Lymond Chronicles
Encyclopedia
The Lymond Chronicles is a series of six novels, written by Dorothy Dunnett
, which were first published between 1961 and 1975. The series is set in mid-sixteenth century Europe and the Mediterranean and tells the story of a young Scottish nobleman, Francis Crawford of Lymond
, from 1547 through 1558.
, the younger son of the Crawfords of Culter, members of the landed aristocracy of the Scottish Lowlands. Brought up according to the Renaissance ideal of an educated autodidact, he is a polyglot, knowledgeable in literature, philosophy, mathematics and the sciences, a practitioner of all the martial arts, a spell-binding musician, a talented thespian, and a master strategist with a genius for imaginative tactics.
An intensely private man but with a very public persona, he is a non-conformist who is suspicious of causes, political or religious. He is driven by his demanding personal code of behaviour and responsibility regardless of whether he meets society's expectations or rules. Though a cosmopolitan military leader, diplomat or spy, he has an abiding feeling for his home country of Scotland. Despite his reluctance to relinquish his cherished independence and align permanently with any nation's ruler, Lymond's professional reputation increasingly makes him a sought-after ally, or a foe to be avoided, by many of the crowned heads of Europe. Still, it is only for goals he believes in strongly that he will deploy his glittering and commanding persona, quicksilver mind, talent for dissembling what he thinks or feels, and rapier tongue; and once he dedicates himself to a goal, his will is implacable.
In his personal life, Lymond has an unusual ability to inspire intense loyalty and even love in those who are attracted to him. But the Crawford family's history begins to produce more and more tensions, and these conflicts are exacerbated by the weakness, shared by Lymond with most of his family, of immense pride and a stubborn refusal to explain the reasons for their actions.
As a whole, the Lymond Chronicles is an odyssey: the story of how an arrogant, brilliant, but troubled individualist, though increasingly successful professionally, becomes alienated and isolated as a result of searing experiences in battles with forces he can't control as well as with himself; and how he ultimately becomes reconciled with his country, his family and friends, and himself.
The historical setting, which provides many plot elements and prominent characters for the novels, is the incessant jockeying for position through treaties, alliances of convenience, political marriages, wars, and even piracy, among the English Tudors
, the Holy Roman Empire
of the Habsburgs, the French Valois, the Ottoman Empire of Suleiman the Magnificent
, and their respective secular and religious allies, including the Stewarts
of Scotland, the Knights of St. John
, the corsairs of North Africa
, and even Tsar Ivan the Terrible
of Russia. Each of the six books has several theatres of action with the exception of the first, The Game of Kings, which takes place almost exclusively in the Scottish Lowlands and the Borders with England.
The novels examine the high politics and culture of each court and its nobility as monarchies centralized their power; the intensifying controversies over the Reformation
; implications of the Age of Discovery
for political and economic power and knowledge; and the blurred boundaries between faith and reason in religion, esoteric
a such as alchemy
and astrology
, and science. In addition, the large number of women in positions of political power during this period—as rulers in their own name, as regents, as strong wives or mistresses of kings, or as heirs to thrones—offers fascinating female historical characters for the exploration of women's roles.
The six parts of the Lymond Chronicles are part of what Dunnett viewed as a larger fourteen-volume work, which includes the eight novels of The House of Niccolò
series. The House of Niccolò, which was written after the Lymond Chronicles, tells the tale of Lymond's ancestors in the previous century and includes allusions to events in the Lymond Chronicles. Dunnett recommended readers begin with the Lymond Chronicles and then read The House of Niccolò. As with the Lymond Chronicles, the The House of Niccolò features a number of historical persons, many as important characters. Both the historical and fictional characters are, however, taken from a wider variety of occupations and social classes than in the Lymond Chronicles. There are significant differences in narrative approach and writing style between the series, reflecting in part the very different personal journey taken by the central character in each.
The six novels in the series are as follows:
The novel is constructed as a clockwork mystery: an intricate web of many moving parts, punctuated by set pieces of adventure, high comedy, or intense drama. The suspense is whether Lymond will prove himself innocent, die in the attempt, or be captured and hanged. The mystery is "who is Lymond?" Dunnett reveals only gradually, with tantalizing hints and small details, Lymond's motives and his true relationships with the other characters. Lymond leaves no one indifferent to him: some of the key characters—such as Richard Crawford, third Baron Culter and Lymond's older brother, and Margaret Douglas
, Countess of Lennox—are one-time friends or intimates who become his mortal enemies. Betrayals and double-crosses, both potential and actual, abound. The pieces of the mystery only fit together late in the story as revelations at a trial.
