Alfred Duggan Books In Order

Novels

Knight with Armour (1946)
The Conscience of the King (1951)
The Little Emperors (1951)
Thomas Becket of Canterbury (1952)
Lady for Ransom (1953)
Leopards and lilies (1954)
God and My Right (1955)
Winter Quarters (1956)
Three’s Company (1958)
Founding Fathers (1959)
The Cunning of the Dove (1960)
The King of Athelney (1961)
Lord Geoffrey’s Fancy (1962)
Besieger of Cities (1963)
Family Favourites (1963)
Count Bohemond (1964)
The Romans (1965)

Non fiction

Julius Caesar (1955)
My Life for My Sheep (1955)
Devil’s Brood (1957)
He Died Old (1958)
Look At Churches (1961)
Growing Up in Thirteenth Century England (1962)
The Story of the Crusades 1097-1291 (1963)
Growing up with the Norman Conquest (1965)
The Falcon and the Dove (1971)

Novels Book Covers

Non fiction Book Covers

Alfred Duggan Books Overview

Knight with Armour

Follow a young knight into the First Crusades and up to the citadel of Jerusalem itself with the best historical novel to tackle that epic story. Impoverished and na ve, during the three year journey Roger discovers the wide chasm between war as celebrated by troubadours and its grisly reality.

The Conscience of the King

Cerdic Elesing, King of Wessex and ancestor of all subsequent British monarchs, narrates in this fictional biography how he murdered, cheated, looted and lied his way to the great position he ultimately held and in the process served with the great Roman leader Ambrosius and the Saxon warlord Aella, and was the foe Arthur defeated at Mount Badon.

The Little Emperors

Felix, treasurer of Britain, having served at the court of the Imperial court itself, struggles to maintain the same elaborate standards in provincial Britain. And, cut off from Rome by the barbarian invasion of Gaul, and needing every penny to pay the army, he soon finds it impossible. Preoccupied with status and finances, he barely notices that his wily father in law Gratianus, with the help of Felix’s sad*istic wife is engineering a coup one which embroils Felix dangerously in politics. Forced to flee for his life, Felix finally understands that lax etiquette is the least of Britain’s problems…

Lady for Ransom

From one of the best literary novelists of this century Times Literary Supplement comes a fascinating novel set in the twilight of the Byzantine Empire. Through the tale of the ruthless nobleman, Roussel de Balliol, his wife Lady Matilda, and Roger attached to Balliol’s force we receive a vivid and vital picture of 11th century life. An extremely gifted writer who can move into an unknown period and give it life and immediacy. New York Times.

Winter Quarters

Camul and Acco were both Gauls of the Pyrenees living at the time of Julius Caesar, both young and proud of their noble descent; Acco, also an Ovate training to be a Druid. In avenging the girl he loved Acco brought upon himself the curse of the Goddess; and in consequence both men left home to join the Roman army. The story tells of their adventures and travels which took them to Rome and across the greater part of the Empire as far as its Eastern rim. Duggan includes a brilliant account of the fate of Marcus Crassus’s expedition of seven Roman legions and Gallic cavalry which set out to plunder Seleucia and met with the Parthian horse bowmen under their leader the Surenas. ‘Winter Quarters covers a remarkable amount of ground, and covers it convincingly…
Mr Duggan throws the strengths and weaknesses of the era into sharp relief…
damnably skilful’ Sunday Times

Three’s Company

It was the Rome of Cicero, Rome at the zenith of her power. When Caesar was murdered by some of his enemies, Marcus Antonius was the first to seize power, and then appeared the young Octavius who bore the name of Caesar. Who was the mediator between these two, when a second Triumvirate was formed and recognized? It was Lepidus, whom no one took much account of, and whose name few now remember; a patrician, with no idea of how to command an army in the field. In this novel the history of the years 49 to 36 BC is seen from the point of view of Lepidus. It is the cruelly fascinating, sometimes funny, and, in the end, curiously moving story of a figurehead who tasted power and began to believe in himself.

The Cunning of the Dove

St. Edward the Confessor, King of the English, is commonly despised by historians. He was the last of his dynasty, and after his death his country was conquered by foreigners which was exactly what he wanted. In this chilling, fast paced novel, the different customs, races, and languages of England during the Dark Ages, as well as the period’s violence and struggle for power, all come vividly back to life. The authenticity and sense of place have seldom been bettered.

Lord Geoffrey’s Fancy

Hewing closely to historical fact, Lord Geoffrey’s Fancy presents a beautifully detailed, fast paced study of the 13th century and its world of knights and crusaders, courtly love, and chivalry. The hero, Sir Geoffrey de Bruyere, is the best knight in all Romanie, and we follow him through lively hunts and brightly colored jousting tournaments to fierce battles, as he fights for God and justice against the Turks he regards as infidels. A satisfying and thrilling medieval tale.

Family Favourites

Named after the Syrian Sun god, Elagabalus at only 13 years old led his army to victory and became Emperor of Rome. He was a god like young man: strong, beautiful, charming, and beloved of his soldiers. But when he rose to power, Elagabalus rejected his family’s influence and they, like the Senate, became his deadly enemies. With his customary elegant writing, esteemed writer Alfred Duggan draws us into the tale of this unusual and outrageous leader and the lethal political world of third century Rome.

Count Bohemond

Count Bohemond was a Norman adventurer. History records his meteoric progress from junior member of a Norman warlord’s household in Sicily to his conquests in the Middle East. Alfred Duggan’s historical novel reveals how Count Bohemond challenged the Byzantine Empire, first defeating then allying himself with the wily Emperor Alexius. And how Bohemond outwits the high born, wealthy Crusader leaders who would have led the Crusade to disaster. It is an unrivalled depiction of medieval warfare, from the tactics of cavalry charges to the religious and philosophical beliefs that brought forth the Crusaders.