Celestial Crown

This captivating and historically faithful novel takes the reader back to the time of the battles for the Holy Land, which became a clash between the two most prominent knights of the Western and Eastern worlds: King Richard the Lionheart and Sultan Saladin.

A girl named Aveline also sets out on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Dramatic circumstances force her to disguise herself as an archer. After being wounded in battle, she must confide in the healer, Étienne. He too is fighting for justice and recognition. Will they manage to reach Christ's tomb and cleanse their souls of mortal sins? The enemy is not only lurking behind the walls of the besieged city but also within their own ranks. For centuries in the Holy Land, two worlds clashed and mutually enriched each other, worlds that were not as different as they might seem at first glance. On both sides, people killed and loved. Juliane Stadler has convincingly combined medieval history with a gripping adventure and love story. She has faithfully described the harsh conditions in the crusader armies, the lives of ordinary pilgrims, and the work of medieval healers who could cope even in seemingly hopeless situations.