When Knighthood Was in Flower (novel)

When Knighthood Was in Flower is the debut novel of American author Charles Major (1856-1913) of Shelbyville, Indiana, written under the pseudonym / pen name of , "Edwin Caskoden". It was first published by The Bobbs-Merrill Company (then named the Bowen-Merrill Company) of New York City in 1898 and proved an enormous success, and on numerous best seller lists for three years.

According to The New York Times, in its third year on the bookstore 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 subsequent industry of increased interest in historical fiction / romantic fiction, romance novels and subsequent films to eventually television series and even modern soap operas / drama.

Noted playwright Paul Kester's (1870-1933) play adaptation premiered on Broadway at the turn-of-the-century at the Criterion Theatre (later Olympia Theatre) in New York City 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 throughout the country.^[2] Roselle Knott successfully succeeded Julia Marlowe in the part of Mary I of England (Mary Tudor - "Bloody Queen Mary"), the still clinging to the old Roman Catholic faith) eldest daughter of old King Henry VIII. 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 again 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 the 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.