Jakob Fugger's scheming to become as rich as Croesus from copper and silver mining as banker of the mighty in Catholic Christianity requires seeing the papacy to organize a European crusader defense against the Ottoman Turkish threat. The church's self-absorbed puritanical Inquisition party would rather concentrate on fighting heresy and so on within, which includes burning at the stake converted Saracene Zobeida, the mother of monastery oblate Richard, the bastard son of Fugger's late brother, who swears revenge at inquisitor Heinrich Institoris -and remains his target- which he seeks to find as Jacob's confident.—KGF Vissers

*Richard, son of unmarried Saracen convert Zobeida, is educated as clever novice, ignoring he's the bastard son of one of the Croesus)rich Fugger brothers. When inquisitor Heinrich Institoris overrules the wise abbot to impose a zealous regime of intolerant terror, Zobeida is raped and burnt at the stake, he stabs Henry and flees. Finally he's taken in the Fugger's care by Jakob's rusted henchman Eberding, who becomes his guardian angel, while he's trained for and employed in the Fugger mining empire's great interests, commercial and political. When the Ottomans threaten the mining region, a crusade is needed, requiring a pope who shifts focus from persecuting heresy to mounting a crusade. Besotted with ambitious gypsy Saviya, Richard is up for utter revenge or ruin among the intrigues of cardinals.—KGF Vissers