The novel by the German writer Alfred Neumann is dedicated to the history of France in the second half of the 15th century. The author shows how, for more than two decades, the unifying king Louis XI resisted the feudal clique led by his relative, Duke of Burgundy Charles the Bold, and how, through clever diplomatic combinations, he managed to separate his enemies and emerged victorious from the struggle. The main character of the novel, along with Louis, XI is the king's closest assistant, Olivier Le Den, who carried out many of his secret orders and was nicknamed the devil for his dexterity and unscrupulousness in his means.