The Viper of Melfi
The year 1098. It is a year of espionage and a politically motivated assassination attempt. She is stunningly beautiful, sensual and dangerously lethal.The Byzantine secret agent Della Laskaris sets out to Syria on the behalf of the Emperor Alexios Komnenos I and his Minister for State Security, Selvo Tafur, to kill the powerful commander of the First Crusade, Bohemund de Hauteville. Duke Bohemund helped shape with his personal,military maneuvering and intrigues, the conditions of today's Middle East. But all this began years earlier with a speech to a multitude of bishops and cardinals in a field outside of Claremont, France. With a call to arms against the heathen, Pope Urban II launched a war to win back Christendom's Holy Shrine from Jerusalem, at this time in the hands of the Arabs. Aglow with faith, it inspired kings and dukes to advance with their armies from France across Europe to the rich Constantinople. Emperor Alexios was shocked by the build-up of troops setting up camp outside the walls. He was only keen to get rid of the Europeans before they would get the wrong idea to capture and pillage his wealthy city. He gave them lavish gifts and with logistic support, he ferried them across the Bosporus into Minor Asia, sending them into gruesome weather, indescribable suffering and the eventual death of many. The Crusaders marched until their shoes were shredded, their tents rotten and their horses too weak to carry their riders. Even donkeys and stray dogs were used to transport the small remains of the armies. Still, they reached their objective - the Holy Sepulchre and Jerusalem. But Duke Bohemund , this scintillating extraordinary commander had his own planes. On his way to Jerusalem, he gives his troops order to slaughter all inhabitants of the small town of An Nabk in Syria. A young woman, Della Laskaris, loses her entire family and survives the unspeakable atrocious bloodbath by hiding under the corpse of her husband in the heap of the slaughtered. She swears to find the man who gave that order. She offers Contantinople her wish to kill the commander. Byzantine's secret service knows that Bohemund is a man of insane passion for political power and his plan to conquer Byzantium and therefore represents a threat to the empire. Della goes on her mission, using her beauty and charisma as an effective weapon. She is closing in on the commander. The chronicle moves forward in a dramatic tale of love, war, a disastrous case of espionage and a bungles kill attempt. But something unexpected happens. During the brutal battle and capture of the city of Antiochia Bohemund saves Della's life and she, facing him for the first time, falls in love with him. The assassin and its prey love each other. Is she still willing to kill him and avoid the long arm of Constantinople's feared secret service? The suspense thriller is a plot of a scrupulous betrayal of love, espionage and the escapades of the First Crusade we have to deal with still today.
Note: The historically correct description of the Byzantine Empire is East Rom.
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The Viper of Melfi
The year 1098. It is a year of espionage and a politically motivated assassination attempt. She is stunningly beautiful, sensual and dangerously lethal.The Byzantine secret agent Della Laskaris sets out to Syria on the behalf of the Emperor Alexios Komnenos I and his Minister for State Security, Selvo Tafur, to kill the powerful commander of the First Crusade, Bohemund de Hauteville. Duke Bohemund helped shape with his personal,military maneuvering and intrigues, the conditions of today's Middle East. But all this began years earlier with a speech to a multitude of bishops and cardinals in a field outside of Claremont, France. With a call to arms against the heathen, Pope Urban II launched a war to win back Christendom's Holy Shrine from Jerusalem, at this time in the hands of the Arabs. Aglow with faith, it inspired kings and dukes to advance with their armies from France across Europe to the rich Constantinople. Emperor Alexios was shocked by the build-up of troops setting up camp outside the walls. He was only keen to get rid of the Europeans before they would get the wrong idea to capture and pillage his wealthy city. He gave them lavish gifts and with logistic support, he ferried them across the Bosporus into Minor Asia, sending them into gruesome weather, indescribable suffering and the eventual death of many. The Crusaders marched until their shoes were shredded, their tents rotten and their horses too weak to carry their riders. Even donkeys and stray dogs were used to transport the small remains of the armies. Still, they reached their objective - the Holy Sepulchre and Jerusalem. But Duke Bohemund , this scintillating extraordinary commander had his own planes. On his way to Jerusalem, he gives his troops order to slaughter all inhabitants of the small town of An Nabk in Syria. A young woman, Della Laskaris, loses her entire family and survives the unspeakable atrocious bloodbath by hiding under the corpse of her husband in the heap of the slaughtered. She swears to find the man who gave that order. She offers Contantinople her wish to kill the commander. Byzantine's secret service knows that Bohemund is a man of insane passion for political power and his plan to conquer Byzantium and therefore represents a threat to the empire. Della goes on her mission, using her beauty and charisma as an effective weapon. She is closing in on the commander. The chronicle moves forward in a dramatic tale of love, war, a disastrous case of espionage and a bungles kill attempt. But something unexpected happens. During the brutal battle and capture of the city of Antiochia Bohemund saves Della's life and she, facing him for the first time, falls in love with him. The assassin and its prey love each other. Is she still willing to kill him and avoid the long arm of Constantinople's feared secret service? The suspense thriller is a plot of a scrupulous betrayal of love, espionage and the escapades of the First Crusade we have to deal with still today.
Note: The historically correct description of the Byzantine Empire is East Rom.
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The Viper of Melfi

