In 1239, king Louis IX of France performed the translation of the Crown of Thorns from Constantinople to Paris. The translation celebrations became a splendid religious festivity showing sacral foundations of Saint Louis's authority and the Capetian kingship. However, the translation of the Crown of Thorns to France had already a history under Louis's reign: French hagiographers and chroniclers affirmed that the first relics of the Crown of Thorns from Constantinople were transferred to Aachen by Charlemagne, then to Saint-Denis Abbey by Charles the Bald. The book discusses Saint Louis's translation of the Crown of Thorns as seen on the background of both Carolingian historical memory in Capetian era and Carolingian and Capetian tradition of the royal cult of relics.

A fascinating biography of Bulgaria's tragic monarch, Boris III, based on private correspondence and extensive interviews with members of the Bulgarian royal family. The son of King Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Boris became king after the first World War. Noted for defying Hitler wishes for Bulgaria's Jews, the popular king died mysteriously in 1943 after a stormy meeting with Hitler.

Nazareth has been cruel to my mother, more cruel than any village ever was. All the village says that my blood father is not the man who married my mother. They have shamed her on the matter all my life. Every woman asks which man of the village is my blood father. Every man scowls and says he was not the one my mother seduced. My mother will not tell who is my blood father. My mother will not speak on the matter. My mother bears her shame in silence. Some righteous man, a prophet, said a word over me when I was a babe in arms. He told how I will redeem Israel when I grow to be a man. Now I have grown to be a man, but I do not know how to redeem Israel. The scriptures do not explain the matter. My people say that the man who redeems Israel must take up the sword and throw off our enemy, Rome, which we call the Great Satan. My family says I must take up the sword. Only I am no man of the sword. I wish with all my heart to redeem Israel, but HaShem, the God of our fathers, must tell me how. Lately, there came a new prophet to Israel, who immerses for repentance at the river Jordan. I went to ask the prophet how I should redeem Israel. He said I am to smite the four Powers. I asked what are the four Powers. He could not say, but he said HaShem will reveal the matter to me. I wish HaShem will reveal the matter, only I am not a prophet. Not yet. But I will be. Here is what I know. Every hour of every day, I feel the Presence of HaShem. I do not know why I should feel the Presence always. My mother does not. My village does not. Even the prophet of HaShem does not. I think the Presence will teach me the way to redeem Israel. But I am afraid to redeem Israel. To redeem Israel is to leave my mother to the scorn of the village. The rage of the village. My mother begs and cries on me to make a justice for her. To make a justice on the village. I do not know how to make a justice on the village. I do not know how to redeem Israel. But HaShem will show me the way. I will learn how to be a prophet of HaShem. I will learn how to redeem Israel. I will learn how to make a justice for my mother. I will smite the first Power. Or I will die in the trying.

Naveh (American history, Tel Aviv U.) applies a religious concept of martyrdom to the context of American political culture and examines the ways in which Americans have depicted certain individuals as national martyrs. She argues that only Martin Luther King Jr. among modern leaders has the potential to turn into a national martyr legend like John Brown or Abraham Lincoln. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

God does not let anything go to waste. This includes any instance of pain, suffering, or persecution in the life of the believer. Through God's Word, we know that "all things work together for good to them that love God" (Romans 8:28). This was demonstrated for us in the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We know Christ's sufferings were the price of our redemption. We know that "he was wounded for our transgressions...bruised for our iniquities...and with his stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). Now, pastor and author Gerald Davis reveals the powerful healing purpose behind The Crown of Thorns. "When I have declared this message, it has yielded amazing results. In this book, you will read of miraculous mental healings that have directly occurred from this revelation. I know you will be blessed as you read and discover this exceptional and life-changing truth." --Gerald Davis

In book two of the Broken Empire trilogy, the boy who would be king has gained the throne—but the crown is a heavy weight to bear... At age nine, Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath vowed to avenge his slaughtered mother and brother—and to punish his father for not doing so. At fifteen, he began to fulfill that vow. Now, at eighteen, he must fight for what he has taken by torture and treachery. Haunted by the pain of his past, and plagued by nightmares of the atrocities he has committed, King Jorg is filled with rage. And even as his need for revenge continues to consume him, an overwhelming enemy force marches on his castle. Jorg knows that he cannot win a fair fight. But he has found a long-hidden cache of ancient artifacts. Some might call them magic. Jorg is not certain—all he knows is that their secrets can be put to terrible use in the coming battle...

At Angelview Academy, Saint Angelle is considered God. But don't be fooled by his ridiculous name or that pretty face because Saint? He’s as wicked as they come. I should know. I'm the new girl who pissed him off. The nobody who called out his crew of vicious tyrants. The mortal who wouldn't bow then and sure as hell won’t now. Saint swears I'll regret it. He vows to own every inch of me. He even promises to make my senior year a living hell. I don't believe him, though. Because if angels can fall, so can so-called gods. And I want to be the one to bring Saint Angelle to his knees. SAINT is a full-length, 80,000 word new adult/ mature high school romance with enemies-to-lovers and bullying themes. It is not recommended for readers under 17 as it contains dubious situations and triggers that some readers may find offensive. It is NOT a standalone and ends in a cliffhanger.