As an established part of the minor landed aristocracy, the Crawfords cannot avoid becoming entangled in the complex politics between England and Scotland, the Anglo-Scottish wars and Scotland's alliance with France, or in the conflicts among the residents of the Borders region between the two kingdoms.
A number of historical persons appear in the novel, many as important and well-developed characters. They include members of the Scott clan -- Sir Walter Scott of Buccleuch
, his wife, Janet Beaton, and his son William Scott of Kincurd, who becomes Lymond's second-in-command in his band of outlaws; Mary of Guise
, the Queen Dowager of Scotland and her young daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots; and members of the Douglas family—including Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus
, his brother Sir George Douglas, his daughter Margaret Douglas
, Countess of Lennox (niece of Henry VIII
who was the brother of Margaret's mother Margaret Tudor
, widow of James IV
, and mother of James V), and Margaret's husband Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox
, a potential claimant to the Scottish throne in case of the death of the young Mary, Queen of Scots. The English military leaders responsible for prosecuting the war of The Rough Wooing
, Sir William Grey and Lord Thomas Wharton
, also have prominent, and often comedic, roles.
, home to the Crusading Order of Knights Hospitaller of St John, just before the Ottoman Turks lay it under siege. There he becomes embroiled in a contest of wits with a man who may or may not be a living saint, and discovers a secret that will transform that intellectual contest into a visceral struggle for his native Scotland.
, Lymond must summon all of his courage and willpower to win freedom for himself, his child and his companions.
Dorothy Dunnett
Dorothy Dunnett OBE was a Scottish historical novelist. She is best known for her six-part series about Francis Crawford of Lymond, The Lymond Chronicles, which she followed with the eight-part prequel The House of Niccolò...
, which were first published between 1961 and 1975. The series is set in mid-sixteenth century Europe and the Mediterranean and tells the story of a young Scottish nobleman, Francis Crawford of Lymond
Francis Crawford of Lymond
Francis Crawford of Lymond is a fictional character created by the novelist Dorothy Dunnett, and the central figure in The Lymond Chronicles, six complex historical novels set in 16th century Europe....
, from 1547 through 1558.
Francis Crawford of Lymond
Over the course of the six volumes, readers follow the life and career of the charismatic Francis Crawford of LymondFrancis Crawford of Lymond
Francis Crawford of Lymond is a fictional character created by the novelist Dorothy Dunnett, and the central figure in The Lymond Chronicles, six complex historical novels set in 16th century Europe....
, the younger son of the Crawfords of Culter, members of the landed aristocracy of the Scottish Lowlands. Brought up according to the Renaissance ideal of an educated autodidact, he is a polyglot, knowledgeable in literature, philosophy, mathematics and the sciences, a practitioner of all the martial arts, a spell-binding musician, a talented thespian, and a master strategist with a genius for imaginative tactics.
An intensely private man but with a very public persona, he is a non-conformist who is suspicious of causes, political or religious. He is driven by his demanding personal code of behaviour and responsibility regardless of whether he meets society's expectations or rules. Though a cosmopolitan military leader, diplomat or spy, he has an abiding feeling for his home country of Scotland. Despite his reluctance to relinquish his cherished independence and align permanently with any nation's ruler, Lymond's professional reputation increasingly makes him a sought-after ally, or a foe to be avoided, by many of the crowned heads of Europe. Still, it is only for goals he believes in strongly that he will deploy his glittering and commanding persona, quicksilver mind, talent for dissembling what he thinks or feels, and rapier tongue; and once he dedicates himself to a goal, his will is implacable.
In his personal life, Lymond has an unusual ability to inspire intense loyalty and even love in those who are attracted to him. But the Crawford family's history begins to produce more and more tensions, and these conflicts are exacerbated by the weakness, shared by Lymond with most of his family, of immense pride and a stubborn refusal to explain the reasons for their actions.
As a whole, the Lymond Chronicles is an odyssey: the story of how an arrogant, brilliant, but troubled individualist, though increasingly successful professionally, becomes alienated and isolated as a result of searing experiences in battles with forces he can't control as well as with himself; and how he ultimately becomes reconciled with his country, his family and friends, and himself.
