Francis Crawford of Lymond is a fictional character created by the novelist Dorothy Dunnett, and the central figure in The Lymond Chronicles, six complex historical novels set in 16th century Europe.
The six novels in The Lymond Chronicles series are as follows:
- The Game of Kings (1961) - Living by his wits and his sword-arm in 16th-century Scotland, Francis Crawford of Lymond is many things: polyglot scholar, soldier, poet, musician, nobleman—and accused outlaw. Lymond has just re-entered the country in defiance of the charges against him, and has two goals in mind: to find, and punish, the man who framed him for treason against the Scottish Crown and condemned him to hard labor as a French galley slave, after two years of which he escaped; and to prove his innocence and restore his honorable name. He is aided and abetted in his quest by a number of people, including Sybilla, the Dowager Lady Culter (his mother), Will Scott (Lymond's second-in-command), Lady Christian Stewart (Sybilla's blind friend and neighbour), Gideon Somerville (one of Lymond's chief suspects), and a variety of colorful characters ("Turkey Mat", "the Lang Cleg", and "Johnnie Bullo", for example) under Lymond's command. Further complications arise from the fact that Lymond's brother Richard, third Baron Culter, is relentlessly trying to kill him, while Lymond tries desperately to not only save his brother from a murder plot, but also thwart an English scheme to apprehend Mary, the five-year-old Scots Queen. A number of real historical characters appear in the novel, including Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox and Mary of Guise.
- Queens' Play (1964) - Lymond, his status in Scotland restored, travels to France in a surprising (and amusing) disguise on the pretext of having some fun at the expense of the country that enslaved him for two years. He soon becomes embroiled in the intrigue, danger, politics, and madcap antics of the 16th-century French Court and quickly realizes that something in the fertile flower of France is rotten. After narrowly deflecting the first of a series of assassination attempts against Mary, the six-year-old Scots Queen, he sets out to expose and capture by any and every means possible those who would do the young Queen harm. However, he must do so in the most circumspect manner, as he finds his own well-being and the lives of his friends, new and old, at deadly risk from many quarters.
- The Disorderly Knights (1966) - This part of the Lymond Chronicles finds Francis Crawford on the exotic and sweltering island of Malta, the home of the Crusading Order of Knights Hospitaller of St John; a Turkish siege is about to be laid upon Malta, and the Knights, under the rule of their Grand Master Juan de Homedes, are anything but prepared. Lymond faces a series of trials, each more difficult than the next. Whilst Malta is under attack by the fleets of Dragut Rais, trouble arrives in Scotland in the form of beautiful Joleta Malett, younger sister to the saintly Knight Grand Gross, Graham Reid Malett, a man, who, due to his reputation, is also known as Gabriel. Lymond's troubles do not end on the Isle of Malta, for Gabriel is set upon his destruction. Now begins a merciless game that will devastate all those used as pawns - a game that begins with a child and a woman by the name of Oonagh O'Dwyer.
- Pawn in Frankincense (1969)
- The Ringed Castle (1971)
- Checkmate (1975)
Famous quotes containing the words francis and/or crawford:
“Then came the Lord Chamberlain with his white staff,
And all the people began to laugh;
And then the Queen began to speak,
‘You’re welcome home, Sir Francis Drake.’”
—Unknown. Upon Sir Francis Drake’s Return from His Voyage about the World, and the Queen’s Meeting Him (l. 5–8)
“[Asked by an interviewer, “What do YOU want to be?”]: What people want me to be.”
—Joan Crawford (1908–1977)