Fortune's Child: A Novel of Empress Theodora (Book 1 of 2) PDF Download
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Author: James Conroyd Martin
Publisher: Janes Conroyd Martin
ISBN: 0997894598
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 400
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Book Description
KIRKUS REVIEWS: "A meticulously researched historical account presented in the form of a thrilling political drama." GRAND PRIZE 2019 Best Book, Chanticleer International Book Awards Theodora: actress, prostitute, mistress, feminist. And Byzantine Empress of the Roman world. Stephen: handsome Syrian boy, wizard's apprentice, palace eunuch. And Secretary to the Empress. How does this unlikely pair become such allies that one day Empress Theodora asks Stephen to write her biography? From a very young age, Theodora, daughter of a circus bearkeeper in Constantinople, sets her sights well above her station in life. Her exquisite beauty sets her apart on stages and in the eyes of men. Stephen, a Syrian lad of striking good looks, is sold by his parents to a Persian wizard, who teaches him a skill in languages that will serve him well. By the time Destiny brings them together in Antioch, Theodora has undergone heart-rending trials and a transformation, while Stephen has been sold again . . . and castrated. Discover the enduring bond that, however imperfect, prompts Theodora—as Empress—to request palace eunuch Stephen to write her biography.
Author: James Conroyd Martin
Publisher: Janes Conroyd Martin
ISBN: 0997894598
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 400
Get Book Here
Book Description
KIRKUS REVIEWS: "A meticulously researched historical account presented in the form of a thrilling political drama." GRAND PRIZE 2019 Best Book, Chanticleer International Book Awards Theodora: actress, prostitute, mistress, feminist. And Byzantine Empress of the Roman world. Stephen: handsome Syrian boy, wizard's apprentice, palace eunuch. And Secretary to the Empress. How does this unlikely pair become such allies that one day Empress Theodora asks Stephen to write her biography? From a very young age, Theodora, daughter of a circus bearkeeper in Constantinople, sets her sights well above her station in life. Her exquisite beauty sets her apart on stages and in the eyes of men. Stephen, a Syrian lad of striking good looks, is sold by his parents to a Persian wizard, who teaches him a skill in languages that will serve him well. By the time Destiny brings them together in Antioch, Theodora has undergone heart-rending trials and a transformation, while Stephen has been sold again . . . and castrated. Discover the enduring bond that, however imperfect, prompts Theodora—as Empress—to request palace eunuch Stephen to write her biography.
Author: James Conroyd Martin
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781734004304
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 398
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Book Description
Theodora: actress, prostitute, mistress. And Byzantine Empress of the civilized world. Stephen: handsome Syrian boy, wizard's apprentice, palace eunuch. And Secretary to the Empress. How does this unlikely pair become such allies that one day Empress Theodora asks Stephen to write her biography? From a very young age, Theodora, daughter of a circus bearkeeper in Constantinople, sets her sights well above her station in life. Her exquisite beauty sets her apart on stages and in the eyes of men. Stephen, a Syrian lad of striking good looks, is sold by his parents to a Persian wizard, who teaches him a skill in languages that will serve him well. By the time Destiny brings them together in Antioch, Theodora has undergone heartrending trials and a transformation, while Stephen has been sold again . . . and castrated. Discover the enduring bond that, however imperfect, prompts Theodora--as Empress--to request palace eunuch Stephen to write her biography.
Author: Radi Dikici
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789752898356
Category : Byzantine Empire
Languages : en
Pages : 433
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Book Description
"This forceful novel by Radi Dikici is the first to explore the full scope of Empress Theodora's reign, complete with surviving documents that record the forty-eight years of her life. Amongst the women that ruled the world as queens, tsarinas, sultans, and the like, there has never been an empress as powerful as Theodora. She alone seized the crown for herself and everyone else acknowledged her royalty. History portrayed her as a woman indulging in her sexuality, assuming that where there is smoke, there is fire; but also applauded her as an empress that saved the Byzantine Empire from sudden threats with her strong will. In this enchanting novel, the reader will see both the weaknesses and the triumphs of Theodora and be dragged alone [i.e. along] to the captivating schemes of the Byzantium Empire"--Publisher's description, back cover.
Author: Harold Lamb
Publisher: Pinnacle Books
ISBN: 9780523402000
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 377
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Book Description
Author: John Masefield
Publisher: London, Heinemann
ISBN:
Category : English fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 330
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Book Description
Theodora, Empress of the East, was in her youth an actress and courtesan of Constantinople. After retiring from the stage and reforming her conduct, she gained the affection of Justinian, who later married her and proclaimed her Empress and his equal colleague in the empire. One who was plainly her bitterest and least scrupulous enemy has told us that she was beyond words depraved, and that she added to her depravity a thirst for blood and for gold. She was of poor parents and tainted youth. And yet, while still a young woman, this former mime and dancer became the wife of the most remarkable ruler in Christian history, whose reign she helped to make glorious and memorable. This rule, and some of her recorded words, speak for her. We are told so little of her rise from poverty to splendor that that brief part of her life is open to the speculation of the romancer. John Masefield takes it as the subject of his new romance, "Basilissa." This is a novel of adventure in love and in politics, of intrigue and of romance.
