{"title":"Frances Stonor Saunders","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrances Stonor Saunders is a distinguished author known for her incisive and engaging storytelling in the realms of biography and memoir. Her captivating works often explore intriguing historical themes with a sharp investigative lens, unearthing hidden stories from the past and shedding new light on well-trodden subjects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of her renowned works, \u003cem\u003eHawkwood\u003c\/em\u003e, epitomises her ability to weave a compelling narrative that blends historical precision with a nuanced understanding of human nature. Her books are known for meticulously researched details that provide readers with an informative yet highly readable exploration of history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're a history enthusiast or a casual reader, Frances Stonor Saunders invites you into worlds where past and present collide with vibrant storytelling. Discover her collection and experience the rich tapestry of narratives that she expertly crafts through her literary works.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"hawkwood-by-frances-stonor-saunders-9780571219094","title":"Hawkwood","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second son of a minor Essex landowner, John Hawkwood chose to head south in 1360 after serving as a captain in the Black Prince's wars against France. He and other freebooters besieged the Pope at Avignon, and when they were paid to go to Italy, discovered that the threat of force could be very profitable indeed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Italian city-states—Florence, Milan, Siena, and Pisa—offered the richest pickings in Europe. Hawkwood became the most successful, clever, and reliable mercenary leader of the time, leading the Italians to conclude that \"the Devil is an Englishman\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the story of an age when everything came to have a price—when the mercenary companies were vastly rich corporations, with their own accountants, lawyers, and orators. But Frances Stonor Saunders's book is also a glittering and hard-edged evocation of a time of cultural greatness, peopled by characters ranging from Chaucer, Petrarch, Boccaccio, and St Catherine of Siena to corrupt Popes and the Visconti tyrants of Milan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAbove all, \u003cem\u003eHawkwood\u003c\/em\u003e is a brilliant illumination of one of the outstanding figures of English and European history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46843895021804,"sku":"9780571219094","price":36.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9867053482391.jpg?v=1758818803"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/frances-stonor-saunders.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}