The King's Messenger
The novel is set in the late 16th century and follows the adventures of a young Englishman, Richard Tressilian, who is sent by Queen Elizabeth I to Spain on a secret mission. He is tasked with delivering a message to King Philip II of Spain, and must navigate the treacherous political waters of the Spanish court. Along the way, he meets a beautiful Spanish noblewoman, Dona Maria de Mendoza, and falls in love with her. However, his mission is complicated by the machinations of the Spanish court, and he soon finds himself embroiled in a dangerous game of espionage and intrigue. With the help of his loyal friend, Sir John Killigrew, Richard must find a way to complete his mission and save his beloved Maria from the clutches of the Spanish Inquisition.
By Rafael Sabatini · First published 1930 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance · 7,538 words
First lines
On a brilliant May morning of the year 1690, a gentleman stepped ashore at Santiago de Porto Rico, followed by a Negro servant shouldering a valise. He had been brought to the mole in a cockboat from the yellow galleon standing in the roadstead, with the flag of Spain floating from her main truck. Having landed him, the cock-boat went smartly about and was pulled back to the ship, from which circumstance the gaping idlers on the mole assumed that this gentleman had come to stay.
What this Textopian page supports
The King's Messenger is listed on Textopian as a novel by Rafael Sabatini, dated 1930 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Rafael Sabatini
- Date: 1930 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance, Historical Romance
- Length: 7,538 words
- Structure: 1 section, 197 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The King's Messenger by Rafael Sabatini
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The King's Messenger?
- How does this novel by Rafael Sabatini fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — The King's Messenger is set in the 17th century and follows the adventures of a messenger for the King of France.
- Adventure — The protagonist embarks on a series of thrilling adventures as he carries out his duties as a messenger for the King of France.
- Romance — The protagonist falls in love with a woman he meets during his travels, and the story follows their relationship.
- Historical Romance — The romance between the protagonist and the woman he meets is set in the 17th century.
Tags
Adventure · Romance · black · blood · buccaneers · captain · cousin · dona · excellency · eyes · gentleman · governor