Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Bastard King | 1974 | Victoria Holt | Buy |
| 2 | The Lion of Justice | 1975 | Victoria Holt | Buy |
| 3 | The Passionate Enemies | 1976 | Victoria Holt | Buy |
Victoria Holt’s Norman Trilogy covers the earliest period of post-Conquest English history. The Bastard King (1974) follows William the Conqueror, The Lion of Justice (1975) continues with his successors, and The Passionate Enemies (1976) covers the civil war between Stephen and Matilda that nearly tore the new kingdom apart.
This trilogy is among the earliest entries chronologically in Holt’s coverage of English royal history, and it sets up the dynastic conflicts that would continue through her Plantagenet and later series. The Norman period is less commonly covered in popular fiction than the Tudors or Stuarts, which makes these books a useful entry point for readers interested in earlier English history.