When Knighthood Was in Flower (novel)
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When Knighthood Was in Flower is the debut novel of American author Charles Major written under the pseudonym, Edwin Caskoden. It was first published by The Bobbs-Merrill Company (then the Bowen-Merrill Company) in 1898 and proved an enormous success.
According to the New York Times, in its third year on the market the book was still selling so well that it was #9 on the list of bestselling novels in the United States for 1900.
The book spawned an entire industry of historical romantic novels and films.
Playwright Paul Kester's play adaptation premiered on Broadway at the Criterion Theatre on January 14, 1901.[1] Starring the actress Julia Marlowe as Mary Tudor, it was a popular and financial success both in New York and subsequently on national tour.[2] Roselle Knott successfully succeeded Julia Marlowe in the part of Mary Tudor. It is Roselle Knott whose photo portrait appears as the frontispiece in the book shown on this page. There is also another photograph of Knott further into the book. It was subsequently revived on Broadway in 1904.[3] By 1907 When Knighthood Was in Flower was still being printed by the reprint publisher, Grosset & Dunlap, when the film rights were sold to Biograph Studios.
It was sometimes known by the title When Knights Were Bold and should not be confused with the 1906 play When Knights Were Bold which also inspired several film adaptations.