The book begins in the city of
Turku and follows Mikael along an
adventure throughout Europe and the Mediterranean. The book depicts many actual historical events with a rich style, although Mikael's involvement in the events is fictitious. The historical events and milieu featured in the book include: •
Denmark's conquest of Sweden, the
Stockholm Bloodbath and eventually the downfall of king
Christian II of Denmark. • Student life at the
Sorbonne in
Paris at this time. •
Protestant Reformation and related political unrest in Germany (the
Poor Barons' Rebellion and the
peasants' war),
Luther and
Müntzer themselves appearing as side characters. •
Spanish monarch sending
conquistadors to
New World, Mikael almost made to join
Pizarro's expedition. • A
witch-hunt conducted by the
Inquisition in a small German town, claiming the life of an innocent girl. • Wars in 16th-century Europe and expansion of the
Ottoman Empire. •
Plundering of Rome (Sack of Rome) during reign of
Pope Clement VII The story is continued in
The Wanderer, where the protagonist explores the
Ottoman Empire. ==Reception==