Winning His Spurs: A Tale of the Crusades

by G.A. Henty

A story of medieval life that follows the remarkable adventures of young Cuthbert de Lance, a lad who serves as a page to an English nobleman during the Third Crusade.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Adventure, Classics, School, Historical, Young Adult

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1882

About the author

George Alfred Henty, better known as G.A. Henty, began his storytelling career with his own children. After dinner, he would spend and hour or two in telling them a story that would continue the next day. Some stories took weeks! A friend was present one day and watched the spell-bound reaction of his children suggesting Henty write down his stories so others could enjoy them. He did. Henty wrote approximately 144 books in addition to stories for magazines and was known as "The Prince of Story-Tellers" and "The Boy's Own Historian." One of Mr. Henty's secretaries reported that he would quickly pace back and forth in his study dictating stories as fast as the secretary could record them.

Henty's stories revolve around fictional boy heroes during fascinating periods of history. His heroes are diligent, intelligent, and dedicated to their country and cause in the face, at times, of great peril... Henty's heroes fight wars, sail the seas, discover land, conquer evil empires, prospect for gold, and a host of other exciting adventures. Along the way, they meet famous personages... In short, Henty's heroes live through tumultuous historic eras meeting leaders of that time. Understanding the culture of the time period becomes second nature as well as comparing/contrasting the society of various cultures.

Reviews

[Katrina Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really care for the main character all that much, and I suppose I'm not in the mood for so much telling instead of showing, and I won't deny that I'm relieved to be finished.

But even if I didn't like it all that much, I do respect this short book. The historical detail, though... :)

Besides, Robin Hood made an appearance. He had no dialogue, and he was only there for about half a page, but... ROBIN HOOD.

So yeah. That was the highlight of the book for me.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was a good adventure tale. The events and actions were consistent with the times. Some of the adventures and solutions, in my opinion, were a bit beyond a 17-year old, but they weren't impossible, so that did not detract from the book. I would recommend this book.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this years ago in my early teens. I still love this story.

[Skjam! · Rating 3 out of 5]

G.A. Henty (1852-1902) was a writer of children’s historical fiction, who began his career as an author after a friend heard him telling bedtime stories to his kids. Like many Victorian authors, he’s out of favor these days, but my parents found this book at an estate sale.

Cuthbert is fifteen when the story begins, a lad of mixed Norman and Saxon blood during the reign of Richard I (Richard the Lionheart.) This gives him ties to both his late father’s cousin, the Earl of Evesham, and his mother’s relative, the landless freeman Cnut. Learning that the Earl plans to rid the forest of the landless men, Cuthbert warns them in time, then happily finds a way for the woodsmen to help save the Earl’s daughter from his real enemy, the Baron of Wortham.

Recognized for his bravery and cleverness, Cuthbert is made the Earl’s squire when a Crusade is called. The noble (in the best sense of the word) lad is quickly noted by King Rchard, and soon becomes a knight. Alas, after many adventures the old Earl dies without a male heir, but before he goes convinces Richard to appoint Cuthbert the new Earl of Evesham and the betrothed of the old Earl’s lovely daughter.

More adventures later, Cuthbert arrives back in England incognito, to discover that wicked Prince John has appointed one of his unpleasant cronies as Earl and betrothed. Now Cuthbert must defeat the false Earl, save the maiden and find the missing true king. With a little help from Robin Hood and Blondel, he accomplishes all this.

The prose is rather stiff with an antiquated vocabulary–today’s children might get the impression that they’re reading a book for grown-ups. Those looking for deep characterization are likely to be disappointed. Cuthbert begins the story honest, kind, brave and clever, and remains so throughout. His primary character flaw is that he is, perhaps, just a little too boyishly fond of adventure. When not engaged in battle, even the lowliest of persons is formal of speech.

This is not to say the work is free of moral ambiguity. It’s admitted that the Crusades had generally bad results in spite of their lofty purposes, the Muslims have valid reasons for opposing the Crusaders, and King Richard’s selfish actions are shown to have negative consequences even while he remains the great hero of the story. Parents reading this with their children may wish to discuss how easily religion can be used as an excuse for war, and the real history of the Crusades.

