Melisende, princess of Jerusalem after the First Crusade, was married to a man she neither desired nor felt she needed, because the 12th Century was not a time when a queen could rule on her own account. And yet, she did.

Jerusalem and the surrounding European-ruled kingdoms of Outremer (derived from the French for "overseas") after the First Crusade are a rich and unfamiliar setting for a story. This book's author gives the titular queen and her immediate family some space, connecting fictional characters to those fascinating historical figures. As a result the book's protagonists can easily show the reader the alleys and outskirts of the vividly described setting as well as the inhabitants of same. The author's implicit criticism of the militarism, racism, and sexism of the time is all the more effective for being manifest in who the reader meets and what they do.

Both the real people and the fictional come to life in this story of intrigue, romance, and character-driven drama. Their moral depth and verisimilitudinous conversation kept me interested, and I am more than a little sad to see that this book doesn't have a sequel.


Vocabulary:

accidia - More often spelled "acedia", meaning sloth or more generally a lack of interest.
antiphon - A scripture said or sung before and after a canticle, psalm, or psalm verse as part of the liturgy
arrant - being notoriously without moderation
atabeg - A hereditary title of nobility of a Turkic origin, indicating a governor of a nation or province who was subordinate to a monarch and charged with raising the crown prince.
badinage - banter
chatelaine - wife of a castellan, more broadly the mistress of a household
collops - originally an egg fried on bacon, more broadly it means a portion of something
cortege - retinue
equable - unchanging, uniform
estampie - a Medieval dance and its musical accompaniment
excoriate - criticize severely
frowsty - stale, warm, and stuffy
fusty - stale, damp, and stuffy
gambeson - a padded quilted jacket worn under or as armor
garth - an open space surrounded by cloisters. More broadly, a yard or garden.
hieratic - of or concerning priests
houri - a beautiful young woman, specifically one of the virgin companions of the faithful in Muslim paradise
hoyden - a boisterous girl
hypocaust - a hollow space under the floor of an ancient Roman building, into which hot air was sent for heating a room or bath
infelicities - unfortunate, inappropriate remarks
insouciant - indifferent
louvers - Angled slat vents in a door, shutter, or roof.
mooncalf - a fool
paynim - an archaic word for heathen, specifically applied to Muslims
portress - woman porter
posset - A drink made of hot milk curdled with ale, wine, or other alcoholic liquor and typically flavored with spices, drunk as a delicacy or as a remedy for colds.
probity - the quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency
reiver - raider or reaver, specifically one that traveled on a river
salubrious - healthy
scrofulous - diseased
supernal - heavenly
surfeit - surplus
trammel - Something impeding activity, progress, or freedom or one of seven distinctly different tools.
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Starting in 1129, this is set in the Kingdom of Jerusalem where the Princess Melisende, heiress of Baldwin II, is marrying Fulk of Anjou. It tells the story of Richeldis, who has travelled to Outremer in Fulk’s company, who is trying to find her brother and persuade him to return to France to take on the family estate. Unfortunately, her brother has other ideas, having sworn never to return. Richeldis becomes one of Melisende’s ladies, and her confidante. Richeldis’ story is interwoven with that of the Kingdom; she marries and settles in the kingdom (having sworn not to return without her brother), and the story ends when Baldwin III ends his mother’s regency.

This is set in more familiar Tarr territory; that of The Hound and Falcon trilogy and the Alamut duology. However, like the preceding book in the series, this is a straight historical novel with no hint of magic.

Recommended

Queen of Swords by Judith Tarr

Born a daughter and raised to rule as the heir to the kingdom, Queen of Swords is the saga of Melisende, Queen of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. The novel portrays how she overcomes the restrictions of the 12th Century to rule as a woman in a time when this was uncommon and unwanted by the men in power.

Tarr describes the history of the Latin kingdom while it was at the height of the Crusader strength and before additional crusades were necessary to halt the drive by the defenders of Islam to reclaim their lands. Melisende is the eldest daughter of King Baldwin II who has no sons. She must wed a foreigner, Fulk of Anjou who is a widower and much older than she. Fulk has been invited to come to Jerusalem by King Baldwin to become king after Baldwin dies. This leaves Melisende unprepared to be a wife, mother, and supportive queen when she was to be queen in her own right. Tarr does a skill job narrating Melisende's frustration in taking a backseat to power.

Secondary characters, such as Richildis of La Foret who travels to the holy land to find her brother, Bertrand help drive the plot. Brother and sister each find romance making any return trip home moot. Tarr succeeds in weaving a enertaining story while always remaining true to historical events. All characters are lively and realistically portrayed. Highly recommended for readers young adult and older. ( )