Recent media reports about the discovery of the sunken Spanish galleon, the San Jose, with its estimated £1bn treasure, reminded me of one of the challenges I set myself in writing Slave to Fortune. This was to gently introduce readers Read More …
In Slave to Fortune the central character, Tom Cheke, uses ‘ternary’ to decipher a coded message belonging to French agents that has been intercepted by the Order of St John. This post explains what ternary is and how it is Read More …
This post shines a light on the fascinating Order of St John – the Knights Hospitaller – which feature prominently in Tom’s memoir. Around half way through Slave to Fortune, Tom has his first encounter with Sir Edward Hamilton. As first meetings go, Read More …
Tom Cheke’s story unfolds in the 1620s. While I was researching his memoir, I made a very useful discovery that provided valuable glimpses into what life was like in southern England almost four centuries ago. My discovery was Little Woodham, Read More …
This page provides information about the various ships that feature in Tom’s memoir. The Sword At the beginning of his memoir, Tom’s kidnappers – a crew of Barbary Corsairs led by the notorious captain Murat Rais – force him onto Read More …
Although Slave to Fortune is set in Europe and North Africa, two aspects of the book may be of particular interest to American readers: firstly the reported family connections between one of the principal characters in Tom’s memoir – the corsair Read More …
When Tom finds out that his kidnappers are taking him to Algiers, he fears the worst. For Christians of Tom’s day, Algiers had a terrible reputation connected to its role in the enslavement of Europeans (and others). But as Tom Read More …
Charles Gonzaga (1580 –1637) was a fascinating character with an array of aristocratic titles. Born in Paris, he was the son of Louis Gonzaga, Duke of Nevers, and Henriette of Cleves. He features indirectly in Tom’s memoir as the target Read More …
Fra’ (Brother) Antoine de Paule (c. 1551 – 1636) was a knight from the Provence ‘langue’ – one of the seven loosely national groups that together made up the Order of St John of Jerusalem (the Knights Hospitaller). De Paule entered Read More …
Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal-Duke of Richelieu and of Fronsac (1585 –1642) , was a French clergyman and statesman. He was consecrated as a bishop in 1607 and was appointed Foreign Secretary in 1616. Richelieu rose to the heights of Read More …