The Viper of Melfi

by Jürgen Dallüge
The Viper of Melfi
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The Viper of Melfi

The Viper of Melfi

by Jürgen Dallüge

Overview

The year 1098. It is a year of espionage and a politically motivated assassination attempt. She is stunningly beautiful, sensual and dangerously lethal.The Byzantine secret agent Della Laskaris sets out to Syria on the behalf of the Emperor Alexios Komnenos I and his Minister for State Security, Selvo Tafur, to kill the powerful commander of the First Crusade, Bohemund de Hauteville. Duke Bohemund helped shape with his personal,military maneuvering and intrigues, the conditions of today's Middle East. But all this began years earlier with a speech to a multitude of bishops and cardinals in a field outside of Claremont, France. With a call to arms against the heathen, Pope Urban II launched a war to win back Christendom's Holy Shrine from Jerusalem, at this time in the hands of the Arabs. Aglow with faith, it inspired kings and dukes to advance with their armies from France across Europe to the rich Constantinople. Emperor Alexios was shocked by the build-up of troops setting up camp outside the walls. He was only keen to get rid of the Europeans before they would get the wrong idea to capture and pillage his wealthy city. He gave them lavish gifts and with logistic support, he ferried them across the Bosporus into Minor Asia, sending them into gruesome weather, indescribable suffering and the eventual death of many. The Crusaders marched until their shoes were shredded, their tents rotten and their horses too weak to carry their riders. Even donkeys and stray dogs were used to transport the small remains of the armies. Still, they reached their objective - the Holy Sepulchre and Jerusalem. But Duke Bohemund , this scintillating extraordinary commander had his own planes. On his way to Jerusalem, he gives his troops order to slaughter all inhabitants of the small town of An Nabk in Syria. A young woman, Della Laskaris, loses her entire family and survives the unspeakable atrocious bloodbath by hiding under the corpse of her husband in the heap of the slaughtered. She swears to find the man who gave that order. She offers Contantinople her wish to kill the commander. Byzantine's secret service knows that Bohemund is a man of insane passion for political power and his plan to conquer Byzantium and therefore represents a threat to the empire. Della goes on her mission, using her beauty and charisma as an effective weapon. She is closing in on the commander. The chronicle moves forward in a dramatic tale of love, war, a disastrous case of espionage and a bungles kill attempt. But something unexpected happens. During the brutal battle and capture of the city of Antiochia Bohemund saves Della's life and she, facing him for the first time, falls in love with him. The assassin and its prey love each other. Is she still willing to kill him and avoid the long arm of Constantinople's feared secret service? The suspense thriller is a plot of a scrupulous betrayal of love, espionage and the escapades of the First Crusade we have to deal with still today.
Note: The historically correct description of the Byzantine Empire is East Rom.

Product Details

BN ID: 2940149572069
Publisher: Ornatus Publishing
Publication date: 03/31/2014
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
File size: 2 MB

About the Author

J�rgen Dall�ge experiences on both sides of the Iron Curtain render him well prepared to write highly credible thrillers on historica, international and political intrigues. He is a permanent student of the world and her detailed present and past history. Ther he finds the sources for his writings. He has lived in Liberia, West Africa, and South East Asia. He has traveled the whole of South America, the South Pacific, Russia, Austria, England, France, Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, India and many more. Dall�ge is the founder and owner of Ornatus Publishing, an ebook publishing company and the author eight novels. He lives in California and writes his next thriller.
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Related Subjects

History
Ancient History
Rome - Ancient History
General & Miscellaneous Ancient Roman History
History
Ancient History
Rome - Ancient History
General & Miscellaneous Ancient Roman History

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