The great Turkish empire of the seventeenth century, the most powerful of its day, was ruled by women who had been brought to Constantinople as slaves for the Sultan's pleasure-but used their slavery to acquire power on a global scale. This is the story of one such woman. . . . The harem slave Safiye, "the Fair One" as she is known, is the embodiment of beauty-and ambition. With her perfumed body and bewitching eyes, she rules the men who own her. She controls the Empire from within the veiled harem walls, her web of intrigue reaching far beyond Constantinople and into Europe. Her touch is felt in wars, acts of sabotage, and the machinations of both European and Asian politics. The aim of her ambition? To see that her son becomes ruler of the Ottoman Empire. She will allow nothing to stand in her way.

Venetian-born Safiye controls the Empire from within the veiled harem walls, her web of intrigue reaching far beyond Constantinople and into Europe. Allowing nothing to stand in her way, her sole ambition is to secure the throne of the Ottoman Empire for her son.

Explores the role of Joan of Arc in the ancient prophecies of Merlin and her mastery of the ancient pagan religion of Europe.

In the saga begun with "The Merlin of St. Gilles' Well", Merlin's ancient prophecy foretells that a Maid will come, La Pucelle, who will unite the kingdom and heal the Land, but how much longer must the wounded country wait?

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Learn how the seclusion of women can be used as a feminist defense against exploitation—and as an empowering force Internationally acclaimed author Ann Chamberlin’s book, A History of Women’s Seclusion in the Middle East: The Veil in the Looking Glass is a critical interdisciplinary examination of the practice of seclusion of women throughout the Middle East from its beginnings. This challenging exploration discusses the reasons that seclusion may not be as oppressive as is presently generally accepted, and, in fact, may be an empowering force for women in both the West and East. Readers are taken on a controversial, belief-bending journey deep into the surprising origins and diverse aspects of female seclusion to find solid evidence of its surprising use as a defense against monolithic cultural exploitation. The author uses her extensive knowledge of Middle Eastern culture, language, and even archeology to provide a convincing assertion challenging the Western view that seclusion was and is a result of women’s oppression. A History of Women’s Seclusion in the Middle East goes beyond standard feminist rhetoric to put forth shocking notions on the real reasons behind women’s seclusion and how it has been used to counteract cultural exploitation. The book reviews written evidence, domestic and sacred architecture, evolution, biology, the clan, the environment for seclusion, trade, capital and land, slavery, honor, and various other aspects in a powerful feminist argument that seclusion is actually a valuable empowering force of protection from the influence of today’s society. The text includes thirty black and white figures with useful descriptions to illustrate and enhance reader understanding of concepts. A History of Women’s Seclusion in the Middle East discusses at length: prehistoric evidence of seclusion the sense of honor in the Middle East a balanced look at the Islamic religion the true nature of the harem the reasons for the oppression by the Taliban the positive aspects of ’veiling’ seclusion as a defense against capitalist exploitation and other challenging perspectives! A History of Women’s Seclusion in the Middle East is thought-provoking, insightful reading for all interested in women’s history, feminism, and the history and culture of the Middle East.

In the bestselling tradition of The Mists of Avalon, a powerful retelling of the legend of Joan of Arc! For close to six hundred years, the world has been fascinated by the true story of Joan of Arc. The saga of her rise from obscurity to lead the armies of France, followed by her tragic martyrdom, has inspired many books, plays, and films. Less well known is the fact that Joan's astounding destiny was predicted by ancient prophecies attributed to none other than Merlin himself. Or that Joan, later canonized by the Church as a saint, may have been a practioner of an even older religion: the ancient pagan ways that predated Christianity throughout Europe. The Merlin of St. Gilles' Well is a stunning historical fantasy, based on actual events, that casts Joan and her times in a revealing new light.