This book can also be found under the title “Winning His Spurs.” It’s a good example of children’s literature of a bygone age, and with some caveats is suitable as a bedtime story even today. As it’s in the public domain, there have been some inexpensive reprints in recent years.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

When this adventure begins, Cuthbert is a boy of fifteen living at home with his mother in Norman England. He hears information and is able to warn the outlaws living in the forest, among whom he has relatives, of an impending attack by the Earl of Evesham, who resents their killing his deer without permission. The forest men are reconciled to the Earl, however, when Cuthbert summons their help to rescue the Earl’s daughter from a kidnapping by a nearby vindictive Norman nobleman. After Cuthbert participates in the victorious siege of the latter’s castle, the Earl of Evesham, who is himself a distant relative of Cuthbert, promises to take him with him when he next rides off to battle.

Neither had any idea that they would be going off to battle so soon. King Richard the Lionhearted was gathering troops to set off on another crusade, and Cuthbert gets to go along, and be a party to major historic events. He witnesses the French and British rivalry, rescues a princess, wins a duel, fights the Moorish pirates, is knighted for saving King Richard’s life in a battle, escapes Saracen captivity, visits with a Dead Sea hermit, and returns to Europe with King Richard.

When the Earl of Evesham was mortally wounded, he begged the king that his estates, title and daughter would be granted to Cuthbert. After Cuthbert and his faithful men make their dangerous journey across the snowy Alps and hostile European cities with many narrow escapes, they find themselves rather unwelcome in England. There he leads a Robin Hood style life, and with Robin Hood, no less! They finally see that Cuthbert’s mother and fiancée are in safety, and Cuthbert goes with Blondel to discover the place of King Richard’s imprisonment, and arrange for his ransom.

This is one of the more exciting Henty adventures, and any lover of Robin Hood will certainly enjoy this tale. Cuthbert’s presence of mind and common sense, his loyalty, honesty, valor, and quick wits are all characteristics that make us and his authorities in the book admire and respect him. If it were a movie, you would find yourself holding your breath, but by the time you’re halfway through the book, you will be confident that Cuthbert can extricate himself and his friends from any kind of sticky situation. Plus, there is plenty of history and background included, from geography and the baron wars of England, to rivalries on the Crusades, to lifestyles of the Middle East. Find a comfortable seat and enjoy!

[Alicia Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winning His Spurs is an amazing book, detailing the life and adventures of a young Saxon/Norman page during the Third Crusade. Usual gallantry, adventure, and chivalry follow the antics of this very courageous and spirited young warrior.

This was the book that first inspired me to write my own medieval series and was the book that made me keep trying to be a good writer - no matter what.

For the most part, historical accuracy predominates the storyline. However, I did catch one or two questionable factors, such as a twenty year old page. However, the few errors were very slight. I would consider this book one of the most historically accurate medieval tales available.

I loved the storyline. Brave Sir Cuthbert, his lovely fiancee, his friend Cnut, Robin Hood, Prince John, and King Richard the Lionhearted made for an adventurous tale of heroism and war. Venture into the Holy Land and see for yourself the perils of the Third Crusade. Stand for King Richard and honor chivalry in the pages of this must-read!

Highly recommended.

[The Gatekeeper · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thing I don't like about G.A. Henty is that he usually seems more interested in teaching history than in writing a good story. In The Dragon and the Raven, for example, he spends a lot more time talking about the battles between the British and Danish people than about the actual plot. For me, at least, that got a little boring. But Winning His Spurs is more balanced; there's still plenty of history, but it's mainly a series of fast-paced adventures in the life of Cuthbert, an exceptionally brave and resourceful young knight. It's a fun, exciting story that I really enjoyed reading. Owing to Henty's formal writing style, it wasn't as engrossing as The Brethren, my favorite book about the crusades, but Winning His Spurs is still worth checking out.

[Bo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable book, although sometimes I struggled to keep track of characters and places. (That might have been because I was sleepy sometimes while reading. :-D)

I appreciated the good character qualities of the hero, even in the face of adversity. They make for good heroes for our lads of today. The story also had a number of twists and turns. G. A. Henty's books help me broaden my knowledge of events in history, plus expand my vocabulary.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this aloud to the kids. We always enjoy reading Henty together; wonderful language, and great historical backgrounds. His books, if you read too many close together, definitely will start to sound alike; rather formulaic. Enjoyable nonetheless.

