The Cost of a Crown

By: Michael Pritsos

Narrated by: Lineweaver Audio

It’s the year of our Lord 1066, and Edward the Confessor is dead.

Long live the king.

Upon his death, there are multiple claimants to the English throne. It's said that he whispered a successor in his final moments, but can the wishes of the deceased hold up against men vying for power?

Harold Godwinson, staunch man of the Anglo-Saxon people, finds himself with the crown that his family has fought so fiercely to protect for decades. It has been his life’s mission to defend his beautiful homeland, and now he has the full authority to ensure its security.

In Normandy, Duke William broods. Harold had sworn an oath to put forth William's name for the throne when the time came. When Harold shows no intention of honoring his commitment, something must be done.

Theo, a Greek in a self-imposed exile from Sicily, has found service and friendship in Harold’s household guard. As a foreigner, however, life hasn’t been easy. Can he find the home he seeks amongst the Saxons he starts to call his brothers, or will the threat of multiple invasions bring his new world crashing down?

Battles have affected the course of history for many nations, but few have had the power to impact the globe. The Battle of Hastings was one such event. In the years following 1066’s bloody chaos, cultures throughout Europe would never be the same. That was the cost the English, their enemies, and an unsuspecting future would all pay. All for the sake of a crown.

©2020 Michael Pritsos (P)2023 Michael Pritsos