The History of Henry Esmond is an historical novel set in England in the late 17th and early 18th century. Henry is an orphan, taken in by a Viscount, Thomas Esmond of Castlewood. After Thomas is killed fighting for James II at the Battle of the Boyne, the Castlewood estate passes to Thomas's Protestant cousin Francis Esmond. After a spell in the army, Henry Esmond becomes a writer, producing pamphlets for the Jacobites, and clashing with historical characters like Duke of Marlborough and Jonathan Swift. William Makepeace Thackeray (1811 – 1863) was a British novelist, author and illustrator. He is known for his satirical works, particularly his 1848 novel Vanity Fair, a panoramic portrait of British society, and the 1844 novel The Luck of Barry Lyndon. Published by Thomas Nelson & Sons. No publication date. Good condition. Binding intact. No dust jacket.