[kezzie ʚ♡ɞ · Rating 2 out of 5]

✩ 2 stars
~
[read for high school ‘freshmen year’ great books class]

[Daniel Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic adventure story placed within a real historical context, as Henty was unmatched in his ability to depict so vividly. When it comes to the Crusades, I feel most people nowadays lack the historical context to make any sense of it, and this book certainly provides a window into not only medieval culture at the time, but a realistic depiction of how people then actually operated. He does an excellent job explaining the motives and religious perspectives in a way that is fair to what both sides actually believed they were fighting for. It seems this book would be quite different if written today, which is why his writing from the late 1800’s still holds excellent value well over 100 years later.

[Sof (Jesus' version) M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.2 stars
read this for omni but *shrugs dramatically* it wasn't THAT bad??
I mean its kinda like... yeah ofc that happened... young dude becomes a knight and all special saves la damsel in distress bla bla bla and ends up marrying the girl whatever... but at the same time this is like an old classic so i cant like hate on the trope yk?? anywho it wasnt the most boringly written classic so thus the stars. dont think i'll read it again tho

[Rachel Dando · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a little slow at first, but I was really pleased by this story. A similar formula to Henty's other work 'The Dragon and the Raven' but an entirely different story with different but lovable characters.

[Brittni · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just do not like Henty

[Leslie Moellering · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun Henty novel. The trials of the crusaders as they traveled home after the crusade is a part of the story rarely heard.

[Moses Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! It was a real page turner, and I learned a lot of good history about the Crusades from it. I realize that the Crusades have become a very controversial topic in history these days, but Henty did a masterful job just telling the story, a story that is important to hear.
The adventures of the fictional protagonist were also very exciting and really kept me on the edge of my seat. Definitely a must-read for anyone who likes Henty's books (or maybe books in general 😁)

[Viva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm on a GA Henty kick, having obtained a slew of GA Henty kindle books a few years ago. This one is fairly typical of British YA books from that era (1880's). Spoilers ahead.

The protagonist is Cuthbert, a fatherless 15 year old Saxon boy who is of knightly stock and is distantly related to the lord of the area, the Earl of Evesham (Walter). He acts, fights and thinks much smarter than someone of his age. In fact, the earl (and most adults) pretty much listens to him throughout the whole book.

Here's a brief summary of his exploits. The book starts when the Earl decides to clear the local (his) forest of its outlaws. But the outlaws are of Saxon stock and are basically pretty chill except for killing a few deer, so Cuthbert goes to warn Cnut (the leader of the outlaws). While this is happening, the nearby baddie the Baron of Wortham decides to kidnap Walter's daughter (Margaret) while the Earl's men are all away catching the outlaws. Cuthbert then alerts the outlaws who help him thwart Wortham's attempt. Because of this, Evesham forgives all the outlaws (foresters) and frees any of them who used to be serfs. Cnut at this point becomes a faithful retainer or follower of Cuthbert and follows him in the rest of the book.

Next, Evesham decides to attack Wortham's castle but it will be a hard fight since the castle is well defended. Cuthbert looks for an old man whose father was a mason who worked on building the castle. He asks him if he knows of a secret escape passageway and indeed the old man points him to an area where the exit may be because he once saw his father working there. There is a secret passageway. Cuthbert works together with Evesham and while the Earl is attacking the front of the castle, Cuthbert and the forest men go into the castle and attack the defenders from the inside. The attack succeeds and Wortham is killed.

Finally we get to the part where King Richard gathers his men and goes to the Crusades. Cuthbert is now a page of Evesham. First they land in France where Evesham immediately gets into a feud with Barras the Count of Brabant. The king of France and England don't let them fight but allows their pages to fight. The French page is older and bigger but Cuthbert knocks him out with skill.

Later on the French page takes revenge on Cuthbert by ambushing him at night. Cuthbert is injured and seeks sanctuary in a monastery. He has to stay there for a few days and when he's ready to travel the crusaders have already gone to Marseilles. Cuthbert follows once he has healed enough and manages to kill the French page who has stayed behind with some rough men to ambush him again.

Next Barras try to abduct the Princess of Berengaria (Richard's fiancé and future wife) Cuthbert rescues her. In history Richard was first supposed to marry the French king's half sister but apparently she was Richard's father's mistress so this became impossible. Berengaria was arranged by Richard's mother (Eleanor of Aquitaine) and was considered a good fit because her dowry land would help protect Aquitaine.

