During a truce during the third crusade, the hero Kenneth finds himself in league with a Saracen who reveals many deep and hidden mysteries to the knight. When the King Richard falls ill, Sir Kenneth is able to find a cure for the ailing king by a Moorish physician that is able to cure the king of his sickness. In the meantime Kenneth falls in love with a lady that the great Saladin also falls in love with and seeks the had of in marriage. While this political turmoil happens, King Richard vows never to want Sir Kenneth in his courts again. The political pressure and realities that this novel shows are a great testament to the realities of the Crusades and are just as relevant today as they were back in Sir Walter Scott's day.