Author: David Stone Potter
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0199740763
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 289
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Book Description
An authoritative portrait of one of the ancient world's most intriguing and powerful women.Despite very humble beginnings, Theodora rose to become empress of the Byzantine Empire at the acme of its power and influence. Raised in a family of circus performers in Constantinople, she later caught the attention of the future emperor Justinian while performing as a courtesan. The two weremarried soon thereafter, to the shock of the ruling elite. When Justinian assumed power in AD 527, they ruled the Empire together until her death twenty years later.Their reign was the most celebrated in Byzantine history, bringing wealth, prestige, and even much of the Italian peninsula back to the Empire. As Justinian's most trusted advisor, she discernibly influenced his rule. Her interest in social causes, for example, is seen in added legal protections forwomen and the lower classes. Theodora's most lasting impact was her unwavering support for the Christian sect of Monophysitism. Although her husband was orthodox, Theodora maintained her religious independence at considerable risk to herself. In Syria today, where the sect still thrives, she isrevered as a saint.In Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint, renowned historian David Potter provides a fresh new account of her fascinating life and times. He penetrates the highly biased writings of her contemporaries and takes advantage of the latest research on early Byzantium to craft the most authoritative andengaging biography of Theodora to date. It will be of interest to all readers of women's history and ancient history.
Author: James Conroyd Martin
Publisher: Hussar Quill Press
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 509
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Book Description
Palace eunuch and secretary Stephen records Empress Theodora's life as she navigates wars, political and religious crises, a citywide rebellion, and the first world plague pandemic, all in a male-dominated world.. As the most powerful woman of the Byzantine Empire, one-time prostitute Theodora installs her own candidate for pope, legislates women's rights, and shuts down a massive riot, saving the empire. "A gorgeous tapestry of impeccable research and intricate worldbuilding." ~Kate Quinn, Author of The Empress of Rome Saga and The Rose Code
Author: Stephanie Thornton
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101607661
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 450
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Book Description
Where Theodora went, trouble followed…. In sixth-century Constantinople, one woman, Theodora, defied every convention and all the odds and rose from common theater tart to empress of a great kingdom, the most powerful woman the Roman Empire would ever know. The woman whose image was later immortalized in glittering mosaic was a scrappy, clever, conniving, flesh-and-blood woman full of sensuality and spirit whose real story is as surprising as any ever told…. After her father dies suddenly, Theodora and her sisters face starvation and a life on the streets. Determined to survive, Theodora makes a living any way she can—first on her back with every man who will have her, then on the stage in a scandalous dramatization of her own invention. When her daring performance grants her a backdoor entry into the halls of power, she seizes the chance to win a wealthy protector—only to face heartbreak and betrayal. Ever resilient, Theodora rises above such trials and, by a twist of fate, meets her most passionate admirer yet: the emperor’s nephew. She thrives as his confidant and courtesan, but many challenges lie ahead. For one day this man will hand her a crown. And all the empire will wonder—is she bold enough, shrewd enough, and strong enough to keep it? READERS GUIDE INCLUDED
Author: Guy Gavriel Kay
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101462310
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 415
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Book Description
Guy Gavriel Kay, the international bestselling and multiple award-winning author of The Fionavar Tapestry, brings his unique storytelling imagination to an alternate Byzantine world… Sarantium is the golden city: holy to the faithful, exalted by the poets, jewel of the world and heart of an empire. Caius Crispus, known as Crispin, is a master mosaicist, creating beautiful art with colored stones and glass. Still grieving the loss of his family, he lives only for his craft—until an imperial summons draws him east to the fabled city. Bearing with him a Queen’s secret mission and seductive promise, and a talisman from an alchemist, Crispin crosses a land of pagan ritual and mortal danger, confronting legends and dark magic. Once in Sarantium, with its taverns and gilded sanctuaries, chariot races and palaces, intrigues and violence, Crispin must find his own source of power in order to survive. He finds it, unexpectedly, high on the scaffolding of his own greatest creation.
Author: James Conroy Martin
Publisher: Hussar Quill Press
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 430
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Book Description
An IPPI GOLD MEDAL WINNER! (Best Regional E-book Series 2018) What happens when Napoleon comes calling on a Russian dominated Poland, suggesting that he will win back their independence if only the famed Polish lancers accompany him on his infamous drive to take Moscow and all of Russia? A magnificent epic, AGAINST A CRIMSON SKY is an unforgettable tale of love, valor, and the enduring strength of the human spirit, set against the backdrop of war-torn Poland at the cusp of the nineteenth century. The year is 1794, and the beautiful and resilient Countess Anna Maria Berezowska has narrowly escaped death amidst the chaos caused by the violent dissolution of Poland. Anna is soon reunited with her longtime love, Lord Jan Stelnicki, and the two lovers marry even as their beloved country is ripped apart. As the couple struggles to raise a family in the face of an uncertain future, Anna's capricious cousin Zofia returns with a surprise of her own. Although Zofia's past schemes still resonate, Anna's doubts turn to fear as Jan's patriotism draws him to the battlefield. Offering new hope for a conquered Poland, Napoléon Bonaparte arrives in all of his pomp and glory. With the aid of new Polish legions~Anna's friends and family among them~Napoléon battles his way across Europe, an effort that culminates in the march into Moscow and the subsequent doomed winter retreat. Against this backdrop, Anna and Jan valiantly fight to hold on to a tenuous happiness, their country, and their very lives.