The fleet is separated by a storm and Cuthbert's ship is lost and attacked by pirates. His quick thinking leads to the capture of one of the pirate ships and after that they sail to Rhodes (in Greece) to reunite with the rest of the fleet. Here they hear the Berengaria's ship got swept away by the storm to Cyprus where the king captured them. Richard immediately sails to Cyprus and overthrows the king. Once he conquered Cyprus he married Berengaria there.

After that they finally make it to Acre. The Crusader army besiege Acre and finally invest it after sometime. The book notes that Richard besmudges his reputation by killing all the people living inside it. They next march to Jerusalem. On the way there they battle the Arab army. Quite a bit of the text is devoted to the Arabic army and the battle with it which Richard wins.

However during some of the action Cuthbert is cut off and captured. He is spared his life because he looks so young. He becomes a garden slave. He stays there for some time and comes to the attention of the governor of Jerusalem's wife because he is so young. She meets him and hears his story and helps him escape. After some adventures including meeting and staying with a European hermit he gets back to the British camp. By the way, he had been made a squire of Evesham and then finally knighted.

Because of various quarrels, the Austrians and the French had left. Richard gave up his goal of winning Jerusalem and sailed back to Acre where they were told the Saracens were attacking Jaffa so Richard went there to help. At Jaffa Evesham was wounded and before he died he asked Richard to make Cuthbert the next earl of Evesham and to allow him to marry his daughter, both of which Richard agrees.

The British Crusade comes to an end when Richard and Saladin agree to a truce and they sail back to Europe. Once again a storm breaks up the British fleet and Richard lands in Zara (Croatia) with only two knights (and some retainers). Richard and the other knight (Baldwin) go one way and Cuthbert goes another. They separate to have a better chance of going home.

Cuthbert goes via Padua and Verona and over the Alps. In the Alps they get a guide, encounter a severe snow storm and rescue a German baron (Ernst) from a wolf pack. Ernst guides them down the mountains but Cuthbert is captured by a hostile baron who sentences him to death because he was an Englishman. Just before he is about to be executed in the town square Cnut and the archers rescue him by shooting the executioner. They escape from the town and make it to Basle in Switzerland. Here they travel down the Rhine and at a small inn a party of outlaws (ex-men at arms from the Crusades) prepare to attack them but Cuthbert talks his way out of it. They arrive in Nancy where he finds out that Richard has disappeared and John has become king.

After some time in Saxony they get back to England where he meets Baldwin who himself separated from Richard in Europe and doesn't know where he is either. Meanwhile, John has given the title and lands of Evesham and also the hand of Margaret to one of his cronies (Rudolph).

Cuthbert goes back to Evesham where he has to rescue Margaret from Rudolph's clutches. At one point Rudolph then captures Cuthbert's mother to exchange for him. Cuthbert exchanges himself for her then jumps into the moat to escape. Margaret is finally captured. She was at first sequestered in a convent but Rudolph hires a band of outlaws to capture her from it. Then he pretends to rescue her from them and imprisons her in the castle. Cuthbert manages to sneak in while Rudolph is out with a war party and captures the castle. Rudolph finally assembles a huge war party and besieges the castle. It eventually falls but Cuthbert and his group escapes through a secret tunnel. He leaves Margaret with Baldwin and decides to go look for Richard.

This he does with Blondel, who was Richard's minstrel. They go around Austria with Blondel singing loudly and finally hears Richard sing back. After they find where Richard is, the kidnapper is persuaded to release him in exchange for a ransom. Richard eventually goes home where he confirms Cuthbert's title and gives him Margaret in marriage.

Wow, that was a very long book. A lot of things happen and Henty manages to fit a lot of history into the book. It was quite an epic and fairly easy to read despite some medieval language. It reminds me a lot of the book Knight Crusader (KC) by Ronald Welch. Being written about a century later, KC is easier to read and a better book. The descriptions and writing are more reader friendly. The writing is warmer and you feel a closer connection to the protagonist there. In this book, Cuthbert feels more like a playing piece, the only purpose, like a cursor, is to bring the reader to the events in the book whereas you do get attached to KC's protagonist.

[Jatosion · Rating 1 out of 5]

its boring beyond beleif. Half life 3 will come out before i finish this book. i pick the book up and put it down instantly. in short its boring as watching to yaks waiting for there paint to dry on their fur.

