The Forty-Five Guardsmen

The Forty-Five Guardsmen is the third and final book in the Valois Trilogy, following La Reine Margot and La Dame de Monsoreau. Set during the turbulent French Wars of Religion in 16th-century France, the novel focuses on the political and religious intrigues of the time. It tells the story of Diane de Méridor seeking revenge against the Duke of Anjou for betraying her lover, Bussy d'Amboise. The title refers to a group of guardsmen, recruited by King Henry III to protect him amid ongoing conspiracies and conflicts, particularly the War of the Three Henrys.