Description
The year is 1528, and both the Old World and the New are in turmoil. In Europe, the Reformation-ignited just eleven years ago by Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses-has shattered the unity of Christendom. The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, who also wears the crown of Spain, is fighting to defend the Catholic faith, hold his far-flung empire together, and keep his enemies at bay. Those enemies are many. Francis I of France covets Italy and seeks to humble the Habsburgs. Henry VIII of England eyes influence across the Channel while bristling at Rome's authority. The Pope must balance defending Catholic unity with preserving his own power. Treaties are signed and broken in quick succession, and Europe teeters between uneasy peace and open war. Across the Atlantic, a different storm rages. In 1521, Hernán Cortés toppled the mighty Aztec Empire, raising New Spain from the ruins of Tenochtitlán. Gold, silver, and dyes now flow eastward in treasure fleets, feeding Spain's hunger for greater conquest. To the south lies the next prize-an empire richer still. Traders and captives speak of Peru, ruled by a Sapa Inca whose armies number in the tens of thousands and whose cities are built of stone so perfect that no blade can slip between the seams. Francisco Pizarro has chased this rumor for years. Twice he has failed, beaten back by storms, hunger, and hostile shores. Now, in Spain, he petitions the crown for the men and ships to make one last attempt. But in the Andes, his quarry is already weakening. Huayna Capac, the Sapa Inca who stretched his realm from Quito to the far south, is dead-struck down, it is said, by a strange northern plague. His sons, Atahualpa and Huascar, claim the throne, plunging the empire into a brutal civil war. Europe is divided by faith and ambition. The New World burns with conquest. And on opposite sides of the ocean, two worlds prepare to collide-an impact that will shatter empires and echo for centuries.
ISBN 9798990352339
