Ein livländisch Herz: Katharina I. von Russland; geschichtlicher Roman

A bitter, north‑west wind sweeps across the frozen plains of Livonia as Tsar Peter the Great presses his army against the Swedish‑held fortress of Narva. The cold gnaws at the soldiers’ fingers, yet the tsar’s resolve burns hotter than any fire, driving him to command each spade‑turn and each cannon shot with relentless vigor. Around him, weary guards repeat the simple mantra that a father’s labor should feed his children, a creed that steadies them amid the grinding mud and endless artillery.

The siege becomes a brutal chess game of stone, smoke and steel, with the Swedish commander, Count Horn, clinging to his hold on the city’s heart. Night after night, fire‑bombs hiss and explode, casting a poisonous glow over the battered streets while the Russian troops scramble to douse the flames and hold the line. Despite dwindling supplies and the ever‑present threat of famine, Peter’s iron will refuses to let the fortress fall, setting the stage for a dramatic clash of wills that will shape the destiny of both nations.