James Timothy Palmer

This historical novel covers the conflicts in Ireland from the period of independence to the Troubles in the 1970's. All the politicians and military leaders existed and did as narrated, the central family characters are, however, purely fictional. The central family's name, FitzGerald was taken from the Anglo-Norman Lords who ruled much of Munster, as Earls of Desmond, from the time of their invasion in the 12th Century, and it is still a common surname in Ireland.What prompted me to write this novel is that it is 50 years since the Troubles began in Northern Ireland in 1969. Furthermore, there has been a great deal of publicity regarding the coroner's inquest into the 1974 IRA pub bombings, in my place of birth, Birmingham, UK. The coroner ruled that the act was, unlawful killing. Somewhat belatedly, a monument has been erected in the City Centre to those who lost their lives. I am three quarters Irish and as such have been exposed through my relations to the views and feeling of people who lived through this turbulent period. I have never believed that this conflict was about religion. Winston Churchill, in his role as Colonial Secretary in 1921, drew a lot of lines on the map of the world, where conflicts still exist, e.g. Iraq, Jordan, Israel, and of course he was instrumental in the partition of the island of Ireland.

This is an historical novel about Scandinavian kings of England, and those who would be king, especially King Harald III of Norway, who is renowned in Scandinavia but almost unknown elsewhere. He was popularised in a saga written some 150 years after his death, by Snorri Sturluson, which is considered as history by many Scandinavians. I have based this novel on historical facts, which I have embroidered extensively. The dates are correct for the campaigns and events, and all of the major characters existed and made their contribution to history. What sparked my interest in the first place was, that if King Harald had not invaded just three weeks before William the Conqueror in 1066, the English language, would probably be totally different today. Harald decimated Earl Morcar's English northern army and inflicted a lethal blow on Harold II's army of the south. The army that faced William was a shadow of what it would have been without Harald III's untimely invasion. One of my aims is to rebalance people's view of history. For example most people even the Greeks haven't heard of the Varangian Guard, of five thousand Norsemen (and Anglo-Saxons after 1066), who formed the core of the Byzantine army for over five centuries. The Russians and Ukrainians think of themselves as Slavic and tend to ignore their Scandinavian heritage. The British also tend to forget their Scandinavian heritage. Half of England was Danish throughout the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries, and all the Scottish islands until the 15th century. English has a large number of Danish words, for example: happy, call, window. Furthermore, the beneficiary of Harald's failed invasion of England, William the Conqueror, was himself of Danish descent. Part Two of the novel continues until King Harald's death in September 1066, in the battle near Stamford Bridge, Yorkshire. During this second period of his life he became known as Harald Hardrada, which translates as Harald the Ruthless. Perhaps "The Unrelenting", would be a better epithet, as he certainly was persistent in his claim to all of Cnut's lands, including England.