The Devil and King John

In Early Medieval England, peace is shattered as rebellion looms against King Henry II from within his own family.Not one, but two of his sons are ambitious for the throne and the Angevin, or so called ‘demon’, blood which runs in their veins boils in anticipation.It is Richard, the elder, who secures kingship at Henry’s death and he fights abroad to ensure sovereignty through the crusades. But through this absence Richard neglects the most important task of all – producing an heir.John, the younger brother, recognises this fatal error and schemes for power by allying himself with former enemies until the day when the Lionheart is no longer and John can reign. When the throne comes and John achieves his wildest ambitions he realises that it is not an end in itself. With rebelling provinces, bloodthirsty barons and unfaithful loves can he keep the links which tie the kingdom together so loosely?The Devil and King John is a fantastic work of historical fiction which brings to life the Machiavellian court of the middle ages.Philip Lindsay (1906–1958) was an Australian writer, who mostly wrote historical novels. He was the son of Norman Lindsay, an Australian artist. His novels often treated his subject matter in a dark fashion, with his central characters depicted as brooding, depressed, or disturbed characters. In addition, he did some work for the film industry. He was one of a team of writers on Song of Freedom and Under the Red Robe , and was a technical advisor on The Private Life of Henry VIII.