Martyrs and Murderers could be a title of an episode of dese guys you see in, you know, The Sopranos or something. But Stuart Carroll’s Martyrs and Murderers instead tells the story of the Guise: three generations of treacherous, bloodthirsty power-brokers.
One of the richest and most powerful families in sixteenth-century France, the House of Guise played a pivotal role in the history of Europe. Among the staunchest opponents of the Reformation, they whipped up religious bigotry throughout France. They overthrew the king, ruled Scotland for nearly 20 years through Mary Queen of Scots, plotted to invade England and overthrow Elizabeth I, and ended the century by unleashing the bloody Wars of Religion, before succumbing in a counter-revolution that made them martyrs for the Catholic cause. Never a dull moment with these characters! However, the story of the Guise family is sensational but true.
Stuart Carroll unravels the legends about this cultivated, charismatic, and violent dynasty, all the while challenging traditional assumptions about one of Europe’s most turbulent eras. And we at Wonders & Marvels are offering 1 copy of Martyrs and Murderers as our giveaway.
Enter by responding to this question by 11:59 p.m. January 19, 2010:
What dramatic-but-true tale remains indelibly on your mind? Could be a book you’ve read, or something in the National Enquirer – we want to know! Good luck!
(Sorry, at this time, books can only be shipped to winners with U.S. addresses.)
