First published 2025
Baldwin IV takes the crown of Jerusalem at fifteen, inheriting a kingdom balanced on the edge of war. Court intrigue swirls around him as his birth mother Agnes battles his adoptive mother Maria Comnena for influence. Beyond family dysfunction, the young king faces a more pressing crisis. Christians, Jews, and Muslims coexist uneasily in his realm while Templars, Hospitaliers, and crusaders plot war against their Saracen enemies. On the borders, the formidable Saladin gathers his forces for what seems an inevitable clash. Baldwin must navigate between competing factions and prevent massacres, but he has few allies he can trust. The story spans from 1099, when Godfrey of Bouillon conquered the holy city after fierce fighting to establish the Kingdom of Jerusalem, through Baldwin's reign in 1174. As military and political pressures mount, the teenage monarch struggles to preserve peace among the three faiths while powerful forces push toward conflict that could destroy everything his predecessors built.
Genres: historical-fiction, political-thriller, historical-drama
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, political-intrigue, religious-conflict
Setting: Jerusalem, Kingdom of Jerusalem
Period: 1099, 1174
1081 pages · Paperback · Le Cherche Midi
Content warnings: violence, war