The Best Soldier

Set in the Seventeenth Century and against the background of the Thirty Years War, this book is about Sir John Hepburn, described by Cardinal Richelieu as "the best soldier in Christendom and therefore the World" and the only Briton to become a Marshal of France. Thoroughly researched, it follows the historical narrative but is written as a novel to appeal to a broad readership. Born in relative poverty in Scotland, Hepburn learned the soldier's trade with the King's Regiment of the Guards in Paris before joining the mixed regiment of Scots and English sent to support King James the First's daughter, the Winter Queen, in Bohemia. After the disastrous battle of the White Mountain, he and the remnants of his regiment fought their way North until they entered the service of the Swedish King, Gustavus Adolphus, who was then engaged in campaigns against the Hapsburg Imperialists. Hepburn became Gustavus's most successful commander and diaries of the time record that the King "could do nothing without him", but having fought his way as far South as Munich, he quarrelled with the King, allegedly because he was too flamboyant for Gustavus's ascetic tastes, and left for London before the Swedish defeat at Lutzen. Knighted by Charles the First, he was given a warrant to raise a Regiment to be lent for service with the French King, Louis the Thirteenth, who was fighting the Imperialists. Richelieu became both friend and admirer of his military prowess, dubbing him his "Golden Knight". Hepburn fought in Lorraine where he brought to his service the remnants of the Scots Green Brigade which he had led under Gustavus and formed the Royal Scots, of which he was the first Colonel and which, on its return to the British Army several years later, became the First of Foot. After bringing most of Lorraine under French control, Hepburn was killed at the last stages of the siege of Saverne. He was buried in great state in the Cathedral at Toul with the baton of a Marshal of France on his magnificent funerary monument.