After the fall of the Byzantine Empire in the 15th century, Russia was the only major country to profess Orthodox Christianity.

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She describes the Byzantine empire's appropriation of the Mother of God as protectress of the city of Constantinople and its rulers and the intricate metaphysical groundwork which made that change possible.

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Part coming-of-age story and part adventure, Kerbouchard travels from Brittany to Moorish Spain to Central Europe to the Russian Steppes to the Byzantine Empire, and features more than a few exciting action scenes and battles.

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