Master of Mayhem

by Peter Darman Book 4 in the Crusader Chronicles series.

First published 2015

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4.4(989)

Livonia and Estonia in the 1220s are formally more secure, but Conrad Wolff's position as a master of the Sword Brothers places him inside a struggle involving bishops, papal representatives, Danish interests and the military order itself. A personal grievance quickly becomes entangled with wider disputes over who will control the territories won during the Baltic crusades.

War with Lithuania continues to drain men and supplies while a new crisis develops in the north. Conrad and his companions face the possibility of destruction in winter campaigning and must make decisions whose consequences reach beyond a single battle. The novel focuses on the unstable transition from conquest to rule, when castles, tribute, papal authority and local alliances matter as much as success in the field.