Richard I was crowned King in 1189 & set off almost immediately for the Third Crusade. This was a bloody campaign to regain the Holy Land marked by warfare among the Christians & extraordinary campaigns against the Saracens. Men & women found themselves facing new sorts of challenges & facing an uncertain future. John the youngest son was left behind -- & with Richard gone he was free to conspire with the French king to steal his brother's throne. Overshadowing the battlefields that stretched to Jerusalem & beyond were the personalities of two great adversaries: Richard & Saladin. They quickly took the measure of each other in both war & diplomacy. The result was mutual admiration: a profound acknowledgement of a worthy opponent. In this gripping narrative of passion intrigue battle & deceit Penman reveals a true & complex Richard -- a man remarkable for his power & intelligence his keen grasp of warfare & his concern for the safety of his men who followed him against all odds.