| | | | Part 1 |
| 1 | Ned | Willard | Protagonist. |
| | Margery | Fitzgerald | Ned's lover. Ned's childhood friend. |
| | Reginald | Fitzgerald | Margery's father. The town's current mayor. |
| | Prior | Philip | The monk who had commissioned the cathedral 40 years ago. |
| | Barnabas | Willard | Ned's brother. Aka: Barney. |
| | Therese | | Ned's cousin. |
| | Caris | | The nun. |
| | Merthin | Fitzgerald | Caris's lover. The bridge-builder. |
| | Janet | Fife | The Willard's housekeeper. |
| | Blanche | | Ned's aunt. |
| | Dick | | Ned's uncle. |
| | Malcolm | Fife | Janet's husband. The Willard's groom. |
| | Acorn | | Barney's favorite horse. Deceased. |
| | King | Henry VIII | The town's current king. Queen Mary's father. |
| | Puss | Lovejoy | A seller. |
| | Tom | Builder | The mason. |
| | Jack | Builder | Tom's stepson. |
| | Naomi | | The elderly maid at Fitzgerald's. |
| | Rollo | Fitzgerald | Margery's brother. Aka: Jean Langlais. |
| | Mary | Tudor | The Queen of England. |
| | Edmund | Willard | Ned's father. Deceased. |
| | Bart | Shiring | Margery's fiance. The Viscount. |
| | Alice | Willard | Ned's mother. |
| | Jane | Fitzgerald | Margery's mother. |
| | King | Felipe | The King of Spain. Queen Mary's husband. |
| | Ralph | Fitzgerald | Merthin Fitzgerald. The former Earl of Shiring. |
| | Gerald | Fitzgerald | Ralph and Merthin's father. |
| | Earl | Swithin | Bart's father. The Earl of Shiring. |
| | Philbert | Cobley | The ship owner. |
| | Daniel | Cobley | Philbert's son. |
| | Elizabeth | Tudor | Mary's half-sister. Aka: Princess Elizabeth. |
| | William | Cecil | The estate manager of Princess Elizabeth. |
| | Edward | VI | Henry VIII's son. |
| | Mary | Stuart | The Queen of Scots. |
| | Prince | Francis | Mary Stuart's fiance. |
| | Francois | De Guise | The Duke of Guise. Leader of the French Forces. |
| | Albin | | Ned's cousin. |
| | Carlos | Cruz | Edmund's cousin. |
| | Ruth | Cobley | Ned's sister. |
| | Sussanah | Brecknock | Earl Swithin's cousin. Countess of Brecknock. |
| | Mary | Magdalene | The patron saint of prostitutes. |
| | Lord | Brecknock | Sussanah's husband. |
| | Donal | Gloster | Philbery's clerk. |
| 2 | Pierre Aumande | De Guise | A student at Sorbonne University. The illegitimate son of one of the De Guise. |
| | Bertrand | | A gambler. |
| | Mr. | Lariviere | Pierrre's
acquaintance. |
| | Villenueve | | The Viscount. Fellow student of Pierre. |
| | Bauchene | | The widow. |
| | Gaston | Le Pin | Head security of the De Guise family. |
| | Rasteau | | Gaston's officer. |
| | Brocard | | Gaston's officer. |
| | Charles | De Guise | The Cardinal of Lorraine. Francois's brother. |
| | Sylvie | Palot | The girl that Pierre met. |
| | Luc | Mariac | Georges' father. The cargo-broker. |
| | Georges | Mariac | Sylvie's admirer. |
| | Erasmus | of Rotterdam | The progenitor of Protestantism. |
| | Isabelle | Palot | Sylvie's mother. |
| | Giles | Palot | Sylvie's father. The printer. |
| | Raphael | | The archdeacon. |
| | Guillame | | The Traveler. The pastor. |
| | John | Calvin | The pastor and leader of protestants in Geneva. |
| | Alison | McKay | Mary Stuart's best friend. The lady-in-waiting to Mary of Scots. |
| | Caterina | De Medici | The Queen of France. Prince Francis's mother. |
