It was fun to do, but perhaps I'd have enjoyed the book more if I hadn't known anything about the historical reality - I'd certainly have had a less tainted view on the quality of the book, especially in terms of worldbuilding. I'd have to reread Tigana to see, but either that book is far less obvious in its connection to the real world, or I just missed the vast majority of the connections, which might be part of the reason why in my mind Tigana is still a masterpiece, and this book not so much.

I knew that much beforehand, though I'm fairly sure I'd have realized it before too long, thanks to that Age of Kings campaign about him. Never actually read the legend or the play or whatever.