History in the Lymond Chronicles
Dunnett paints on a large historical canvas, with fine details based on meticulous research in hundreds of primary and secondary sources. In addition to a compelling cast of original characters, the novels feature a large number of historical figures, often in important roles.The historical setting, which provides many plot elements and prominent characters for the novels, is the incessant jockeying for position through treaties, alliances of convenience, political marriages, wars, and even piracy, among the English Tudors
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
, the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
of the Habsburgs, the French Valois, the Ottoman Empire of Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" , for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system...
, and their respective secular and religious allies, including the Stewarts
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
of Scotland, the Knights of St. John
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
, the corsairs of North Africa
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
, and even Tsar Ivan the Terrible
Ivan IV of Russia
Ivan IV Vasilyevich , known in English as Ivan the Terrible , was Grand Prince of Moscow from 1533 until his death. His long reign saw the conquest of the Khanates of Kazan, Astrakhan, and Siberia, transforming Russia into a multiethnic and multiconfessional state spanning almost one billion acres,...
of Russia. Each of the six books has several theatres of action with the exception of the first, The Game of Kings, which takes place almost exclusively in the Scottish Lowlands and the Borders with England.
The novels examine the high politics and culture of each court and its nobility as monarchies centralized their power; the intensifying controversies over the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
; implications of the Age of Discovery
Age of Discovery
The Age of Discovery, also known as the Age of Exploration and the Great Navigations , was a period in history starting in the early 15th century and continuing into the early 17th century during which Europeans engaged in intensive exploration of the world, establishing direct contacts with...
for political and economic power and knowledge; and the blurred boundaries between faith and reason in religion, esoteric
Esotericism
Esotericism or Esoterism signifies the holding of esoteric opinions or beliefs, that is, ideas preserved or understood by a small group or those specially initiated, or of rare or unusual interest. The term derives from the Greek , a compound of : "within", thus "pertaining to the more inward",...
a such as alchemy
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
and astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
, and science. In addition, the large number of women in positions of political power during this period—as rulers in their own name, as regents, as strong wives or mistresses of kings, or as heirs to thrones—offers fascinating female historical characters for the exploration of women's roles.
The series and The House of Niccolò
The six books together are a single story and are best read in chronological order to appreciate both plot and characters. However, each of the first two books can be read as a self-contained novel. The endings of the third and fifth novels have no real resolution; they are quasi-cliffhangers that lead directly to the story taken up in the next book.The six parts of the Lymond Chronicles are part of what Dunnett viewed as a larger fourteen-volume work, which includes the eight novels of The House of Niccolò
The House of Niccolò
The House of Niccolò is a series of eight historical novels by Dorothy Dunnett set in the mid-fifteenth century European Renaissance. The protagonist of the series is Nicholas de Fleury , a boy of uncertain birth who rises to the heights of European merchant banking and international political...
series. The House of Niccolò, which was written after the Lymond Chronicles, tells the tale of Lymond's ancestors in the previous century and includes allusions to events in the Lymond Chronicles. Dunnett recommended readers begin with the Lymond Chronicles and then read The House of Niccolò. As with the Lymond Chronicles, the The House of Niccolò features a number of historical persons, many as important characters. Both the historical and fictional characters are, however, taken from a wider variety of occupations and social classes than in the Lymond Chronicles. There are significant differences in narrative approach and writing style between the series, reflecting in part the very different personal journey taken by the central character in each.
The six novels in the series are as follows:
- The Game of Kings (1961)
- Queens' Play (1964)
- The Disorderly Knights (1966)
- Pawn in Frankincense (1969)
- The Ringed Castle (1971)
- Checkmate (1975)
The Game of Kings (1961)
Living mostly by his wits and his sword-arm in 16th-century Scotland, Francis Crawford of Lymond is a charismatic figure: polyglot scholar, soldier, musician, master of disguises, nobleman—and accused outlaw. After five years exile, Lymond has recently returned to Scotland, in defiance of Scottish charges against him for treason on behalf of the English and murder. He has assembled a private band of mercenaries and ruffians who follow his ruthless, despotic leadership. The reader only gradually learns that Lymond has returned for a single goal: to prove his innocence and restore his name, he must find the man who framed him and condemned him to two years as a French galley slave until he managed to escape.The novel is constructed as a clockwork mystery: an intricate web of many moving parts, punctuated by set pieces of adventure, high comedy, or intense drama. The suspense is whether Lymond will prove himself innocent, die in the attempt, or be captured and hanged. The mystery is "who is Lymond?" Dunnett reveals only gradually, with tantalizing hints and small details, Lymond's motives and his true relationships with the other characters. Lymond leaves no one indifferent to him: some of the key characters—such as Richard Crawford, third Baron Culter and Lymond's older brother, and Margaret Douglas
Margaret Douglas
Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox was the daughter of Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, and Margaret Tudor, Queen Dowager of Scotland...
