Your Questions

I saw on the news today that a historian is certain he has found the site of the battle of Cynuit at Beaford in North Devon, what are your thoughts on his find? Richard Parkhouse

Dear Bernard, I have an idea in my head for a novel set during the South American Wars of Independence but not sure which books would be a good place to start for research. Could you recommend any that you may have used when writing Sharpe's Devil? And what do you know of Britain's position on it, particularly in the early years when Wellington was in Spain? Were Britain supportive of San Martin, Bolivar and O'Higgins or supporting Spain?
Rhys Wood

Dear Mr Cornwell Firstly I'd like to compliment you on your extremely readable and yet well-researched and detailed novels. I'm an ex-pat like yourself living in Florida. I am a fan of historical fiction amongst many other genres but I first met Sharpe on ITV and consequently I've bought and read every Sharpe novel, followed by The Grail Quest, some of the stand alones and now I'm onto the Arthur books and consequently the real purpose of this email. You use the term Edling for a Crown Prince, and as you can see my name is Edlington, and there is a village near my home town of Doncaster of the same name. I hoped you might inform me of the source of your usage as I've been unable to find a meaning for this apart from it has a Germanic origin. It seems Aerling is usually a term of Crown Prince in Old English. Please enlighten me as I'd love to know the root of my name. Thank you in advance, and thank you for the hours of entertainment you've provided me as I have often used your novels to guide me to interesting historical research. I confess George McDonald Fraser does/did (alas) too. Sincerely Steve Edlington

Mr. Cornwell, Greetings. In answer to someone's question you wrote: "I really don't want to write the Roman period . . . I love it! I want to read other writers' versions, not my own". I love it too (and wish you'd reconsider). Could you recommend some of the works of that period that you've enjoyed? I absolutely love the Arthur and Saxon books. Thank you. Art Shavatt

Dear Bernard on reading the books of Arthur there where many mentions of the religious roman cult of Mithras. The name rang a bell from a book i read some years ago by Micheal Curtis Ford called the last king.It states in the first century BC. Mithridates the great was the last king of Pontus and Romes greatest ever enemy more so even than Hannibal.Did the cult of Mithras arise from this historical figure as he lived some six centuries before Arthur's time or do i again have my head in the clouds. kind regards Nicholas Horton.

What are those spike things that are shaped sort of like a jack and thrown on the road to trip horses called? I remember you had them in one of your books. I have read all of your books so it would take me awhile to find that word. I googled around and couldn't find the word. I want to thank you for all the enjoyable hours (you have written a lot of books so it's days not hours)I've spent reading your books.

h.a.v.b.

Dear Bernard I am 20 years old and have been reading your books since i was 14, after being introduced to them by my mother whom has been an avid fan for many years. I am not sending a question as such, but to just say I like the fact you love Cats, I have 10 cats and have always been a cat person. I just wanted to write to ask if you knew about king Hywel of Wales (880?950) whom made it illegal to kill cats, just a random thing of interest. Kind Regards, Damien.

Dear Bernard,I have been a big fan for many years now but I'm not a fan of hardbacks as I like to loll around when reading and find them a tad heavy. Can you say when Azincourt will be in paperback?

Also I've recently reread the Warlord books and find that you state Britons called a child born in November a child of Imbolc. To my knowledge Imbolc began February 1st whilst November 1st was the start of Samhain. kind regards Nick.

Mr Cornwell. I have written to you before and greatly admire the way in which you respond to your fan's questions. Maybe you've read a little about the sword recently found in Bamburgh? Very interesting.

Your Saxon books pose a dilemma to me! My family name, Doyle, is said to come from O Dubhgail, later Dubghall, from dark foreigner, apparently used to describe the darker haired Danes who settled in Ireland. (Maybe a name I'll see in your books one day!) This draws me towards supporting the Danes in your books, but being English leads me to support the Saxons. Obviously you create wonderfully heroic, gentle, violent and despicable characters in each 'faction' but my question is, do you secretly have a favourite? Do you have a slight leaning to either Saxon or Dane? Thanks, your fan, C. Doyle

Dear Bernard, Like nearly everyone that writes to you Ive got to say that your my favourite historical fiction writer. I read nearly all of your books though being of French ancestry I sometimes struggle with the Sharpe books. While I love Sharpe as a character the usual plot of defeating the French sometimes grates. Do you know of any French authors writing historical fiction from the French point of view? I'd love to read a historical fiction were the English are the villains and the French prevail. Thanks Michael