Lionheart

. Reveals the dark side of England's most celebrated monarch for the very first time When people think of Richard the Lionheart they recall the scene at the end of every Robin Hood epic when he returns from the crusade to punish his treacherous brother John and the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham. In reality Richard detested England and the English, was deeply troubled by his own sexuality and was noted for greed, not generosity, and for murder rather than mercy. In youth Richard showed no interest in girls, but a taste for cruelty and a greed for gold that would literally be the death of him. To save his own skin, he repeatedly abandoned his supporters to an evil fate, and his lack of interest in women saw the part of queen at his coronation played by his formidable mother, Queen Eleanor. His brief reign bankrupted England twice, destabilised the powerful empire his parents had put together and set the scene for his brother's ruinous rule. So how has Richard come to be known as the noble Christian hero associated with such bravery and patriotism? Lionheart reveals the scandalous truth about England's hero king - a truth that is far different to the myth that has endured for eight centuries. AUTHOR: Douglas Boyd is a critically acclaimed author of both fiction and non-fiction. His first professional use of his lifelong interest in history was in scripting and directing dramatic reconstructions of the industrial revolution for the BBC in Manchester. His fiction writing is also set in historical settings and carefully researched due to his speaking several European languages. As to how close Boyd gets to the events of his history writing, he was made an honorary ex-legionnaire by past and serving members of the Foreign Legion for his history of their unique army. Several of his books have been translated into 17 languages. SELLING POINTS: . Paperback edition of the follow-up to the author's hugely successful April Queen: Eleanor of Aquitaine . Original research from a critically acclaimed author . Previously unpublished material 32 b/w images and maps