Stanley John Weyman (1855 -1928) was an English novelist sometimes referred to as the "Prince of Romance". Most of his works were historical romances set amidst the turmoil of 16th and 17th century France. His most famous works include: A Gentleman of France (1893), Under the Red Robe (1894), The Castle Inn (1898) and The Long Night (1903). Count Hannibal: A Romance of the Court of France takes place in Paris at the time of the St Bartholomew massacre. The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre occurred in 1572. It was a targeted group of assassinations, followed by a wave of Roman Catholic mob violence, directed against the Huguenots, during the French Wars of Religion. It is believed to have been instigated by Catherine de' Medici, the mother of King Charles IX. Count Hannibal is a dashing romantic figure caught up in the violence of that day and also caught up in a love affair with a beautiful woman.