A unique tale of love and politics, betrayal and survival, male and female power, relics and prophecies, against the Machiavellian backdrop of the Investiture Controversy.
A.D. 1062. The Holy Roman Emperor is dead, and his underage son, snatched from his mother, is a puppet in the hands of regents. The fate of the empire lies in the hands of three women. Surprisingly, the Church takes their side, but Rome’s support has a price. Matilde refuses to be a pawn in the marriage game. Is she the child of Charlemagne’s prophecy?
HFC 2021 BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNER (WORLD HISTORICAL FICTION CATEGORY); SHORTLISTED FOR THE PAGE TURNER AWARDS; HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY EDITOR'S CHOICE; AMAZON UK, CANADA, AND AUSTRALIA KINDLE HISTORICAL FICTION NO.1 BEST-SELLER.
From the royal halls of Germany to the papal Curia, to the walled cities, mighty fortresses, and rolling hills of Central Italy, Lotharingia is a rare journey through the characters and events that convulsed the Holy Roman Empire at the dawn of the second millennium.
1062
After a long-held feud has claimed the men in her family, Matilde prepares to succeed her father as margrave of Tuscany. A descendant of Charlemagne, heiress to the most prestigious relics in Christendom, and a trained warrior, she could comfortably rule on her own. To her dismay, the Church will support her extraordinary claim to power only if she accepts a traditional role and marries the Duke of Lotharingia - a man who fills her with dread.
Despite her formidable mother's diplomatic nous and mysterious relics of the Holy Blood, Matilde's efforts to extricate herself from her betrothal are crushed by the intrigues of the all-seeing papal archdeacon Ildebrando.
1069
Across the Alps, the late emperor's son, King Heinrich, has come of age, in a court rife with passions and treasonous ambitions. Resenting the bride chosen for him, he stuns his subjects and Rome with a defiant request to divorce. Ildebrando shatters his hopes. When, after a chance meeting, Heinrich rescues Matilde from her abusive husband, friendship blossoms into forbidden love. If their sin is discovered, the Church may strike them down with excommunication, political and personal ruin. Unbeknown to Matilde and Heinrich, the stakes are even higher: Charlemagne's prophecy is about to come true.
In the 11th century, Countess Matilda/Matilde of Tuscany was the most famous woman in Western Christendom, a trailblazer who defied the gender expectations of her age to become the most powerful prince of the Holy Roman Empire for two generations. Exploiting the gaps and contradictions in medieval chronicles, Lotharingia weaves history and fiction into an alternative account of the world and challenges that shaped her youth, as she grappled with the constraints of femininity in her quest for self-definition, power, and love.
PRAISE FOR LOTHARINGIA
'Byrne writes beautifully and brings the politically unstable world of 11th-century Europe to life.' Historical Novel Society
'First-rate historical fiction.' Rose Auburn
'If a book could get ten stars, then this is one of them!' Historical Fiction Press
'A superbly constructed probable tale, spell-binding, sensual, and bittersweet, loaded with exquisite detail, and entirely engaging.' GoodReads Review
'Don’t pass this one up…. it’s a must if you enjoy medieval history!' NetGalley Review
'Something between the Medici and the Tudor, with a tad bit of Shakespeare thrown in.' Ink & Insights
'Historical fiction at its very best and a highly recommended read.' GoodReads Review
