The Poisoned Crown (The Accursed Kings, Book 3) Maurice Druon 9780007491292

'This was the original game of thrones' George R.R. Martin

No man is impervious to the poisons of the crown...

Having murdered his wife and exiled his mistress, King Louis X of France becomes besotted with Princess Clemence of Hungary and makes her his new Queen.

However, though the matter of the succession should be assured, it is far from so, as Louis embarks on an ill-fated war against Flanders.

Where his father, Philip IV, was strong, Louis is weak, and the ambitions of his proud, profligate barons threaten his power and the future of a kingdom once ruled by an Iron King.

Maurice Druon was a French resistance hero, a Knight of the British Empire and a holder of the Grand Croix de la Legion d'Honneur. He was also a member of the Academie francaise and a celebrated novelist, best known for his series of seven historical novels under the title of The Accursed Kings, which were twice adapted for television. A passionate Anglophile, he was a great expert on all things English, including its medieval history, which provides great inspiration for the series. His many and diverse fans include George RR Martin, Nicolas Sarkozy and Vladimir Putin.

'Iron kings and strangled queens, battles and betrayals, lies and lust, the curse of the Templars, 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 are a history buff or a fantasy fan, Druon's epic will keep you turning pages. This was the original game of thrones'
GEORGE R.R. MARTIN

'Blood-curdling tale of intrigue, murder, corruption and sexual passion'
SUNDAY TIMES

'Barbaric, sensual, teeming with life, based in wide reading and sound scholarship...among the best historical novels' TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT