After King Magnus dies, his sons Birger, Erik and Valdemar stand at the center of a growing conflict. One inherits a throne. All three must confront what loyalty demands.
01Eleven years old when he inherits his father's crown, Birger must learn to rule under the regent's guidance. As his brothers show their strengths, his jealousy and fear of losing authority threaten the bonds of family.
02Intelligent, skilled and ambitious, Erik excels under the regent's instruction. His growing frustration with Birger's rule draws him into a dangerous struggle over the future of Sweden.
03The youngest royal brother looks to Erik with admiration. As the princes mature, Valdemar is swept into the rivalries and alliances that threaten to pull their family apart.
“In a royal family, even love can become a matter of state.”
A theme of the novel · not a quotation from the bookThe regent's influence and the marriages arranged among Scandinavian royal houses draw others into the struggle, where personal wishes must contend with political necessity.
04Arriving at Nyköping as a child, Kristina senses the dangers behind the castle walls. Her life brings an intimate view of the cost of royal ambition.
05A powerful noble and accomplished warrior charged with educating the princes in statecraft and combat. His influence profoundly shapes the royal household.
06Her marriage to Birger ties Denmark and Sweden together. In a world ruled by dynastic obligation, love and diplomacy rarely stand apart.
07Promised in marriage to Denmark's king, Ingeborg embodies the delicate alliances upon which the Scandinavian monarchies depend.
Portraits are newly created artistic interpretations of the novel's characters, not authenticated historical likenesses, official cast photos, or illustrations from the published book. Descriptions summarize the novel's storyline.
Birger, Erik and Valdemar share a father and a claim to royal influence. Rivalry puts their brotherhood under strain.
Torgils Knutsson guides the young princes; his daughter Kristina witnesses the dangers that surround court life.
Marta of Denmark and Ingeborg of Sweden are drawn into diplomatic marriages that connect the Scandinavian kingdoms.
Meet them all in the sweeping historical novel by M. E. Javits.