The penultimate, 28th novel from the History of Poland series by the famous Polish classic J. Kraszewski continues the theme of the Saxon trilogy. It shows the rise to power, the first years of the reign of Augustus II in Poland, and the Northern War. The author's description of the main characters of this drama is quite interesting: Augustus II, Charles XII, Peter I, Patkul, the king's favorites, etc. The main character of the novel, the Saxon merchant Witke, is trying to make a career in the court of the new king. He learns Polish and plunges into a whirlpool of court and military intrigues. However, he soon becomes disillusioned with Augustus and the entire court, where everything is built on deception. In general, the novel shows well the initial period of Augustus’s reign. The novel is published in Russian for the first time.