Welcome to
MARY'S TAVERN
Please make welcome the lovely Mary Ann Bernal to the Tavern!
We're celebrating her new book release, Crusader's Path! Don't you just love
the cover? It's stunning! I'm eager to read this fascinating story. The ale and
mead are flowing, so grab a mug and let's take a look at Mary Ann's book...
From the sweeping hills of Argences to the port city of
Cologne overlooking the River Rhine, Etienne and Avielle find themselves drawn
by the need for redemption against the backdrop of the First Crusade.
Heeding the call of His Holiness, Urban II, to free the Holy
Land from the infidel, Etienne follows Duke Robert of Normandy across the
treacherous miles, braving sweltering heat and snow-covered mountain passes
while en route to the Byzantine Empire.
Moved by Peter of Amiens’ charismatic rhetoric in the
streets of the Holy Roman Empire, Avielle joins the humble army of pilgrims.
Upon arrival in Mentz, the peasant Crusaders do the unthinkable, destroying the
Jewish Community. Consumed with guilt, Avielle is determined to die fighting
for Christ, assuring her place in Heaven.
Etienne and Avielle cross paths in Constantinople, where
they commiserate over past misdeeds. A spark becomes a flame, but when Avielle
contracts leprosy, Etienne makes a promise to God, offering to take the priest
cowl in exchange for ridding Avielle of her affliction.
Will Etienne be true to his word if Avielle is cleansed of the
contagion, or will he risk eternal damnation to be with the woman he loves?
After having written The Briton and the Dane series, set in
Anglo-Saxon Britain during the Ninth Century, I decided to leave Britannia for
the Duchy of Normandy and the Holy Roman Empire, focusing on events leading up
to the First Crusade in the Eleventh Century. However, I was interested in
following the route of the armies heading towards Jerusalem. While stories
about famous sieges, including Nicaea and Antioch, are recognizable, I wanted
to write about the little-known assaults, the citadels in-between, the
unheard-of battles such as the fall of Dorylaeum.
The Third Crusade continues to ignite the imagination with
tales of Richard the Lionheart and his nemesis, Saladin, kept alive by
Hollywood blockbusters. The same cannot be said about Pope Urban’s fiery speech
at the Council of Clermont in the Duchy of Aquitaine that launched his Holy War
against the followers of Islam. But who was in attendance? A humble monk, Peter
of Amiens, for one, among the thousands vowing to undertake the journey for the
salvation of their souls.
But where to start, back in Britannia? Surely, there were
other countries on the European continent to explore. Why not France? I did
take four years of French in High School, after all. And the Norman William did
conquer the island Kingdom of England.
In 1087, William the Conqueror died, leaving the Norman
Duchy to his first-born son, Robert, while bequeathing England to his son,
William Rufus. Since I wanted to explore the reasons why people chose to take
up the Cross and fight for Christ in the Holy Land, I decided to learn more
about Duke Robert of Normandy, who personally led his army to Jerusalem. At the
same time, his brother, King William Rufus, remained in England.
William Rufus
Robert of Normandy
Etienne, a nobleman from Argences, accompanied his overlord
throughout the Duchy of Normandy and on the road to Jerusalem.
Peter the Hermit preaching the First Crusade
Avielle, a commoner living in Cologne, joined Peter’s Army
after hearing him speak in the market square. She was a healer afflicted with
Leprosy.
Infectious diseases have been documented since Biblical
times. Although Leprosy is treatable today, the stigma associated with the
contagion still exists. Society isolates people afflicted with communicable
infections. Jerusalem did have a leper hospital before and during the First
Crusade, which eventually led to the founding of the Order of St. Lazarus,
consisting of warriors stricken with the contagion.
My two main characters meet in Constantinople. At this
point, the sins for which they seek redemption remain at the forefront. Neither
Etienne or Avielle could forgive themselves, seeking salvation with pure
hearts.
Map of the First Crusade - roads of main armies
Duke Robert of Normandy’s Army joined the Princes’ Army at
Nicaea. Before the armies reached Antioch, they stopped at Dorylaeum. When the
troops finally reached the impregnable walls of Antioch, they settled in for a
lengthy siege. With winter approaching, Duke Robert left the blockade to thwart
Turkish invaders at the port city of Laodicea. He did not return to Antioch
until spring.
Antioch was not easily won, but the armies still had to
travel through Syria and Lebanon on their way to Jerusalem. What happened at
Marre and Arqa is not widely known. But atrocities did occur. The barbarity
struck fear into the heart of the enemy, a blight upon a movement created in
the name of God.
As we know, history tends to repeat itself, as seen by the
numerous wars throughout the centuries. Placing living, breathing characters
into historical events, brings the past alive. Crusader’s Path delves into the
mindset of men and women living through a violent age. Their hopes, dreams, and
fears mimic our thoughts and feelings. We are not so different from those who
came before us. The realities of warfare should not be romanticized. Hatred of
the outsider triggered the First Crusade. Unfortunately, Holy Wars continue
through this day.
Meet the Author
Mary Ann Bernal attended Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY,
where she received a degree in Business Administration. Her literary
aspirations were ultimately realized when the first book of The Briton and the
Dane novels was published in 2009. In addition to writing historical fiction,
Mary Ann has also authored a collection of contemporary short stories in the
Scribbler Tales series and a science fiction/fantasy novel entitled Planetary
Wars Rise of an Empire. Her latest endeavor is Crusader’s Path, a story of
redemption set against the backdrop of the First Crusade.
Connect with Mary Ann here
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