SciFi Short

[benedictjjones]

Trying to identify a sci-fi short and hoped you lot would be able to assist.

I'm pretty sure it appeared in an anthology called "Space Gladiators" but can't find a TOC for that online. Read it about twenty years ago.

Basically the throne has become vacant on a medieval world and an agent from the higher tech empire is sent to try and usurp control. There's jousting and one-on-one combat. At the end the big twist (IIRC) is that they have to produce documentation of their family lines and the agent is able to do so - revealing he does in fact have a real claim to the throne...

Any ideas?

[franklinmarsh]

Diplomat-at-arms / Keith Laumer --
In the arena / Brian W. Aldiss --
The Kokod warriors / Jack Vance --
Fiesta brava / Mack Reynolds --
Arena / Fredric Brown --
Brood world barbarian / Perry A. Chapdelaine --
The dueling machine / Ben Bova --
Killer / Karl Edward Wagner, David Drake.

[benedictjjones]

thanks so much, Franklin.

After managing to find a few story synopsis' I think most likely that it's "diplomat in arms"

"Killer" was also very good (alien in ancient rome) IIRC and hadn't realised Wagner was involved