| | King | Henri II | Caterina's husband. The King of France. |
| 3 | Sister | Joan | Margery and Rollo's great-aunt. |
| | Captain | Bacon | The ship captain. |
| | Susan | White | One of Ned's former lovers. |
| | Bishop | Julius | The bishop of Kingsbridge. |
| | Maddy | | Ned's tortoise-shell cat. |
| 4 | Jonathan | Greenland | Barney's first mate. |
| | Pedro | Ruiz | Jeronima's father. |
| | Jeronima | Ruiz | The girl that Barney adored. |
| | Ebrima | Dabo | Carlos's African slave. |
| | Betsy | | Barney's great-aunt. Aka: Elisa. |
| | Rodrigo | | A Portuguese jeweler. |
| | Achmed | | Rodrigo's groom. |
| | Sancho | Sanchez | The council of the Seville metal guild. |
| | Valentina | Villaverde | The girl Caros adore. |
| | Romero | | An archdeacon. |
| | Father | Alonso | A priest. |
| | Francisco | Villaverde | Valentina's father. |
| | Jose Alano | Cruz | Betsy's husband. Aka: Youssef Al-khalil. |
| | Farah | | Jeronima's slave. |
| | Ironhand | Gomez | The boat captain. |
| 5 | Albin | | Ned's cousin. |
| | Jan | Wolman | Edmund's cousin. Ned's uncle. |
| | Hennie | Wolman | Jan's wife. |
| | Prior | Paul | The last prior of Kingsbridge. |
| | Matthewson | | The sheriff. |
| | Paul | Petit | The clerk. |
| | Elijah | Cordwainer | The current Mayor. |
| | Osmund | Carter | The watchmen leader. |
| | Mrs. | Pollard | A protestant. |
| 6 | Veronique | De Guise | One of Mary Stuart's distant cousins. |
| | Janice | | Alison's aunt. |
| | Marie | De Guise | Mary Stuart's mother. |
| | Louise | De Nimes | The Marchioness of Nimes. |
| | Antoine | De Bourbon | The King of Navarre. The enemy of the De Guise family. |
| 7 | Rodney | Tilbury | The town's judge. |
| | Seb | Chandler | Tilbury's colleague. |
| | Canon Stephen | Lincoln | Bishop Julius's sidekick. A priest. |
| | Luke | Richards | The Willard family friend. The dean of Kingsbridge. |
| 8 | Tom | Parry | Lady Elizabeth's treasurer. |
| | Neil | Baynsford | Lady Elizabeth's governess. |
| | Thomas | Seymour | The man who
schemed to marry Elizabeth. |
| | Davy | Miller | Reginald's business representative. |
| | Adam | Cobley | Dan's grandfather. |
| | Deborah | Cobley | Dan's grandmother. |
| | Feria | | The count of Feria. Ned's acquaintance. |
| | Sal | Brendon | Swithin's housekeeper. |
| | Mave | Brown | Swithin's cook. |
| | Colly | Knight | One of Swithin's long-time workers. |
| | Cardinal | Pole | The archbishop of Canterbury. |
| | Canon | Robinson | Cardinal Pole's clerk. |
| | Nicholas | Heath | The most powerful man in England. |
| | | | Part 2 |
| 9 | Father | Moineau | Pierre's tutor. |
| | Rene | Duboeuf | The tailor. |
| | Francoise | Duboeuf | Rene's wife. |
| | Henri | De Guise | Scarface's son. |
| | Odette | | Veronique's maid. |
| | Diane | | Henri's mistress. |
| | Malheruex | | The King's horse. |
| | Alain | De Guise | Charles's nephew. |
| 10 | Gomez | | Barney's captain. |
| | Anouk | | The barmaid. |
| | Hennie | Wolman | Jan's wife. |
| | Imke | Wolman | Jan's daughter. |
| | Frits | Wolman | Jan's son. |
| | Jef | Wolman | Jan's son. |
| | Daan | Wolman | Jan's son. |
| | Albert | Willemsen | The metal supplier. |
| | Bertje | Willemsen | Albert's wife. |
| | Drike | Willemsen | Albert's son. |
