Original title Arvet efter Arn Publisher Piratförlaget Pages 424 pp Country Sweden | Language Swedish Publication date June 2001 Originally published June 2001 Genre Historical Fiction OCLC 49309930 | |
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Media type Print (Hardback & Paperback) & Audio Book & E-book Preceded by The Kingdom at the End of the Road Similar Works by Jan Guillou, Historical novel books | ||
The Heritage of Arn (Swedish: Arvet efter Arn) is a follow-up to The Knight Templar (Crusades trilogy) by Jan Guillou about Birger jarl, the founder of Stockholm - fictionalized to be Arn Magnusson's grandson.
The story spans across a transitional period of Scandinavia where the last remnants of the Viking traditions are replaced by continental medieval customs and the Swedes and Geats unite under the hard rule of Birger "Jarl" Magnusson. The book basing itself on Swedish history and legends, taking great artistic freedoms starts Birger as a young man who has just lost his father Magnus and grandfather Arn Magnusson. Under the eyes of his determined mother, he is groomed into a fully fledged general and statesman. Cunning in war, finance, politics and theology, he slowly seizes power over the country, makes Finland part of Sweden and eliminates all pretenders to the throne in favour of his own son. Thus concluding the work of making Sweden one single nation.