{"title":"Irene Loftin","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIrene Loftin\u003c\/strong\u003e delves into compelling narratives set against the backdrop of history and military conflict. Her works explore the intricate dynamics of empires and the shifting tides of power, blending meticulous research with vivid storytelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect immersive tales that illuminate lesser-known epochs and the human experiences within them. Loftin’s writing offers both thoughtful reflection and engaging drama, ideal for lovers of historical depth and military strategy.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"dawn-of-an-empire-by-irene-loftin-9781971207223","title":"Dawn of an Empire","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBefore Jamestown.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBefore Plymouth.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThere was St. Augustine.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1565—fifty-five years before the Pilgrims set foot at Plymouth Rock—Spanish ships slipped along the Florida coast and anchored in a shallow inlet guarded by marsh and sand. What they built there would become the oldest continuously occupied European-founded city in the continental United States. Yet its story has been pushed to the margins of the American narrative.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDawn of an Empire\u003c\/em\u003e restores St. Augustine to its rightful place at the centre of the nation's origins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHere is the clash of empires—Spain, France, and England—fighting not only for land, but for souls, treasure routes, and control of the Gulf and Atlantic sea lanes. Here are the Timucua and Calusa peoples, whose alliances and resistance shaped the fate of the colony as surely as any royal decree. Here are missionaries and soldiers, enslaved Africans who found freedom under the Spanish flag, pirates on the horizon, and hurricanes that nearly erased the fragile settlement from the map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFar from a footnote, Spanish Florida was a proving ground. It forged the first multicultural frontier in what would become the United States. It established the first parish, the first fortifications, the first legally sanctioned free Black community in North America. It endured siege, starvation, rebellion, and revolution—yet survived.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is not simply the story of a city.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt is the story of an empire's northern edge—and the forgotten beginning of America itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47933946593516,"sku":"9781971207223","price":98.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781971207223-dawn-of-an-empire.jpg?v=1783886650"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/irene-loftin.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}