The novel intricately weaves real and fictional characters amid action, grand battles, espionage, and forbidden love within a powerful monastery. Set in AD 1202, it recounts brutal events through the accounts of two French knights present during the sacking of Constantinople, which marked the Byzantine Empire's decline. Geoffrey de Villehardouin, a prominent knight and chronicler, describes the fortified beauty of Zadar, a city that astonished the crusaders with its walls and wealth. Meanwhile, Robert de Clari, a lowborn knight, also plays a crucial role in the unfolding drama. Zadar, a dominant city in Dalmatia, boasts a formidable fleet and has successfully defended against its enemy, Venice. The city maintains relations with other Italian cities and even accepts heretics, challenging the Pope’s authority. As the story unfolds, Doge Dandolo of Venice, a blind yet cunning diplomat, manipulates events to his advantage. Amidst this backdrop, knight Maius arrives in Zadar seeking his kidnapped daughter, becoming embroiled in the political intrigues of the Madie family. The narrative captures the crusaders' siege of Zadar, where over 40,000 knights and 350 siege engines converged under Pope Innocent III’s patronage to reclaim Jerusalem. Ultimately, the crusaders never reach their goal, and the Pope curses them for their transgressions against his warnings.
