Empire of the Moghul: The Tainted Throne

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The brutal battle for power continues in the fourth book in the epic Empire of the Moghul series.

''A totally absorbing narrative filled with authentic historical characters and sweeping action set in an age of horrifying but magnificent savagery. The writing is as compelling as the events described and kept me eagerly leaping from one page to the next'' Wilbur Smith

Agra, India, 1606. Jahangir, the triumphant Moghul Emperor and ruler of most of the Indian subcontinent, is doomed. No amount of wealth and ruthlessness can protect him from his sons'' desire for power. The glorious Moghul throne is worth any amount of bloodshed and betrayal; once Jahangir raised troops against his own father; now he faces a bloody battle with Khurram, the ablest of his warring sons.

Worse is to come. Just as the heirs of Timur the Great share intelligence, physical strength and utter ruthlessness, they also have a great weakness for wine and opium. Once Jahangir is tempted, his talented wife, Mehrunissa, is only too willing to take up the reins of empire. And with Khurram and his half-brothers each still determined to be their father''s heir, the savage battle for the Moghul throne will be more ferocious than even Timur could have imagined...

''Rutherford''s glorious, broad-sweeping adventure in the wild lands of the Moghul sees the start of a wonderful series...In Babur, he has found a real-life hero, with all the flaws, mistakes and misadventures that spark true heroism... Breathtaking stuff'' Manda Scott

''Alex Rutherford has set the bar high for his sequels'' Daily Mail

''Alex Rutherford brings the period and the history of the region alive. The characters are dynamic, and the deadly regional politics of alliances and treaties are reflected by the internal tensions at court'' US Historical Novel Society

ALEX RUTHERFORD is the pen name for Diana and Michael Preston, whose nonfiction has been awarded the Los Angeles Times Science and Technology Prize and been praised worldwide. They are also authors of Raiders from the North, A Kingdom Divided, and most recently Ruler of the World. They live in London.