The Armour Of God

By David Starr

God speaks to Louis IX of France, and the King listens. He receives a divine command to reclaim Jerusalem from the Ayyubid Empire. With unwavering faith, Louis assembles a Crusader army, targeting the Egyptian port of Damietta, the gateway to Cairo and the heart of Ayyubid power. The Ayyubid Empire, stretching from the Atlantic coast of Africa to the steppes of modern Russia, holds the Holy Land. Louis knows that the path to Jerusalem runs through Cairo, and he is determined to reclaim the sacred city. However, with Europe embroiled in its own conflicts, this Crusade will be a predominantly French endeavor. One of the few Englishmen to answer Louis's call is Sir William Longespée, the Earl of Salisbury. Longespée is committed to the cause but lacks the funds to support his knights. After being rebuffed by his cousin, King Henry of England, Longespée must travel to Lyon, where the Pope has established his court, i As they traverse the English Channel and ride through France, Longespée is wounded by bandits, and his squire, Adam, is killed. They reach Lyon, where Pope Innocent provides the much-needed funds. While Longespée recovers, Geoffrey returns to England to rally the crusaders. In England, Sir Richard De La Roche, the Seneschal of the English Templars, recruits knights for the Crusade. Driven by a desire for vengeance for the fallen members of his order, De La Roche enlists Herbert De Forest, a discontented Marcher Lord, and his reluctant brother-in-law, Colin of Shropshire. Colin, motivated by promises of land and knighthood, joins the Crusade despite his hedonistic tendencies. Meanwhile, in the Forest of Dean, a young boy named Owain Fletcher survives a deadly pestilence that claims his family and village. Believed to be spared by divine intervention, Owain is taken under the wing of De La Roche and becomes Colin's squire. Together, they journey to Dover, where the British Crusaders gather before sailing to France. Across the Mediterranean, Sultan Al-Malik as-Salih Najm al-Din Ayyub faces his own challenges. With rebellion brewing in Damascus and personal scandals within his family, he must leave Cairo in the hands of his wife, Sajar Al Dur, and his trusted general, Faris. Unbeknownst to him, Sajar and Faris are plotting to overthrow him. As the Crusaders and the Ayyubid forces prepare for the inevitable clash, a tapestry of treachery, forbidden love, and unwavering honor unfolds. Christian and Muslim, noble and commoner, slave and freeman alike will converge on the shores of the Mediterranean, their destinies intertwined in a battle that will shape the course of history for centuries to come.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F5X9KBHK
• ISBN13: 9798280957633
• Release Date: April 2025
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 517 Pages
• Dimensions: 11.0" x 1.4" x 8.3"