In the Palace of the King

Name: In the Palace of the King
Author: F. Marion Crawford

The story revolves around a mysterious and ancient palace hidden deep within the mountains, where a young prince discovers a dark secret that has been concealed for centuries. The prince uncovers a web of deceit and corruption that threatens to destroy the kingdom, and he must navigate treacherous court politics to prevent catastrophe.

By F. Marion Crawford · First published 1900 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Drama · 20 chapters · 114,646 words

First lines

Two young girls sat in a high though very narrow room of the old Moorish palace to which King Philip the Second had brought his court when he finally made Madrid his capital. It was in the month of November, in the afternoon, and the light was cold and grey, for the two tall windows looked due north, and a fine rain had been falling all the morning. The stones in the court were drying now, in patches, but the sky was like a smooth vault of cast lead, closing over the city that lay to the northward, dark, wet and still, as if its life had shrunk down under ground, away from the bitter air and the penetrating damp.

What this Textopian page supports

In the Palace of the King is listed on Textopian as a novel by F. Marion Crawford, dated 1900 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: F. Marion Crawford
Date: 1900 CE
Language: English
Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Drama, Literary Fiction, Adventure
Length: 114,646 words
Structure: 20 chapters, 1,673 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for In the Palace of the King by F. Marion Crawford
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering In the Palace of the King?
How does this novel by F. Marion Crawford fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Historical Fiction — The narrative is set in a historical context, focusing on the reign of King Philip II of Spain and the character of Don John of Austria, intertwining real historical events with fictional elements.
Romance — The central plot revolves around the romantic relationship between Maria Dolores de Mendoza and Don John of Austria, exploring themes of love, devotion, and the challenges posed by societal expectations.
Drama — The story features intense emotional conflicts, familial tensions, and personal struggles, particularly between Dolores and her father, which are characteristic of dramatic literature.
Literary Fiction — The writing style is rich and descriptive, focusing on character development and thematic depth, typical of literary fiction.