Winning His Spurs

📘 About This Book

A story of medieval life that follows the remarkable adventures of young Cuthbert de Lance, a lad who serves as a page to an English nobleman during the Third Crusade. George Alfred Henty (8 December 1832 - 16 November 1902) was a prolific English novelist and war correspondent.He is best known for his historical adventure stories that were popular in the late 19th century. His works include The Dragon & The Raven (1886), For The Temple (1888), Under Drake's Flag (1883) and In Freedom's Cause (1885).G. A. Henty was born in Trumpington, near Cambridge. He was a sickly child who had to spend long periods in bed. During his frequent illnesses he became an avid reader and developed a wide range of interests which he carried into adulthood. He attended Westminster School, London, and later Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he was a keen sportsman. He left the university early without completing his degree to volunteer for the Army Hospital Commissariat when the Crimean War began. He was sent to the Crimea and while there he witnessed the appalling conditions under which the British soldier had to fight. His letters home were filled with vivid descriptions of what he saw. His father was impressed by his letters and sent them to The Morning Advertiser newspaper which printed them. This initial writing success was a factor in Henty's later decision to accept the offer to become a special correspondent, the early name for journalists now better known as war correspondents.Shortly before resigning from the army as a captain in 1859 he married Elizabeth Finucane. The couple had four children. Elizabeth died in 1865 after a long illness and shortly after her death Henty began writing articles for the Standard newspaper. In 1866 the newspaper sent him as their special correspondent to report on the Austro-Italian War where he met Giuseppe Garibaldi. He went on to cover the 1868 British punitive expedition to Abyssinia, the Franco-Prussian War, the Ashanti War, the Carlist Rebellion in Spain and the Turco-Serbian War. ...Henty wrote 122 works of historical fiction and all first editions had the date printed at the foot of the title page.[11] Several short stories published in book form are included in this total, with the stories taken from previously published full-length novels. The dates given below are those printed at the foot of the title page of the very first editions in the United Kingdom. It is a common misconception that American Henty titles were published before those of the UK. All Henty titles bar one were published in the UK before those of America. The simple explanation for this error of judgement is that Charles Scribner's Sons of New York dated their Henty first editions for the current year. The first UK editions published by Blackie were always dated for the coming year, to have them looking fresh for Christmas. The only Henty title published in book form in America before the UK book was In the Hands of the Cave-Dwellers dated 1900 and published by Harper of New York. This title was published in book form in the UK in 1903, although the story itself had already been published in England prior to the first American edition, in The Boy's Own Annual.

📖 Summary

Winning His Spurs is a captivating historical adventure that plunges readers directly into the turbulent, romantic, and challenging world of the medieval era. Written by the celebrated 19th-century novelist and war correspondent George Alfred Henty, the book chronicles the remarkable journey of its young protagonist, Cuthbert de Lance. Through Cuthbert's eyes, readers are transported across continents and centuries to experience the grandeur and brutality of the Third Crusade, a momentous historical campaign that pitted European crusaders against formidable adversaries in the Near East. The narrative primarily follows Cuthbert as he transitions from boyhood to manhood by serving as a dedicated page to an English nobleman. In this demanding role, Cuthbert must navigate the strict hierarchies, codes of conduct, and physical trials of medieval knighthood. Henty uses Cuthbert's experiences to paint a vivid picture of what daily life, military training, and political intrigue looked like for a youth growing up in feudal Europe and campaigning on foreign soil. As Cuthbert faces numerous perils, tests of loyalty, and battlefield encounters, the story emphasizes the virtues of courage, honor, and perseverance under extreme duress. Published in its modern edition in 2016, this enduring tale reflects the unique background of its author. G. A. Henty drew heavily upon his own extensive experiences as a war correspondent to craft realistic military movements, strategic maneuvers, and vivid battle scenes. Despite enduring a sickly childhood that confined him to his bed for long periods, Henty developed a voracious appetite for reading and a remarkably wide range of historical interests. These formative years spent studying diverse subjects eventually enabled him to produce a vast library of historical adventure stories that captivated late-nineteenth-century readers and continue to entertain modern audiences interested in historical fiction and medieval pageantry.

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