Journey Through World Classics - Ivanhoe

Author: (English) Sir Walter Scott
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Ivanhoe (1819) is Sir Walter Scott's most famous novel and also one of his finest historical novels depicting medieval life. China published an early classical Chinese translation by Lin Shu and Wei Yi in 1905, renamed Saxons and the Heroes of the Conquest. Subsequently, several other vernacular translations were published, but they were all abridged and adapted versions. The story of the novel takes place in the late 12th century, around the time King Richard I of England, known as Richard the Lionheart, was imprisoned abroad. Richard was a warlike and ambitious king. In 1191, he launched the Third Crusade, but due to internal divisions among the Christian nations participating in the expedition, he was forced to retreat shortly after. During his return journey, a storm struck, and Richard, accompanied by a small entourage disguised as commoners, took a route through Vienna to return to England, but was captured by the Duke of Austria and imprisoned in a castle on the Danube for over a year. Later, after paying a substantial ransom, he was released and returned to England in 1194.