The Prince And The Assassin. Australia's First Royal Tour And Portent Of World Terror

Cover Type: Softcover
Book Condition: Very Good
Jacket Condition: None Issued
Publisher: Melbourne Books
Publisher Place: Melbourne
Publisher Year: 2017
Edition: First Edition

Description: 326 pages. Ex-Library. Book is in Very good condition throughout.

Publishers Description: The engrossing real life story of how Queen Victorias favourite son, Prince Alfred, undertook the most ambitious Royal tour, only for Australias overwhelming joy of having the first Royal on its shores jolted by his decadent behaviour, then shocked by an attempted assassination by a man trained as a priest. The British Empires youngest and most distant outpost found itself at the epicentre of a new crime and empirical fears about the first inter-continental terrorist group, a conspiracy and a lone wolf . In a resulting reign of terror extraordinary steps were taken to safeguard security with laws on treason and sedition which even the Queen felt went too far, and the would-be assassin was hastily executed in a miscarriage of justice led by opportunistic politicians. This is an extraordinary and atmospheric weaving of the stories - some detailed for the first time - of royal intrigue, sexual appetite, religious bigotry, patriotic vengeance, naked ambition, national security and moral panic. They are stories of royals, immigrants, archbishops, republicans and the founding fathers of Australia and issues that remain with us today. Drawing on Royal, British and Australian archives, the compelling narrative embraces a pivotal time in the evolution of Australia, and on the 150th anniversary reveals how a minute of madness rocked the country to its foundations, with a legacy which helped shape Australias history and continues to influence and challenge us today.

ISBN: 9781925556131