1272.
One man will attempt to change the fate of kings - and the kingdom.
After a blood-soaked defeat in battle, Simon de Montfort is slain and rebellious plotters against the crown and the English court's foreign tyranny are being hunted down by a vengeful King Henry III.
One especially reviled rebel, Braxton de Banastre, an old enemy of the Plantagenets who previously managed to escape from Evesham, has been declared outside the protection of the law by the king.
The monarch announces that Braxton "bears a wolf's head," - allotting him the standing of a wild creature to be killed on sight, with no man allowed to offer him shelter, food or water.
But Braxton the outlaw holds secrets. As well as having a network of allies and sanctuary in England's inaccessible Fenlands, he possesses a glorious royal treasure - the coronation jewels stolen from King John on the day his baggage train was attacked. Braxton plans to use the ancient regalia to validate a new king.
First, however, he must evade those who hunt him, and he must forge alliances with the last sovereign prince of Wales and with the rebel Scots under William 'Braveheart' Wallace and Robert the Bruce.
The Wolf's Head is set against an historically-accurate backdrop that spans the turbulence after Evesham, a battle that shaped England's history. The story takes in the deaths of two Plantagenet kings and the venal, corrupt reign of a third.
Recommended for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Michael Jecks and Robyn Young.
Praise for Paul Bannister:
'Full of action, intrigue and historical insight.' Richard Foreman.
'I enjoyed A Fragile Peace for several reasons: its ability to bring this historical period alive in all its splendour and brutality, its pace and its successful handling of the first person narrative.' Helen McCabe, author of The Price of Beauty.
Paul Bannister is a journalist and author. He has written for national newspapers in Britain and America, covering assignments in about 40 countries. His is also the author of the Forgotten Emperor series, which includes Arthur Britannicus, Arthur Imperator, Arthur Invictus, The King's Cavalry, A Fragile Peace and Arthur: War's End.
