Ivanhoe

I've just finished Ivanhoe, and I've gone "WOW". That is a great and epic story. It features noble knights, bad villains, damsels in distress, tournaments, sword fights and a happy ending; everything one could wish for in such a story. It really makes want to learn more about the history of our English friends.

For such a story, let's get into a lengthy summary...
So beware *** SPOILER AHEAD ***

All along the book, you are given details about the historical background of the story. Cedric of Rotherwood is one of the last fighters for the rights of the Saxons to the throne of England, which has been usurped by the Normans. The King Richard Plantagenet, the lion-hearted is in prison somewhere between Palestine and England and the Prince John has taken the regency, but obviously wants the throne of his elder brother. The Normans are strong, proud, cruel to the people and despise the Saxons. The Saxons are divided amongst those who gave allegiance to the Norman king and those who refuse to even utter a word of French; and among the last, Cedric of Rotherwood is the most vehement.
His only shame is that his own son, Wilfred of Ivanhoe, has pledged allegiance to the Norman King Richard and has gone crusading with him to Palestine. Cedric of Rotherwood is also the guardian of the Lady Rowena, the most beautiful of princesses, and direct heiress to the last Saxon King, whom he plans to marry to Athelstane a very strong but light-headed Saxon knight also of noble untainted royal Saxon blood. But the heart of the Lady Rowena is inclined toward the companion of her childhood, Ivanhoe.
In the first chapters, you make the acquaintance of Wamba the fool and Gurth the swineherd, both serving under the noble Saxon Cedric of Rotherwood. A strange and poor Pilgrim, and a wretched Jew both ask for a night's rest at Cedric of Rotherxwood's. It must be noted that although the Normans and Saxons hate each other, they share the belief that Jews are just greedy underlings that must be abused; touching a Jew is even seen as dishonour. Before the morning comes, the Pilgrim wishes to leave and when he reveals his identity to Gurth, the poor swineherd is shocked into obedience and shows him the way out. Thus leaving, he helps the Jew escape certain costly adventure.
When the tournament starts at Ashby-de-la-Zouche, in the country of Leicester, everything is in place:

• The Jew, Isaac of York appear in all his riches, with his stunningly beautiful daughter Rebecca


• The champions are strong Norman nobles: the proud Templar Brian de Bois-Guilbert, Barons Reginald Front-de-Boeuf and Philip Malvoisin


• Yeoman and Knights will prove their valor in the lists again the champions


• Prince John presides the feast, flanked by his councelors, de Bracy and Fitzurse, both hoping a share of the treasure in helping the Prince John to the crown

The champions defeat all the challenging knights but then, a mysterious Knight, who call himself the Disinherited Knight, beats them one by one, with armor, lance and steed. We then learn that, attended by Gurth, he is the Pilgrim and has been armed by Isaac the Jew. With the help of another anonymous Black Knight, he defeats the champions again the following day, but this time with his sword. Champion of the day, he chooses the Lady Rowena as his Queen of Love and Beauty before fainting, having been hurt. He is then unmasked on the order of the Prince John, vexed by the defeat of his Norman champions, and is recognized as Ivanhoe. After the tumult of these events, both the Black Knight and the body of Ivanhoe disappear. On the third day at Ashby, it must be related that a yeoman named Locksley easily crushes his opponents in the archery competition.

After the tournament, the crowd is scattered, and Cedric and Rowena head back home and meet distressed Isaac and Rebecca on their way: they've been robbed and left in the woods with a sick friend; Rebecca has indeed taken Ivanhoe into her care, to cure him with her oriental knowledge of medicine. The woods are considered dangerous because the Norman barons drive the people to such poverty that the number of them turning to robbery is growing at a fast pace. Cedric, by his Saxon heredity, sees himself immune to that danger, but it's another danger that falls on the whole party. They are attacked and captured by a group disguised as Saxon bandits and taken to the castle of Reginald Front-de-Boeuf, all of them except Wamba and Gurth, who managed to escape.
In the castle of Front-de-Boeuf, the prisoners face different fates:

• The Lady Rowena's heart is assailed by De Bracy (who really is the mastermind behind the abduction, in order to present himself as a savior to her...), who certainly thinks about her royal blood


• Rebecca's heart is assailed by the Templar Bois-Guilbert, who is ready to renounce everything his order stands for her


• The Jew is about to be slowly tortured to death if he does not pay as high a ransom as Bois-Guilbert gives him


• Cedric and Athelstane are detained, and will be freed for a ransom

But outside the castle, another party has gathered: Wamba and Gurth have gained the help of the Black Knight and of Locksley, the stout Yeoman, who is to be the main chief of a very large and very organized band of forest thieves. Wamba proves that what he lacks in wits, he makes up for in courage and devotion, by exchanging his place as a prisoner with his master's, disguised as a priest and distributing "Pax vobsicum" all around. Then ensues the epic assault of the castle, won by the assailants, the deaths of Reginald Front-de-Boeuf and Athelstane; The Templar escapes, abducting Rebecca with him; De Bracy surrenders; Ivanhoe is saved. After the battle comes the division of the spoil, directed by Locksley. Wamba and Gurth gain freedom from Cedric of Rotherwood, and the Black Knight gains the choice to dispose of De Bracy, whom he chooses to free.

As De Bracy comes back to the Prince John, he informs him that Richard is in England, that he is the Black Knight; knowing that, Fitzurse leaves to take the lead of a small group of strong men to find and assault the King. This assault would fail, because the Black Knight will be saved by Wamba and Locksley. The Black Knight then reveals to everyone he is Richard of England, and Locksley that he is the famous Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest.
Meanwhile, Isaac the Jew sets out to the prefectory of Templestowe where Bois-Guilbert is supposed to have taken his daughter. The Grand Master of the Temple, Lucas Beaumanoir, is a templar proud of his order and rigidly follows its principles. And, thus, he prepares a full trial for Rebecca under the accusation of sorcery, for which she is to be burnt alive: if Bois-Guilbert has taken her, it can only be that he has been bewitched. Isaac asks for mercy but the voice of a Jew accounts for nothing. Madly in love, but always rejected by Rebecca, Bois-Guilbert nonetheless gives her a way out: Rebecca is trialed and found guilty but she asks for a champion: by a law of the order of the Templars, if a champion appears for her in the lists and beats the representative of the order, she will be free. Bois-Guilbert wanted to come as her champion, but is designed to be the representative of the order!

Later, everyone in the Saxon party gathers at the castle of Torquilstone for the ceremony of the defunct Athelstane during which the defunct appears very much alive! He had been left for dead and then detained by abbots! He avows he does not want to marry Rowena since she doesn't love him but Wilfred of Ivanhoe. But where is Ivanhoe? He disappears from the scene to rush at the lists to be the champion of Rebecca, who has healed and saved him. Brian de Bois-Guilbert is beaten and dead. All is well that ends well!