| | Evi | Dirks | Albert's widowed sister. Ebrima's wife. |
| | Matthus | Willemsen | Evi's daughter. |
| | Jonas | Bacon | The captain of Dan Cobley's boat. |
| 11 | Mother | Ladoix | The mother superior. |
| | Nath | | Pierre and Odette's maid. |
| | Louis | | Antoine's younger brother. The prince of Conde. |
| | Jacques | Groslot | The owner of Chateau Groslot. |
| | Charles | De Louviers | The Assassin. |
| | Dr. | Pare | The King's doctor. |
| | King | Charles IX | Catarina and King Henri II's son. |
| | Charles-Maximilien | | Caterina's 2nd son. Aka: King Charles IX. |
| | Claude | Ronsard | The deputy receiver of customs. |
| | King | James V | The king of Scotland. Marie De Guise's husband. |
| | James | Stuart | Mary Stuart's brother. Ned's boss. |
| | John | Leslie | A Scottish priest. |
| | Cardinal | Louis | Scarface's brother. |
| | Pastor | Morel | A catholic priest. |
| | Gaspard | De Coligny | The admiral of France. The protestant leader. |
| | Anna | D'Este | The Duchess. |
| | Jean | De Poltrot | The man who killed Duke Scarface. |
| 12 | Duarte | | A Portuguese pilot. |
| | Ignacio | | Don Alfonso's secretary. |
| | Bella | | Alfonso's niece. Barney's lover. |
| | Silas | | One of Barney's crewmen. |
| 13 | Granny | Harborough | The oldest resident in Shiring. |
| | Robin | Twyford | The man Sussanah likes. |
| | Alvaro | De la Quadra | The Spanish ambassador. |
| | Peggy | | One of Margery's maids. |
| | Mick | | Margery's dog. |
| | Father | Jeremiah | The parson of St. John. |
| | George | Cox | The grave digger. |
| | Eileen | Malcolm | Jane and lame's daughter. |
| | | | Part 3 |
| 14 | Clement | Marot | The poet. |
| | Margherita | | The Duchess of Parma. The illegitimate half daughter of King Felipe. |
| | Pieter | Titelmans | The chief inquisitor. |
| | Mathus | | Ebrima's stepson. |
| | Huus | | The Canon of Antwerp cathedral. |
| | Samson | | Carlo's dog. |
| | Egmont | | The executioner. |
| 15 | Lord | Darnley | Mary's lover. |
| | Earl | Bothwell | The man who killed Lord Darnley. |
| | William | Douglas | The owner of Loch Leven. |
| | Lady | Agnes | William Douglas's wife. |
| | Lady | Margaret | William Douglas's mother. |
| | Alistair | Hoey | George's companion. |
| 16 | Bartlet | | Margery's son. |
| | Nora | Joseph | Margery's youngest maid. One of Bart's mistresses. |
| | Father | Monk | A former Monk at Kingsbridge Priory. |
| | Russet | | The horse that Margery
ordered. |
| | Pius | V | The current Pope. |
| | Paul | Tinsley | The lawyer who was clerk for the peace of the town. |
| | Leonard | Price | William Allen's associate. |
| | William | Allen | Leader of the exiled English
Catholics. |
| | Francis | Walsingham | The spymaster. The
mediator at the conference. |
| 17 | Aphrodite | Beaulieu | Count Beaulieu's daughter. |
| | Roberto | Ridolfi | The Pope's agent in England. |
| | Princess | Margot | Henri De Guise's
fiancé. The Queen of Navarre. |
| | Marquis | De Lagny | The Protestant aristocrat. |
| | Jean | | The leader of the French Protestant Army. |
| | Prince | William | The Prince of Orange. The leader of the
Dutch. |
| | Marianne | | The Countess of Beaulieu. Aphrodite's mother. |
| | Hercule-Francis | | Margot's brother. King Henri III's brother. |
