The Lion of Cortona: A Novel of the Middle Ages

by Charles Van Doren

http://amazon.com/dp/B00EP6LXS8

The people of Cortona are awakened by church bells to learn that their walled city has been betrayed and invaded by the army of the bishop of Arezzo. Each household has only the time it takes for a candle placed at their doorstep to burn out, before all inside must leave with whatever they can carry. Nino, Mariana, and Benno were hardly more than children when that happened. As 13th-century events unfold with ease and authenticity, it is intriguing to watch the book’s bold and interesting characters develop, intermingle, and reckon with the consequences of their actions. Nino meets Thomas Aquinas in France. Benno, the main hero, joins the army of the archbishop of Milan, Ottone Visconti. Nina (Mariana), Nino’s sister, loves Benno. But because of his humble origins, Benno must prove himself before he can claim her. He joins the army of the archbishop of Milan, distinguishing himself as a leader and hero at the Battle of Pizzighettoni. Surrounding these two events, much of the story is entirely the creation of a man’s imagination, inspired by the city he loved.