mohawk Valley concerns the campaign that led to the destruction of British-held Fort Ticonderoga. Fire and Desolation details how misrule and fraying alliances led to a ferocious campaign in 1777 that changed the course of the American Revolution. These titles are essential reading for military history, early Canadian history, and War of Independence history buffs. Includes: The Burning of the Valleys A Dirty, Trifling Piece of Business I Am Heartily Ashamed Poisoned by Lies and Hypocrisy Rebellion in the Mohawk Valley New in 2017! Fire and Desolation

This special bundle collects five titles by military history specialist Gavin K. Watt. This series has a unique focus: The American War of Independence viewed from the perspective of British operations in the north. The Burning of the Valleys concerns a decisive campaign against the northern frontier of New York in the fifth year of the war. A Dirty, Trifling Piece of Business is about operations in the sixth year, including in the south. In Poisoned by Lies and Hypocrisy, Watt explores the first two campaigns of the American Revolution through their impact on Canada and describes how a motley group of militia, American loyalists, and British regulars managed to defend Quebec and repel the invaders. Rebellion in the Mohawk Valley concerns the campaign that led to the destruction of British-held Fort Ticonderoga. These titles are essential reading for military history, early Canadian history, and War of Independence history buffs. Includes: The Burning of the Valleys A Dirty, Trifling Piece of Business I Am Heartily Ashamed Poisoned by Lies and Hypocrisy Rebellion in the Mohawk Valley

With insight, humor and fascinating detail, Lacey brings brilliantly to life the stories that made England -- from Ethelred the Unready to Richard the Lionheart, the Venerable Bede to Piers the Ploughman. The greatest historians are vivid storytellers, Robert Lacey reminds us, and in Great Tales from English History, he proves his place among them, illuminating in unforgettable detail the characters and events that shaped a nation. In this volume, Lacey limns the most important period in England's past, highlighting the spread of the English language, the rejection of both a religion and a traditional view of kingly authority, and an unstoppable movement toward intellectual and political freedom from 1387 to 1689. Opening with Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and culminating in William and Mary's "Glorious Revolution," Lacey revisits some of the truly classic stories of English history: the Battle of Agincourt, where Henry V's skilled archers defeated a French army three times as large; the tragic tale of the two young princes locked in the Tower of London (and almost certainly murdered) by their usurping uncle, Richard III; Henry VIII's schismatic divorce, not just from his wife but from the authority of the Catholic Church; "Bloody Mary" and the burning of religious dissidents; Sir Francis Drake's dramatic, if questionable, part in the defeat of the Spanish Armada; and the terrible and transformative Great Fire of London, to name but a few. Here Anglophiles will find their favorite English kings and queens, villains and victims, authors and architects - from Richard II to Anne Boleyn, the Virgin Queen to Oliver Cromwell, Samuel Pepys to Christopher Wren, and many more. Continuing the "eminently readable, highly enjoyable" (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) history he began in volume I of Great Tales from English History, Robert Lacey has drawn on the most up-to-date research to present a taut and riveting narrative, breathing life into the most pivotal characters and exciting landmarks in England's history.