| | Bernard | Housse | A young courtier. |
| | Georges | Biron | Pierre's chief spy. The lord of Montagny. |
| 18 | Pablo | Trujilo | The new rum seller. |
| | Mauricio | Martinez | Bella's acquaintance. |
| | Barnardo Alfonso | Willard | Bella and Barney's son. |
| 19 | Captain | Luze | The Huguenot leader. |
| | Anna | D'Este | Henri De Guise's mother. |
| 20 | Jean | Le Charron | The wealthy printer book-seller. |
| | Cosseins | | King Charles's head of security. |
| 21 | Mal | Roper | The catholic fisherman. |
| | Peg | Roper | Mal's wife. |
| | Roger | | Margery and Ned's son. |
| | Valerie | | The Forneron's daughter. Alfo's girlfriend. |
| | | | Part 4 |
| 22 | Michel | Servet | The catholic man that the protestant burned to death. |
| | Giovanni | Castelli | The current Pope. |
| | Claude | Matthieu | The rector of the professed
Jesuits. |
| | Francis | Throckmorton | Rollo's messenger. |
| 23 | Peg | Bradford | A laundress. |
| | Robert | Dudley | The Earl of Leicester. |
| | Ralph | Ventor | The gentleman of the court. |
| | John | Somerfield | One of the Warwickshire Catholics. |
| 24 | Garcon | | Alison's pony. |
| | Amias | Paulet | Alison's jailer. |
| | Gilbert | Gifford | The highly dangerous agent of the enemies of Queen Elizabeth. |
| | Claude | Nau | Mary's long-time secretary. |
| | Anthony | Babington | Rolloy's ally. |
| | Thomas | Gorges | The emissary from Queen Elizabeth. |
| | William | Davison | The secretary of the state. |
| 25 | Guillame | Forneron | Valerie's father. The
cambric-maker. |
| | Helga | | Barney's new wife. |
| | Francis | Drake | The vice admiral. |
| | William | Borough | Drake's deputy. A famous navigator. |
| 26 | Bernardino | De Mendoza | Spain's ambassador. |
| | Medina | Sidonia | The admiral of Armada. |
| | Juan Martinez | De Recalde | Sidonia's vice admiral. |
| | Lord | Howard | Queen Elizabeth's naval commanders. |
| | John | Hawkins | Queen Elizabeth's naval commanders. |
| | Thomas | Fleming | Captain of the golden hind. |
| | Charles | Howard | Thomas's admiral. |
| | Bill | Coory | Barney's master gunner. |
| 27 | Colli | | The captain of Duke Henri's
night watch. |
| | Charlotte | Of Sauves | Duke Henri's current mistress. |
| | Francis | D'O | The financial superintendent. |
| | Revol | | Duke Henri's secretary of state. |
| | Montsery | | King Henri's bodyguard captain. |
| | Swithin | | Earl Bartlet's 1st son. |
| | Roley | | Earl Bartlet's 2nd son. |
| | Cecilia | | Bartlet's wife. |
| | Dot | | The young nurse. |
| | Maximus | | Margery's dog. |
| | Richard | Grimes | The Kingsbridge builder. |
| | | | Part 5 |
| 28 | King | James VI | Mary Stuart's son. King of Scotland. |
| | Queen | Anne | King James VI's wife. |
| 29 | Philip | Herbert | The bridegroom. Earl of Pembroke's son. |
| | Susan | De Vere | Philip's wife. William Cecil's granddaughter. |
| | Guy | Fawkes | Philip's friend. Rollo's apprentice. Aka: John Johnson. |
| | Thomas | Percy | Rollo's co-conspirator. |
| | Ellen | Skinner | A coal merchant. |
| | Jack | | Margery and Ned's grandson. Roger's son. |
| | Pearce | | The firewood supplier. |
| | Radcliffe | | The corrupt captain. |
| | Lord | Monteagle | Robert's acquaintance. |
| 30 | Suffolk | | The earl of Suffolk |
