The Falcon of Palermo: A Novel - Softcover

Bordihn, Maria R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 080214232X ISBN 13: 9780802142320

Publisher: Grove Press, 2006

Synopsis

The Falcon of Palermo opens with the nations of modern Europe just beginning to take shape, while the papacy clings to its temporal power. Into this era of shifting borders and alliances steps a leader who will become legendary — the brilliant maverick, Frederick II. After losing his parents, Emperor Henry Hohenstaufen and Queen Constance, by age four, a young, neglected Frederick runs among the urchins in the Muslim quarter while German warlords overrun Sicily. To restore order the Pope sends Archbishop Berard, a warmhearted man who gradually develops a deep bond with the gifted boy. Fluent in Arabic and strongly influenced by Muslim culture, Frederick aims to return Sicily to her former glory. However, when elected Holy Roman Emperor in a surprise move by the German princes, his vision grows. Once established as the unchallenged ruler, Frederick works to create an empire equal to that of Rome. Marked by his struggle with the Papacy for the domination of Europe, his glorious feats in battle, his recapturing of the Holy Land, his falconry, and the passions that led him to wives, mistresses, and one enduring love, Frederick's life is a fascinating glimpse into a pivotal period in medieval history.

About this title

From Publishers Weekly:

Bordihn's scrupulously researched debut brims with drama, passion and personalities ranging from the scandalous to the sublime. After the untimely deaths of his parents (his father was the tyrannical German emperor Henry of Hohenstaufen), emperor-to-be Frederick II is on his own, mingling with street urchins in 13th-century Sicily's Muslim quarter as his homeland is besieged by German warlords. When Pope Innocent sends Archbishop Berard to quell the chaos, the green-eyed boy-king and the avuncular bishop become fast friends. Surprisingly, German princes and the pope elect Frederick Holy Roman Emperor, but he's not the malleable leader they were hoping for. Brilliant and headstrong, Frederick aspires to build an empire to equal Rome, even if it means defying the church (he was excommunicated twice). Frederick's appetite for power is nearly rivaled by his lust for beautiful women (marriage doesn't preclude him from bedding a bevy of fair-skinned lovelies). He also studies Roman history and astrology, writes poetry and excels at falconry. When, on his deathbed, Frederick laments his failures as a leader, lifelong confidante Berard reminds him of his triumphs: "You gave men a vision of enlightenment, justice and tolerance. You gave them hope." Bordihn renders vivid descriptions of the medieval era (bejeweled costumes, bloody battles, the pomp of the royal court) in this engrossing account of a legendary ruler both revered and reviled. Agent, Rogers, Coleridge and White. (Feb.)
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From Booklist:

This fascinating fictional account of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II is realistically detailed with all the pomp, pageantry, poverty, and pestilence of the Middle Ages. Born into uncertainty and upheaval, Frederick, the son of Henry Hohenstaufen, is orphaned and running wild in the Muslim quarter of Palermo at an early age. Taken under the wise and kindly wing of an archbishop sent by the pope to recover papal lands that had been stolen in a Sicily overrun by German invaders, Frederick begins the seminal tutelage that sets him on his remarkable journey toward greatness. Amazingly sympathetic to Arabic mores and culture, Frederick blends elements of East and West during his reign as king of Sicily. When Frederick is eventually elected Holy Roman Emperor, intrigue, power struggles, political machinations, and religious controversies run rampant as he struggles to maintain and extend control over a difficult empire. Bordihn artfully humanizes her larger than life subject in this remarkably intelligent and entertaining fictional biography. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Grove Press
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 080214232X
• ISBN 13: 9780802142320
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 432