Ivanhoe the Novel

Ivanhoe is a historical, romantic novel written in 1820 by Sir Walter Scott. This was Scott's first novel that focuses on an English subject.

Set in 12th century England, King Richard 1 and his men are in the midst of returning from the Third Crusade. In the novel, the king is taken captive in Austria on his way home. Wilfred of Ivanhoe, the knight that the novel is named for, was one of the men that fought alongside Richard 1. His actions won the favor of the king.

Wilfred of Ivanhoe is the son of Cedric of Rotherwood. Ivanhoe had been disinherited by his father when he decided to fight alongside the Norman king. When the knight returns from the crusades, he visits his father's home in disguise. Here he saves the life of Issac the Jew by warning him of an ambush.

Issac accompanies Ivanhoe to Ashby for the tournament, Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Because Ivanhoe helped the Jew, Issac offers him the opportunity to acquire armor and a horse to enter into the tournament. During the two day tournament, Ivanhoe jousts against some of Prince John's supporters and defeats them. He also defeats some of the men in hand-to-hand combat with the help of the Black Knight, who's true identity is revealed later in the story. In the tournament, Ivanhoe was wounded and then is nursed back to health by the exotic Jewess, Rebecca, Issac's daughter.

After the tournament, Cedric and his party including the Lady Rowena, Athelstane, Issac and his Daughter, and Ivanhoe, are taken hostage on their way home By Maurice de Bracy and the Templar, Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert. Both de Bracy and de Bois-Guilbert have their eyes on respectively, Rowena and Rebecca, while both of the ladies have their eyes set for Ivanhoe. The group is taken to Front-de-Boeuf's Castle of Torquilstone.

The castle is attacked by a band of Saxons, Robin of Locksley and his merry men, and the Black Knight, who we learn is no other than King Richard 1 himself. During the fight, Rebecca is kidnapped by de Bois-Guilbert. She is charged of witchcraft and demands a trial of combat. At the last minute, Ivanhoe, who has been wounded for much of the story, arrives to fight on the behalf of Rebecca.

At the end of the novel, King Richard helps to reconcile Cedric and Ivanhoe, and the knight and the Lady Rowena are married. Rebecca leaves for Spain with her father.