, Countess of Lennox—are one-time friends or intimates who become his mortal enemies. Betrayals and double-crosses, both potential and actual, abound. The pieces of the mystery only fit together late in the story as revelations at a trial.
As an established part of the minor landed aristocracy, the Crawfords cannot avoid becoming entangled in the complex politics between England and Scotland, the Anglo-Scottish wars and Scotland's alliance with France, or in the conflicts among the residents of the Borders region between the two kingdoms.
A number of historical persons appear in the novel, many as important and well-developed characters. They include members of the Scott clan -- Sir Walter Scott of Buccleuch
Walter Scott of Branxholme and Buccleuch
Sir Walter Scott, 1st of Branxholme, 3rd of Buccleuch , known as "Wicked Wat", was a nobleman of the Scottish Borders and the chief of Clan Scott who briefly served as Warden of the Middle March. He was an "inveterate English hater" active in the wars known as The Rough Wooing and a noted Border...
, his wife, Janet Beaton, and his son William Scott of Kincurd, who becomes Lymond's second-in-command in his band of outlaws; Mary of Guise
Mary of Guise
Mary of Guise was a queen consort of Scotland as the second spouse of King James V. She was the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, and served as regent of Scotland in her daughter's name from 1554 to 1560...
, the Queen Dowager of Scotland and her young daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots; and members of the Douglas family—including Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus
Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus
Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus was a Scottish nobleman active during the reigns of James V and Mary, Queen of Scots...
, his brother Sir George Douglas, his daughter Margaret Douglas
Margaret Douglas
Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox was the daughter of Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, and Margaret Tudor, Queen Dowager of Scotland...
, Countess of Lennox (niece of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
who was the brother of Margaret's mother Margaret Tudor
Margaret Tudor
Margaret Tudor was the elder of the two surviving daughters of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York, and the elder sister of Henry VIII. In 1503, she married James IV, King of Scots. James died in 1513, and their son became King James V. She married secondly Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of...
, widow of James IV
James IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
, and mother of James V), and Margaret's husband Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox
Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox
Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox was the 4th Earl of Lennox, and leader of the Catholic nobility in Scotland. He was the son of John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox. His grandson was James VI of Scotland....
, a potential claimant to the Scottish throne in case of the death of the young Mary, Queen of Scots. The English military leaders responsible for prosecuting the war of The Rough Wooing
The Rough Wooing
The War of the Rough Wooing was fought between Scotland and England. War was declared by Henry VIII of England, in an attempt to force the Scots to agree to a marriage between his son Edward and Mary, Queen of Scots. Scotland benefited from French military aid. Edward VI continued the war until...
, Sir William Grey and Lord Thomas Wharton
Thomas Wharton, 1st Baron Wharton
Thomas Wharton, 1st Baron Wharton was an English nobleman and a follower of King Henry VIII of England. He is best known for his victory at Solway Moss on 24 November 1542 for which he was given a barony.-Early life:...
, also have prominent, and often comedic, roles.
Main fictional characters
- Francis Crawford of LymondFrancis Crawford of LymondFrancis Crawford of Lymond is a fictional character created by the novelist Dorothy Dunnett, and the central figure in The Lymond Chronicles, six complex historical novels set in 16th century Europe....
, Master of Culter - Sybilla Crawford, Dowager Baroness Culter
- Richard Crawford, Third Baron Culter
- Mariotta Crawford, Baroness Culter
- Christian Stewart
- Jonathan Crouch
- Gideon Somerville
- Kate Somerville
- Philippa Somerville
- Samual Palmer
Main historical characters
- Mary de Guise, Queen DowagerQueen DowagerA queen dowager or dowager queen is a title or status generally held by the widow of a deceased king. In the case of the widow of a deceased emperor, the title of empress dowager is used...
of Scotland - Tom Erskine
- Walter Scott of Branxholme and BuccleuchWalter Scott of Branxholme and BuccleuchSir Walter Scott, 1st of Branxholme, 3rd of Buccleuch , known as "Wicked Wat", was a nobleman of the Scottish Borders and the chief of Clan Scott who briefly served as Warden of the Middle March. He was an "inveterate English hater" active in the wars known as The Rough Wooing and a noted Border...
