The year is 1448.
Transylvania and Wallachia, the sword and the shield of the Kingdom of Hungary, are about to be invaded by an immense army under the banner of Sultan Murad II, the man who calls himself The Shadow of Allah upon the World.

Thus, The Sword and the Shield of the Realm debuts the historical series MERCHANTS of TIME, a seven-novel journey into the maelstrom that devastated Eastern Europe between 1448 and 1529. A tale of mystery and suspenseful adventure, the series takes the reader back to an epoch marked by turbulence and mayhem when, in the intricate tapestry of human history, many of the painful truths of our world took root.
More can be viewed at www.sapientus.com

Why write about the conflict between the Ottomans and the kingdoms of Eastern Europe in the 15th century?

Imagine living in a world consumed by a war that lasted not Thirty Years, not A Hundred Years, but One Hundred and Fifty Years and had no end on sight. Imagine the war is not over the crown of the realm nor about who is taxing whom, but for the very core beliefs upon which today civilization was built. That world comes to life in the series Merchants of Time. The series starts tries to answer the following questions:

    Why Constantinople fell to the Islamic Empire of the Ottomans in 1453? Was it a conspiracy? If so, who conspired to let the city that since the 4th century rivaled Rome as the spiritual center of Christianity be conquered by Sultan Mehmed II, an event no less momentous than the adaptation of Christianity as official religion of the Roman Empire?

    Why the Realm of Hungary, the most powerful kingdom in the Christendom, fell to the Islamic Empire of the Ottomans after the Battle of Mohacs in 1526? Was it the proverbial sacrifice lamb used by secret forces to save the West from falling under Islam?

    Who were the missing ancestors of the Illuminati and Freemasonry, the secret societies of 17 and 18th century? Did the Excubitors really existed, and how did they changed the course of history?

    What happened to the riches and the great wealth of artistic and literary treasures in Constantinople, the city described as the largest and the most splendid European city of the Middle Ages? How Templar Knights came to posses the Shroud of Turin?

    Why Pope Clement V suppressed the Templar Order? Was it because the Grand Master had declared his intent to form a Templar State in the East? Could it be that the Order took many of its treasures and relics in the lands where wanted to create its state?

    How the Islamic Empire of the Ottomans, which in 16th century spanned over three continents, controlling much of Southeastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and dominated the shipping lines from Gibraltar to the eastern end of the Black Sea stirred the rise of Spain, Portugal, and in the end England as naval powers and empires?

    What is the historical fundamental difference between Islam and Christianity and how it shaped the history of the conflict between their leaders and followers? Will this be the greatest issue of concern for our future?

Some of the reviews of The Sword and the Shield of the Realm

Great read about a pivotal time before Renaissance (The Historical Society)
  
Clearly a well researched book which would be a useful resource to history departments planning a medieval historical fiction project. Ask your school librarian to buy it. (The Historical Fiction Organization, Great Britain)

Two times Novel of the Month (Bernard Cornwell Reading Club)

“I would compared this novel with the White Company of Arthur Conan Doyle” - an immensely popular historical novel set in late 14th century during the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

“It is similar to Masters of Rome of Colleen McCullough” - a seven-part series of historical fiction novels set in ancient Rome during the last days of the old Roman Republic.

“It was refreshing to read a book set in the 15th century and in Transylvania and Wallachia and it not be a fantasy story, but true historical fiction. Yes, Vlad Dracula makes an appearance but at this time he is only 17. I'm sure we'll see more of him in future books. I am very much looking forward to the next book, The Field of the Blackbirds.”

“A beautifully written first novel set in Eastern Europe in the middle of the 15th century. It has everything you want in a story, religion and politics as well as economic issues that defined that part of the world. His attention to detail is amazing. I eagerly await the next installment, The Field of the Black Birds.”

“I had the pleasure to read The Sword and the Shield of the Realm, more than a novel, a true documentary of the calamitous 15th century. Here, the most notorious character of the gothic novels, Prince Vlad the Impaler, known as Dracula, is a young pupil of Darkness. I expect he will be one of the main characters in The Field of the Black Birds.”

“Reading this novel, I had the distinct feeling that I was transported back in time, into a colorful, mysterious world of danger and excitement, a world which until now was just a blurred black and white picture created long ago by the history lessons from high school. A great novel which left me asking for more.”

“A compelling historical fiction tale to view today’s philosophical and religious predicaments. I am not a fast reader, but the beautiful language, gripping story, and attention to the detail of the period drew me to finish the book in short order. I found myself awakening during the darkness of night to experience the saga at the same time the story was taking place.”

“This expansive and timely historical novel should not be taken lightly or read hastily. While the novel on the surface reads like an adventure story, it present a strong undercurrent reflecting present-day somber realities about religion and religious truths, and those who covet the power to interpret them. A look back into the mirror to see what lies ahead.”

“A great novel written with passion. I recommend this book to all history lovers.”