[John Yelverton · Rating 3 out of 5]

G.A. Henty's book was weak on the history, and a little brief on the relay of events. It also felt like he was just copying the story of Robin Hood with the character Sir Cuthbert, until Robin Hood actually shows up. It's not a bad book, but Henty has written a lot better.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cuthbert, "...a lad of some fifteen years of age", finds himself in a series of incidents that demonstrate the strength of character that catches the eye of the nobles. Throughout the entire story, we see a young teenage boy develop into a mighty man of character, as he receives the trials and adventures which befall him on the journey of the Third Crusade in King Richard's army. The adventures allow the reader to glimpse into many facets of the history of the Third Crusade, and while no judgment is made about the Crusade, one is able to see the circumstances and events which shaped its outcome. This book is captivating, exciting, and the reader will love the hero. In true Henty style, the hero depicts character qualities that young men can desire to model, because becoming a man of integrity is not bound by culture or time.

[Tod Hazlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

introduction, summary, opinion and conclusion.

Cuthbert, a 12th century Norman/Saxon page eager to prove himself and earn "his spurs."

King Richard, having not earned the title "the Lionhearted" yet, sat the throne of England and answered the call of Pope Gregory VIII to take back The Holy Sepulcher. Along with Philip II of France and many other European leaders, they were tasked with the retaking of Jerusalem from the mighty Saladin and his Saracen horde.

An exciting read full of twists, turns, and intrigues. Cuthbert is a relatable and engaging character who demonstrates chivalrous forthrightness, loyalty, and gumption. While the olde English may be a little challenging to get through, the books is a great read for those interested in the well worn stories of the Crusades.

[David Burchard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple, in the Right Way

This is my first foray into the writings of Henty, "With Lee in Virginia" being my intended next target. Henty is simple in style, and makes quite plain where the plot is going with transparent foreshadowing throughout. But Henty knows how to capture truth, goodness, and beauty. He knows substantive glory. He writes in "The Boy Knight" a tale like that of St. George and the Dragon. This book is a celebration of chivalry, loyalty, valor, and winning the woman upon much hard work. It is a tale to aid boys in becoming courageous men.

[Mark Zodda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, Victorian-era romance that tells the story of a teenager who becomes a Crusader knight loved by all of his men because he cares for them and performs great feats of arms. That description is a bit tongue-in-cheek; in this telling, feudalism under King Richard was paternalistic and good for the people who would do anything for their beloved king. Still, as a historical romance and adventure, the hero saves the king, takes care of his men and saves the damsel who marries him. What more could you want?

[Rick Stuckwisch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent book by Mr. Henty, this one dealing with the history around the Crusade led by Richard the Lionheart. Focusing on the fictional exploits of a young man who goes with King Richard and esteems himself in a variety of ways. Somewhat more episodic than some of Mr. Henty's other books, it nevertheless holds together just fine as a steady narrative. And as usual, the main character demonstrates exemplary virtues, makes good choices, and carries out his duties, while the context and setting provide an excellent overview and survey of an important period of history. Good reading.

[P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written book. The challenging vocabulary interweaves with the youthful adventure story perfectly for a kids book.
There is lots of indirect (and some outright) reference to an assumed racial superiority of the English that is troubling. It sort of ruined the book for me but probably seemed normal at the time the book was written.

[Bill Stutzman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Henty is well known for his historical fictions, telling his readers a great deal about the times in which his novels are set along the way. This is no exception. As an introduction to the Crusades, this is a noble account. Is the full history more nuanced? Certainly, but Henty doesn't shy away from acknowledging some of the mixed elements along the way.

[Brianna Beckett · Rating 2 out of 5]

I say: Give this book a second chance, I say read it, then read it again... my second time reading it I found it not as confusing as the first. The literature was good, but not great!! the story line was kinda confusing, but the second time I'm telling you, I understood it a LOT more!!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

We found this to be an excellent historical fiction with likable characters. My girls commented that the main character is almost too perfect to be believable, but I suspect that may be the authors intent. Many of this author’s books demonstrate and promote good character and noble intentions.

[Amy Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an entertaining and fun way to learn about the history of the crusades and King Richard. The narrator's voice was a bit annoying. I would definitely try to find another version in the future. Our entire family enjoyed this and we listened to it on a cross-country trip together.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

My two teens and I just finished this tale, for our Veritas Omnibus 2 studies. It’s an engrossing and interesting tale. I learn much of history from good historical fiction. The crusades have been brought alive.