- Janet BeatonJanet BeatonJanet Beaton, Lady of Branxholme and Buccleugh was an aristocratic Scottish woman. She was a mistress of James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell....
- Their son, William Scott of Kinkurd
Main locations
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- StirlingStirlingStirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
, Scotland - The Lowlands of ScotlandScottish LowlandsThe Scottish Lowlands is a name given to the Southern half of Scotland.The area is called a' Ghalldachd in Scottish Gaelic, and the Lawlands ....
(including the fictional Midculter Castle) - NorthumbriaNorthumbriaNorthumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...
, England (including the fictional Manor of Flaw Valleys and Hadrian's WallHadrian's WallHadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
) - Threave CastleThreave CastleThreave Castle is situated on an island in the River Dee, 2.5 km west of Castle Douglas, in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland...
, Scotland
Queens' Play (1964)
Having cleared his name in Scotland Lymond takes on an unlikely alias in order to infiltrate the French Court and protect the future Mary - Queen of Scots from her would-be assassins, but in the whirl and rush of Europe's most decadent and reckless Court, he finds it increasingly difficult to remember where play-acting ends and self-destructive excess begins.Main fictional characters
- Francis Crawford of LymondFrancis Crawford of LymondFrancis Crawford of Lymond is a fictional character created by the novelist Dorothy Dunnett, and the central figure in The Lymond Chronicles, six complex historical novels set in 16th century Europe....
, Master of Culter - Sybilla Crawford, Dowager Baroness Culter
- Richard Crawford, Third Baron Culter
- Phelim O'Liam Roe, Irish leader
- Oonagh O'Dwyer, Mistress of Cormac O'Connor
- Archie Abernethy, Elephant Keeper
Main historical characters
- Mary de Guise, Queen DowagerQueen DowagerA queen dowager or dowager queen is a title or status generally held by the widow of a deceased king. In the case of the widow of a deceased emperor, the title of empress dowager is used...
of Scotland - Margaret Erskine
- Jenny Fleming, Mistress of the King of France
- George Douglas, exiled Scot, living in France
- Cormac O'Connor, claimant to the Irish throne
Main locations
- ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France - BloisBloisBlois is the capital of Loir-et-Cher department in central France, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orléans and Tours.-History:...
, France - LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England - Falkland PalaceFalkland PalaceFalkland Palace in Falkland, Fife, Scotland, is a former royal palace of the Scottish Kings. Today it is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland, and serves as a tourist attraction.-Early years:...
, Scotland
The Disorderly Knights (1966)
His reputation freshly restored after his actions in France, Lymond travels to the Isle of MaltaMalta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, home to the Crusading Order of Knights Hospitaller of St John, just before the Ottoman Turks lay it under siege. There he becomes embroiled in a contest of wits with a man who may or may not be a living saint, and discovers a secret that will transform that intellectual contest into a visceral struggle for his native Scotland.
Main fictional characters
- Francis Crawford of LymondFrancis Crawford of LymondFrancis Crawford of Lymond is a fictional character created by the novelist Dorothy Dunnett, and the central figure in The Lymond Chronicles, six complex historical novels set in 16th century Europe....
- Jerott Blyth, Childhood friend of Francis Crawford, French Merchant and Knight of St John
- Sir Graham Reid Malett, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St John
- Joleta Reid Malett, Sir Graham's younger sister
- Randy Bell, Alec Guthrie, Adam Blacklock - men of the company of St Mary's
- Oonagh O'Dwyer
- Kate Somerville, England landower and friend of the Crawfords
- Philippa Somerville, Daughter of Kate Somerville
Main historical characters
- Juan de HomedesJuan de Homedes y CosconFra Juan de Homedes y Coscon was a Spanish Knights Hospitaller. He was the 47th Grand Master of the Order of Malta, between 1536 and 1553...
, Grand Master of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta - Galatian de Cesel, Governor of Gozo
- Nicolas de NicolayNicolas de Nicolay-Biography:Born at la Grave in Oisans, in the Dauphiné, he left France in 1542 to participate in the siege of Perpignan which was then held by Emperor Charles V of Austria....
