This baroque masterpiece by the enigmatic Frederick Rolfe, the self-styled Baron Corvo, is a remarkable novel of thwarted ambition and ecclesiastical wish fulfilment. When a set of curious circumstances propels George Arthur Rose from despised obscurity to the throne of St Peter in a matter of weeks, the world is turned upside-down. This literary curiosity has delighted generations as well as providing valuable insights into the religious, social and political concerns of the early twentieth century.