The untold saga of the discoverer of America Cristofor Colombo. As Cristoforo Colombo sails to discover new lands, his life is thrown into a storm unsuspectingly designed by his enemies; unknown forces lurk behind him as he sails on to the New Indies. His successful discovery and titles as Governor, Admiral, and Viceroy, turn his voyages into a long life of threats.
Subjects and sovereigns -- The claims of religion -- The age of piracy -- The Ottoman Mediterranean -- The pursuit of justice -- At the Tribunale -- The turn toward Rome.
The work edited here tells a remarkable story about papal treasure and pirates. Over the course of almost fifty years, the editors have pieced together from the vast archive of the Avignonese papacy fifty-four documents that tell the story and provide remarkabkle insights into how the most extensive of medieval bureaucracies worked. The documents are edited in full in Latin, accompanied by English summaries. The editors have provided a brief introduction that tells the story more fully and gives guidance as to the many types of money that appear in the documents and to the different series of Vatican archives that they have used. There is a bibliography, an extensive index of persons and places, an index of topics, and a glossary. The work will be of interest to students of the medieval papacy, to students of medieval commerce and money, to students of the medieval Mediterranean society and language, and to anyone who likes to piece together a good story from bureaucratic documents.--Publisher.
When the Templars were disbanded by papal order in 1307, their fleet disappeared from its base at La Rochelle. The author maintains that a portion of the fleet became the first pirates to fly the Skull and Crossbones - marauding through the Mediterranean, and later preying on the ships of the Vatican coming from the rich ports of the Americas as the Pirates of the Caribbean. Another portion of the fleet fled to the deep fiords of Scotland and came under the command of the St Clair family of Rosslyn - the founders of freemasonry. These Templars made a voyage to Canada in the year 1398, nearly 100 years before Columbus.
“Wow… So many twists and turns that keep you guessing… Captures your attention and doesn't let go till the end.” TB Honest, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A deadly attack on the Vatican City reveals an even deadlier conspiracy within its walls… When Marco Venetti left the military, he thought his days of violence were behind him. But now a beautiful woman is begging for his help. Her daughter has been kidnapped to force her to smuggle a gang of killers into the country. If she disobeys, her family will die. Determined to protect her, Marco goes on the hunt. But after a terrifying battle on a rocky island off the Italian coast, he finds a map on one of the men’s bodies that reveals their ultimate goal: a deadly terrorist attack on the Vatican City itself. Marco races to prevent a bloodbath in the heart of Rome, but the terrorists are more dangerous than he knew. A nuclear weapon is missing, and the CIA, Russians and Israelis are too busy fighting to prevent it falling into the wrong hands. The only person Marco can trust is himself. He must track down and kill his enemy… but the Vatican is home to secrets and conspiracies, and soon Marco realises he may not even know who the real enemy is. Can he uncover a traitor before time runs out? For fans of Joel C. Rosenberg, Tom Clancy and Steven Konkoly, The Vatican Conspiracy is a non-stop explosive thriller of betrayal, revenge and world-shaking conspiracy. See what readers are saying about The Vatican Conspiracy: “An outstanding start to this series!… Grabs you on the first page and is powered by non-stop action and a taut, emotional narrative… A real page turner!” Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Fast-paced action-packed… Nail-biting tension… I really enjoyed reading and would definitely recommend.” NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Riveting… I was completely engrossed… A tonne of action, plenty of twists and turns, and enough drama to keep you feverishly turning the pages.” Readers Retreat “An exhilarating action thriller… Fast-paced and engaging… Look forward to reading the sequels.” DP Reads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A fast-paced action thriller with a lot of twists and turns that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end… The main character Marco is amazing!… Eagerly waiting for the next book!” Goodreads Reviewer “Great action-packed novel… Pulled me in from the first page. There was so much action… I highly recommend” Just Read Jess, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “If you’re a fan of Dan Brown and Steve Berry, you do not want to miss this new series… Kept me hooked; the action never completely let up.’ Fireflies & Freekicks “Fantastic… A blistering read that won’t disappoint.” Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Relentless action, a gripping storyline… Promises to be a terrific series.” Goodreads Reviewer “Fast paced, action packed, adrenaline inducing.” Sharon Beyond the Books, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “If you are in need of excitement—and who isn’t given the lack of travel and parties etc? then you need to read this book. You will be breathless from all the running, and you don’t even need to get out of bed. There are so many twists and turns you could get whiplash, but it would be worth it to reach the end of this wild ride.” Mrs Average Evaluates
A view of pirate life—from the crow’s nest. Pirate lore has captured our fancy for centuries. Here is the first series book that gives readers a comprehensive yet entertaining history of those swashbuckling brigands. It offers portraits of such infamous men and women as Blackbeard, Captain Anne Bonny, Captain Kidd, and Jean LaFitte, with a full history of pirates through the ages, even modern day, high-tech scavengers of the South Seas. For mateys young and old.
