Charles Major had significant ties with Purdue University as a trustee member, and would later leave his profuse collections of manuscripts, drafts, letters, newspaper clippings, and more to the university archives. Or rather, it was likely his wife, Alice, who saved and organized the material. Either way we are incredibly lucky to have such a large disposal of material on our hands.
We can trace the writing of the novel from the very first handwritten drafts, to the typewritten manuscripts with pencil edits, to the galley proofs, which at the time were the final step before publication.
[ … Mary the king’s sister, about 14 years old, was just growing into her greatest womanly perfection. She was the one they talked of everywhere… ]
Though historical romance tends not to be taken too seriously as a genre, Major’s research was extensive. He constantly straddled the line between writing a historically accurate narrative and genre fiction.
He would go on to write several more novels, some of them also historical romances and others taking place in Indiana, but none enjoyed the same popularity as When Knighthood was in Flower.
All images courtesy of the Charles and Alice Shaw Major Papers from the Purdue E-Archives.
chivalry in shelbyville 