Looking Back In Time To The Middle Ages

The setting, characters, and events in Royal Blood, as riveting as you may find them are of course not true. As we all know vampires are not part of our reality. There are many aspects of the book, however, that are fascinating in that they are inspired by the Middle Ages. In this vein of thought I seek to explore the history of the middle ages, comparing and contrasting the content of my book with this exciting time period.

Of Royals And Peasants

It is said, as I did some entertainment research while watching the series Reign (which I highly recommend by the way) by Queen Mother, Catherine De Medici, that peasants are the foundation upon which society and the throne sit upon. In short, the peasants in medieval times were the laborers of society. They were farmers and warriors and the lowest class on the social ladder. 

Royals wielded enormous power and influence, occupying the highest position on the social ladder and were elite leaders who commanded vast authority and privilege. To say the least there was a great divide between the two classes. Despite the power of the royals however, peasants were the majority and so when they were discontent and revolted posed a great threat to these elite leaders.

In Royal Blood the importance of the peasant is recognized through moments such as: when Queen Izabella fulfills her duty to the crown by speaking with her people who would share their grievances, or discontent, or look to have issues resolved by her so that they can maintain peace in the land.

Raven’s lover Andrea also is a great example of exceptions that are made to peasants in certain situations, where it was not unheard of that a simple handmaiden such as herself can be raised in station when they gain favor with the king. Andrea rises from the status as a kitchen maid to become his beloved and respected mistress, thus jeopardizing Queen Izabella’s power.

Raven D’ Axelgard In His Youth

King Raven was once an exiled prince of Axelgard. As a young human, before being turned into a vampire, he was given the responsibility of overseeing a small territory. He served as a noble who ruled over a remote village named Axelia which was home to the people of Southern Axelgard bordering the Andula Sea. In short Raven dwindled away his share of the royal treasury on misadventures partaking in opium, gambling, and mingling with harlots. While he was away on one of his escapades his village was sacked and all of the people of his territory were slain.

Currently in the book the place where this village was once located is now known as “The Farmstead,” which is solely dedicated to growing and harvesting crops to feed the ever growing armies of Axelgard.

There are times when currency in the middle ages was generated bearing the image of the ruler on their coinage. Raven was one such ruler, and Axelgard’s gold coins showed his face and were dated for the time he turned 20 years old, in the year 1207. 

Also during 1207 Raven was turned into a vampire that same year. He did not rule Axelgard until his ascension however in 1507, following the death of his descendent and former king, Riveth. He was the only heir to the throne, though he just so happened to not be living.

To give you some background, during the year 1207 it was just after the era known as the High Middle Ages. The following time period was considered the Later Middle Ages in European History and generally spans from 1300 to 1500. The High Middle Ages was a time during which the Crusades, the Golden Age of Islam, the Khmer Empire, the Ayyubid Dynasty, the Jurchens invasion, and muslim conquests took place. In general the Middle Ages is a period in European history which occurred beginning in 500 to 1400-1500 AD. 15th century scholars considered this time as being between the fall of the Western Roman Empire and their own time period.   

In Times Of Peace And War

There are many romantic moments shared between Andrea and Raven, demonstrating the freedom of both royals and peasants during the Middle Ages.

It is true that peasants in particular enjoyed a great deal of “leisure,” mostly due to Catholic influence in Europe which enforced numerous holidays.

During these times of leisure peasants enjoyed feasting, hunting, attending fairs and festivals, playing board games, and listening to music played by minstrels to participate in sports such as archery, wrestling, jousting tournaments, and falconry. Royals were known to have more leisure time and themselves engaged in similar activities, including hunting, falconry, and attending grand tournaments.

Despite all of the leisure activities shared by both the royals and peasants, this time period was strongly characterized by warfare. There were frequent conflicts between kingdoms and noble houses. However there were brief periods of peace achieved through treaties, truces, and the concept “Peace of God.” The “Peace of God” concept was aimed to reduce violence through religious doctrine, during times including Sundays and religious holidays. So although war was widespread efforts were made to create peacetime in the land.

In Royal Blood there is continuous warfare between Axelgard and Zenia, which is characteristic of the times during the middle ages. A majority of the soldiers in Axelgard were peasants, further showing how their place in society is pivotal to the success of war during this fascinating time period. 

Toast Of Blood

Having just finished the first draft of my sequel to Royal Blood, I introduce you to the second book in the trilogy: Toast of Blood. Expect to read it soon.

For now, I invite you dear readers, to take a journey back in time to the fantasy realm of the Middle Kingdom in Royal Blood.