The Siege of Château Gaillard: A Historical Novel Unveiled

The Siege of Château Gaillard is a historical novel set during the brutal winter of 1203–1204, when King Philip II of France laid siege to Richard the Lionheart’s great Norman fortress. The novel unfolds within collapsing walls, starving halls, and fractured souls—where loyalty frays, faith is tested, and memory becomes its form of resistance. Blending sacramental realism with historical precision, the story confronts not only the physical violence of war but also the spiritual weight of failure. This siege matters not simply as a military turning point, but as a crucible where power, providence, and the dignity of the forgotten collide. Through its layered characters and liturgical tone, the novel asks what survives when kingdoms fall—and whether witness alone can be a form of victory.