"Valperga Volume 1 (of 3)" by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley is a historical novel published in 1823. Set during medieval Italy's wars between Guelphs and Ghibellines, it follows the real fourteenth-century despot Castruccio Castracani as his armies threaten the fortress of Valperga. Countess Euthanasia, who governs the fortress and loves Castruccio, must choose between her feelings for him and political liberty. Through this medieval tale, Shelley explores questions of political power, republicanism, and the right to autonomy against imperial conquest. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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