About this book

"Karolus : Historiallinen kertomus Viron kansan vapausajan alkupuolelta" by Järv is a historical novel written in the early 20th century. It depicts the forced Christianization, rising serfdom, and resistance of the Estonian people under Danish-German rule, following the fates of the defiant peasant Oglas, his steadfast wife Saale, and their son Karolus, who is raised by the Danish lord Arnolf von Ludinghausen and torn between privilege and conscience. The story centers on moral courage, oppression, and the clash between faith as preached and power as practiced. The opening of the novel shows peasants compelled to build a fortress wall at Lämela; Oglas urges them to stop forging their own chains and leads them to symbolically wash away baptism, after which Ludinghausen has them enslaved and families torn apart. A planned massacre of drunken nobles during a feast is betrayed—Saale informs to prevent bloodshed—leading to executions and dispersals; the child Kahro is seized, renamed Karolus, and raised by Ludinghausen. Growing up, Karolus rejects the priesthood after witnessing clerical hypocrisy, turns to arms, defends abused peasants, distinguishes himself in battle, and is made a vassal, yet remains troubled by his people’s misery and falls in love with Arnolf’s daughter Kordelia, who reveals his lineage from the fallen Estonian king Warpo. After thwarting villains who menace Kordelia and sheltering fugitives, Karolus petitions the estates to curb brutality; the nobles explode in outrage, strip his rights, and have him imprisoned. (This is an automatically generated summary.)