Robbery has always been a crime of passion, the result of individuals being struck with a lust for ill gotten gain. The five members of The Syndicate, an international crime group with supporters in the British Government, Church of England and the Freemasons, together with several influential members of the Vatican’s College of Cardinals were no exception. Cardinal Di Luca, Grandmaster of the Order of the Deity and Vatican power broker Cardinal Saltieri along with the mysterious Sister Marie-Élise Bessette conspired to find the lost wealth of the Vatican. What followed was a trail of death and destruction as the fanatical Order of the Deity sought power and control of the Roman Church at any price. At Cardinal Di Luca’s command, the church entered into a fearful and deadly conflict with both The Syndicate and a Chinese Pirate Lord known as the ‘Chameleon’. Within months the desolation of the Holy Roman Church appeared inevitable! With the Vatican’s power base on the verge of collapse and the walls of the city state under siege from foreign powers, the pontiff sought exile in Britain using the hidden wealth of his church to buy passage to freedom. While an evil spread throughout the Holy city the Catholic Churches most closely guarded secret was revealed by Syndicate member Michael Daniels, alias ‘Ares’. When the opportunity to steal the hidden Vatican Gold presented itself, temptation for all concerned proved irresistible!
In this lively debut work of history, Edward Kritzler tells the tale of an unlikely group of swashbuckling Jews who ransacked the high seas in the aftermath of the Spanish Inquisition. At the end of the fifteenth century, many Jews had to flee Spain and Portugal. The most adventurous among them took to the seas as freewheeling outlaws. In ships bearing names such as the Prophet Samuel, Queen Esther, and Shield of Abraham, they attacked and plundered the Spanish fleet while forming alliances with other European powers to ensure the safety of Jews living in hiding. Filled with high-sea adventures–including encounters with Captain Morgan and other legendary pirates–Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean reveals a hidden chapter in Jewish history as well as the cruelty, terror, and greed that flourished during the Age of Discovery.
The Vatican Mythographers offers the first complete English translation of three important sources of knowledge about the survival of classical mythology from the Carolingian era to the High Middle Ages and beyond. The Latin texts were discovered in manuscripts in the Vatican library and published together in the nineteenth century. The three so-called Vatican Mythographers compiled, analyzed, interpreted, and transmitted a vast collection of myths for use by students, poets, and artists. In terms consonant with Christian purposes, they elucidated the fabulous narratives and underlying themes in the works of Ovid, Virgil, Statius, and other poets of antiquity. In so doing, the Vatican Mythographers provided handbooks that included descriptions of ancient rites and customs, curious etymologies, and, above all, moral allegories. Thus we learn that Bacchus is a naked youth who rides a tiger because drunkenness is never mature, denudes us of possessions, and begets ferocity; or that Ulysses, husband of Penelope, passed by the monstrous Scylla unharmed because a wise man bound to chastity overcomes lust. The extensive collection of myths illustrates how this material was used for moral lessons. To date, the works of the Vatican Mythographers have remained inaccessible to scholars and students without a good working knowledge of Latin. The translation thus fulfills a scholarly void. It is prefaced by an introduction that discusses the purposes of the Vatican Mythographers, the influences on them, and their place in medieval and Renaissance mythography. Of course, it also entertains with a host of stories whose undying appeal captivates, charms, inspires, instructs, and sometimes horrifies us. The book should have wide appeal for a whole range of university courses involving myth.
