The Adventures of Conrad Stargard[1] is a series of time travel novels written by the Polish American writer Leo Frankowski.
In them, a Polish engineer named Conrad Schwartz is sent back in time to the 13th century where he has to establish himself and cope with various crises including the eventual Mongol invasion of Poland in 1240.
In response to this criticism in an early draft of the first book, Frankowski modified the character to have the opposite traits as himself, such as Conrad's socialism and devout Catholicism.
[6] Frankowski also wrote two books set in the same universe as the original series but not featuring the main character Conrad: Two omnibus editions of this series have been published by Baen Books: Four additional Conrad Stargard Novels were roughly outlined/rough drafted, with notes and brainstorming ideas, but were never finished or published due to the author's death.
After befriending a local monk, Father Ignacy, who convinces him he is indeed in an earlier era, and a failed attempt at becoming a scribe, he takes a job as a bodyguard to a merchant.
He meets a number of minor characters who figure in later books, such as the boatman Tadaos, and winds up working for Count Lambert, a relative of the Duke who rules over much of Poland.
This book details the travails that occur as Conrad attempts to establish the industrial base that he will need for his planned defense of Poland.
He also establishes the thirteenth century equivalent to the Playboy Club, builds a new city, gains several new lovers and elevates his status in the ruling hierarchy of the country.
Count Conrad disagrees with the duke's battle plans, as they would require him to abandon his own lands and withdraw west to Legnica, where his infantry could not maneuver effectively without the steamboats and railroads he built.
After returning to the Warriors' School to finish preparations for the war, he enlists the aid of Count Lambert, the commander of Eagle Nest where they have created scout aircraft, in his treason.
This book explains the invention of the time machine and the people who control its use, incidentally providing explanations for their occasional interference in Conrad's behalf.
He discovers his uncle did more of a tune-up than believed when he got his "physical" and his Christian Army uses his disappearance as an excuse to invade Africa and eventually the Holy Lands and find him.