Gábor Báthory was the ruler of Principality of Transylvania from 1608 to 1613. The infamous Elisabeth Báthory was his relative. The young Báthory is daring handsome and the idol of women, and triumphantly acquires the throne of Transylvania. The young ruler is the hope of the Transylvanian people, who have long suffered from wars. However, the ambitious Báthory pursues glory. He turns into a deranged tyrant, his best friend, the wise Gábor Bethlen, also becomes his mortal enemy and infuriates the neighboring great powers. Huge armies of the Ottomans, Wallachians, Poles, Hungarians and Cossacks attack Transylvania because of Báthory's adventurism.

The newly-crowned Maria Theresa gives birth to her child in a public celebration surrounded by intriguing politicians and baronesses, while the neighboring powers send a declaration of war to the young monarch.

The story takes place at the time of the defeat of the Hungarian War of Independence, when Csákberény came under the terror of the imperial soldiers. Two priests from the village are arrested overnight for reading the Hungarian Declaration of Independence. Although the Austrian soldiers enjoy their power, they are unable to identify with the repression. The purpose of the trial of a military imprisonment court is to obtain a confession, to prove that a violation of sovereignty has been committed.