To demonstrate that Isabella d'Este, marchioness of Mantua (1474-1539) was not the only woman patron of art during the period, and to balance the recent focus on religious women's patronage, US art historians and medievalists consider women patron's relationships with other women and men, including kinsmen and the artists and architects whose work they commissioned; what social classes they belong to; how they were able to finance the undertakings they sponsored; and other matters. The many photographs and reproductions are in black and white. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

"Harmonies of Eternity: Tales Beyond Time" invites readers to transcend the confines of time and space through interconnected fantasy and science fiction stories. From guardians of a mystical hourglass embarking on gripping time-traveling adventures to alliances formed in the shadows and the transformative power of music, these tales offer a symphony of emotions and adventures. Through unity, compassion, and the enduring power of storytelling, "Harmonies of Eternity" weaves a tapestry of magic, adventure, and self-discovery that leaves an indelible mark on the reader's heart, even after the final page is turned.

This book is the continuing saga of Lucia, an active teenager, whose curiosity and behavior tend to get her into trouble. At the age of thirteen, she inherits the Condado of Segoia from the presumed death of her father, Don Fernando, while on crusade. In addition, she inherits several titles and a vast amount of wealth from her mother, Lady Margaret, who dies while giving birth to Lucia. Her wealth is coveted by Don Raimundo Ortega Diaz, the Conde of Donato. He needs Lucia's wealth to raise an army to take the throne of Castile and to plunder the vast riches that lie to the south in al-Andalus. He plots her demise in order to obtain her wealth. Set against the backdrop of the ongoing war against the Moors in late twelfth-century Spain, Lucia is trying to mature into her role as condesa. However, her life is not easy. How is she going to handle a possible battle with an order of warrior monks and, later, with the church itself? How does she handle an attempted rape? What happened to her dear friend, Isabella, who she loved as a sister? Even a journey to visit parts of her condado can be fraught with danger, especially from the troublesome Moors. As if life wasn't difficult enough, Lucia has to combat a blizzard, along with her confidant and dear friend, Gabriella, on their way to Christmas in Palencia. What happened to Gabriella? Were they rescued, and if so, by whom? Questions asked and questions answered weave their way through this saga of an adventurous young teen.

Lucia is an active child whose curiosity and behavior tend to get her into trouble. At the age of thirteen, she inherits the Condado of Segoia from the presumed death of her father, Don Fernando, who perished while on a crusade to the Holy Land. In addition, she inherits several titles and a vast amount of wealth from her mother, Lady Margaret, who dies while giving birth to Lucia. Her wealth is coveted by Don Raimundo Ortega Diaz, the Conde of Donato. He needs Lucia’s wealth to raise an army to take the throne of Castile in order to plunder the vast riches that lie to the south in al-Andalus, the home of the Moors. He plots her demise to obtain her wealth. Set against the backdrop of the ongoing war against the Moors in late twelfth-century Spain, Lucia is challenged by her lack of maturity, assassination attempts, her love for her dearest friend Isabella, befriending a Moor, a love interest with a French knight, and the ongoing questions concerning her deceased mother. These questions lead her to Pomeroi, her duchy in France, only if she can survive her travels beyond the Pyrenees.

From the critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Sharon Kay Penman comes the story of the reign of King Baldwin IV and the Kingdom of Jerusalem's defense against Saladin's famous army. The Kingdom of Jerusalem, also known as Outremer, is the land far beyond the sea. Baptized in blood when the men of the First Crusade captured Jerusalem from the Saracens in the early twelfth century, the kingdom defined an utterly new world, a land of blazing heat and a medley of cultures, a place where enemies were neighbors and neighbors became enemies. At the helm of this growing kingdom sits young Baldwin IV, an intelligent and courageous boy committed to the welfare and protection of his people. But despite Baldwin's dedication to his land, he is afflicted with leprosy at an early age and the threats against his power and his health nearly outweigh the risk of battle. As political deception scours the halls of the royal court, the Muslim army--led by the first sultan of Egypt and Syria, Saladin--is never far from the kingdom's doorstep, and there are only a handful Baldwin can trust, including the archbishop William of Tyre and Lord Balian d'Ibelin, a charismatic leader who has been one of the few able to maintain the peace. Filled with drama and battle, tragedy and romance, Sharon Kay Penman's latest novel brings a definitive period of history vividly alive with a tale of power and glory that will resonate with readers today.