, Knight of the Order of St John - Marie de GuiseMary of GuiseMary of Guise was a queen consort of Scotland as the second spouse of King James V. She was the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, and served as regent of Scotland in her daughter's name from 1554 to 1560...
, Queen Dowager of Scotland - Gaspard De Villiers, Governor of Tripoli
- Dragus Rais, Corsair
Main locations
- BirguBirguBirgu is an ancient city in Malta. It played a vital role in the Siege of Malta in 1565. Its population stood at 2,633 in December 2008.-History:...
, Malta - MdinaMdinaMdina, Città Vecchia, or Città Notabile, is the old capital of Malta. Mdina is a medieval walled town situated on a hill in the centre of the island. Punic remains uncovered beyond the city’s walls suggest the importance of the general region to Malta’s Phoenician settlers. Mdina is commonly...
, Malta - GozoGozoGozo is a small island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Southern European country of Malta; after the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago...
, Malta - TripoliTripoliTripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
, North Africa - Scottish Borders, including St Mary's LochSt Mary's LochSt Mary's Loch is the largest natural loch in the Scottish Borders, and is situated on the A708 road between Selkirk and Moffat, about south of Edinburgh. It is long and wide, and was created by glacial action during the last ice age...
- Edinburgh, Scotland
Pawn in Frankincense (1969)
Lymond embarks upon a hunt for the child who may or may not be his, crossing Europe and North Africa following the trail of clues his malevolent adversary has laid for him. Reaching the glittering court of the Ottoman sultan Suleiman the MagnificentSuleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" , for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system...
, Lymond must summon all of his courage and willpower to win freedom for himself, his child and his companions.
Main fictional characters
- Francis Crawford of LymondFrancis Crawford of LymondFrancis Crawford of Lymond is a fictional character created by the novelist Dorothy Dunnett, and the central figure in The Lymond Chronicles, six complex historical novels set in 16th century Europe....
- Jerott Blyth, childhood friend of Francis Crawford, French Merchant and Knight of St John
- Jubrael Pasha, officer at the court of Suleiman the Magnificent
- Joleta Reid Malett, Sir Graham's younger sister
- The Dame de Doubtance, caster of horoscopes, from France
- Georges Gaultier, her associate
- Marthe, his niece
- Philippa Somerville, Daughter of Kate Somerville
- Mikal, a pilgrim of Love
- Guzel (Kiaya Khatun), mistress of the Harem of Dragut Rais
- Onophrion Zitwitz, master of Lymond's household
- Salablanca, Moor
Main locations
- BadenBaden, SwitzerlandBaden is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Aargau, on the west bank of the river Limmat, located in the Limmat Valley , northwest of Zürich. It is the seat of the district of Baden...
, in SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... - AlgiersAlgiers' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, in modern day AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab... - BôneAnnabaAnnaba is a city in the northeastern corner of Algeria near the river Seybouse. It is located in Annaba Province. With a population of 257,359 , it is the fourth largest city in Algeria. It is a leading industrial centre in eastern Algeria....
, modern day Annaba (and ancient Hippo) in Algeria - MonastirMonastir, Tunisia-Areas within Monastir:Monastir's north-eastern territories lead into a place called Route de la Falaise, through which you will reach its most notable suburb, Skanes, which is 6 miles from Monastir's town centre...
, in modern day TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area... - MehediaMahdiaMahdia is a provincial centre north of Sfax. It is important for the associated fish-processing industry, as well as weaving. It is the capital of Mahdia Governorate.- History :...
, modern day Mahdia in Tunisia - ZakynthosZakynthosZakynthos , also Zante, the other form often used in English and in Italian , is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the third largest of the Ionian Islands. It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. It covers an area of ...
, an island off the coast of GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... - AleppoAleppoAleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, in SyriaSyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest.... - DjerbaDjerbaDjerba , also transliterated as Jerba or Jarbah, is, at 514 km², the largest island of North Africa, located in the Gulf of Gabes, off the coast of Tunisia.-Description:...
, an island off the coast of modern day Tunisia - Thessalonika, in Greece
- Zuara, in modern day LibyaLibyaLibya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
- ChiosChiosChios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...
, in modern day Greece, close to the coast of TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... - ConstantinopleIstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, capital city of the Ottoman EmpireOttoman EmpireThe Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...