'This was the original game of thrones' George R.R. MartinNo 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. Editorial Reviews '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 - From the Publisher