Maurice Druon - The Accursed Kings Series Books 1-3 - The Iron King, The Strangled Queen, The Poisoned Crown

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The Iron King

First published in Great Britain by Rupert Hart-Davis 1956

Century edition 1985

Arrow edition 1987

Copyright © Maurice Druon 1955

Cover Layout Design © HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 2013

The Strangled Queen

First published in Great Britain by Rupert Hart-Davis 1956

Century edition 1985

Arrow edition 1987

Copyright © Maurice Druon 1955

Cover Layout Design © HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 2013

The Poisoned Crown

First published in Great Britain by Rupert Hart-Davis 1957

Pan edition 1970

Arrow edition 1988

Copyright © Maurice Druon 1957

Cover Layout Design © HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 2013

Maurice Druon asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Source ISBNs:

The Iron King : 9780007491254

The Strangled Queen : 9780007491278

The Poisoned Crown : 9780007491308

Bundle Edition (Containing The Iron King , The Strangled Queen and The Poisoned Crown ) © January 2015 ISBN: 9780008117559

Version: 2014-12-05

Contents

Cover

Title Page THE ACCURSED KINGS SERIES BOOKS 1-3

Copyright

The Iron King

The Strangled Queen

The Poisoned Crown

The Royal Succession

Also by Maurice Druon

About the Publisher

‘History is a novel that has been lived’

E. & J. DE GONCOURT

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Epigraph ‘History is a novel that has been lived’ E. & J. DE GONCOURT

Foreword: George R.R. Martin Foreword GEORGE R.R. MARTIN Over the years, more than one reviewer has described my fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire , as historical fiction about history that never happened, flavoured with a dash of sorcery and spiced with dragons. I take that as a compliment. I have always regarded historical fiction and fantasy as sisters under the skin, two genres separated at birth. My own series draws on both traditions … and while I undoubtedly drew much of my inspiration from Tolkien, Vance, Howard, and the other fantasists who came before me, A Game of Thrones and its sequels were also influenced by the works of great historical novelists like Thomas B. Costain, Mika Waltari, Howard Pyle … and Maurice Druon, the amazing French writer who gave us the The Accursed Kings , seven splendid novels that chronicle the downfall of the Capetian kings and the beginnings of the Hundred Years War. Druon’s novels have not been easy to find, especially in English translation (and the seventh and final volume was never translated into English at all). The series has twice been made into a television series in France, and both versions are available on DVD … but only in French, undubbed, and without English subtitles. Very frustrating for English-speaking Druon fans like me. The Accursed Kings has it all. Iron kings and strangled queens, battles and betrayals, lies and lust, deception, family rivalries, the curse of the Templars, babies switched at birth, she-wolves, sin, and swords, the doom of a great dynasty … and all of it (well, most of it) straight from the pages of history. And believe me, the Starks and the Lannisters have nothing on the Capets and Plantagenets. Whether you’re a history buff or a fantasy fan, Druon’s epic will keep you turning pages. This was the original game of thrones. If you like A Song of Ice and Fire , you will love The Accursed Kings . George R.R. Martin

The Characters in this Book The Characters in this Book THE KING OF FRANCE: PHILIP IV, called Philip the Fair, aged 46, grandson of Saint Louis. HIS BROTHERS: MONSEIGNEUR CHARLES, Count of Valois, Titular Emperor of Constantinople, Count of Romagna, aged 44. MONSEIGNEUR LOUIS, Count of Evreux, about 40 years old. HIS SONS: LOUIS, King of Navarre, aged 25. PHILIPPE, COUNT of Poitiers, aged 21. CHARLES, aged 20. HIS DAUGHTER: ISABELLA, Queen of England, aged 22, wife of King Edward II. HIS DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW: MARGUERITE OF BURGUNDY, aged about 21, wife of Louis, daughter of the Duke of Burgundy, granddaughter of Saint Louis. JEANNE OF BURGUNDY, aged about 21, daughter of the Count Palatine of Burgundy, wife to Philippe. BLANCHE OF BURGUNDY, her sister, aged about 18, wife to Charles. HIS MINISTERS AND JUSTICIARS: ENGUERRAND LE PORTIER DE MARIGNY, aged 52, Coadjutor and Rector of the Kingdom. GUILLAUME DE NOGARET, aged 54, Keeper of the Seals and Secretary-General of the Kingdom. HUGUES DE BOUVILLE, Grand Chamberlain. THE ARTOIS BRANCH, DESCENDED FROM A BROTHER OF SAINT LOUIS: ROBERT III OF ARTOIS, Lord of Conches, Count of Beaumont-le-Roger, aged 27. MAHAUT, his aunt, aged about 40, widow of the Count Palatine of Burgundy, Countess of Artois, a peer of France, mother of Jeanne and Blanche of Burgundy and cousin of Marguerite of Burgundy. THE TEMPLARS: JACQUES DE MOLAY, aged 71, Grand Master of the Order of Knights Templar. GEOFFROY DE CHARNEY, Preceptor of Normandy. EVERARD, one-time Knight of the Order of Templars. THE LOMBARDS: SPINELLO TOLOMEI, a Siennese banker living in Paris. GUCCIO BAGLIONI, his nephew, aged about 18. THE BROTHERS AUNAY: GAUTIER, son of the Chevalier d’Aunay, aged about 23, Equerry to the Count of Poitiers. PHILIPPE, his brother, aged about 21, Equerry to the Count of Valois. THE CRESSAY FAMILY: DAME ELIABEL, widow of the Squire of Cressay, aged about 40. PIERRE AND JEAN, her sons, aged 20 and 22. MARIE, her daughter, aged 16. AND THESE: JEAN DE MARIGNY, Archbishop of Sens, younger brother of Enguerrand de Marigny. BEATRICE D’HIRSON, first lady-in-waiting to the Countess Mahaut, aged about 20.