Europe writhes in the grasp of the Black Death and in Britain, the Hundred Years’ War drags painfully on. The enigmatic English knight and condottiere, Sir John de Hawkwood, veteran of the battles of Crécy and Poitiers, leads his White Company into the war-torn territory of medieval Italy, and begins an audacious and brilliant career in the service of the warring Italian city states – Pisa, Florence, Milan and Rome.
Condottiere is a novel of kings and princes, popes and anti-popes, dukes and despots, saints and sinners. Crockett weaves a complex web of loyalty and betrayal, ambition and intrigue, simmering hatred and enduring love. Based on exhaustive research this is splendidly realised historical fiction and a truly compelling adventure.
Edward John (Eddie) Crockett was born in Aberdeen, Scotland and educated at the Universities of Aberdeen and Zürich. After a seven-year spell as a lecturer at Zürich University, he moved into journalism and then into public relations and media consultancy. He is best-known as a translator and editor of major sporting autobiographies (Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Muhammad Ali), volumes of art history (De Chirico, Raphael) and publications on European Union issues. He lives in southern Brittany. His first novel, Bering, was published by Polygon in 2004.
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