Summary: Black Tulip In 1672, the people of Holland reverses the republic of John and Cornelius de Witt brothers to restore stadtholdership and entrust William III of England. Indifferent to these political events, the godson of Cornelius, Cornelius van Baerle, thinks only make a black tulip, for which the Horticultural Society of Haarlem has promised a reward of one hundred thousand florins (see "tulip mania"). His project will be upset by the accusation of betrayal against him and the stratagems of a jealous neighbor, Isaac Boxtel. However, the hope of seeing that quest lead reborn with the...

summary Raoul d'Harmental, young aristocrat came to Paris in 1711, is an adventurer rather touchy and impetuous. Having shown the last victory of Louis XIV appointed colonel on this occasion, D'Harmental is after the death of King involved the conflict between the party of the princes and the legitimate bastards. Philippe d'Orleans, legitimate prince, regent of France's Louis XV while still a child. D'Harmental first sees withdraw his regiment, which leaves no upset him. After his regiment is his mistress, Sophie d'Averno, the regent takes away. The knight is then ripe for conspiracy. The...

Summary: August 11, 1492, thanks to the maneuvers of his son Caesar, Roderic Borgia was elected pope under the name of Alexander VI. His ambition is to restore political influence in Rome, territories, an army and money. After installing his family in important positions, his power gradually becomes immense. Alongside the alliances that the pope made and unmade at the mercy of events, his son Caesar deviates from its path his enemies and those that hinder. Thus, by poison or the arm of his faithful henchman Micheletto, he gets rid of his older brother Francesco, successive husbands of his...

In the court of King Henri III Valois, ever swarming with rebellion and intrigue, the reckless and honourable Comte de Bussy, one of the nobles of the King's brother le Duc d'Anjou, incurs the wrath of the King's minions. To escape the trap they set for him, he bursts into the house that happens to be behind him, the door of which is miraculously open. Wounded, he faints, and does not know that a doctor is secretly summoned to treat him. When he recovers, he finds himself far away from this house, yet he remembers, as in a dream, the face of a woman lovelier than any he'd ever seen. Convinced...

The Companions of Jehu, as Dumas tells us in his "An Introductory Word to the Reader," was inspired by a story he had read in Charles Nodier's Souvenirs de la Revolution of four young highwaymen, belonging to a band called the Company of Jehu, who fought their way out of a prison in order to avoid the guillotine. His son provided him with outlines for two characters for the tale,"an English gentleman and a French captain," the latter being "a mysterious character, who courts death with all his might, without being able to accomplish his desire." These are Lord Tanley, who goes by the...

Summary: Tebelen Ali, impetuous young man and eager for power, conspiring against her stepfather to take her title of Pasha of Delvino. But he does not get the expected result since it is one that is appointed in his place by the Sultan. Do not worry, it gets rid of and happens to be appointed "prefect roads" of Thessaly with a mission to deliver the region bandits who infest. He then took the opportunity to enrich themselves and get rid of his enemies. Thanks to a reign of terror that he acquired an immense power of which the Sultan begins to take offense without being able to reduce it....