Chapter 33 Summary: von Königsmarck's Loot of Prague Castle
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
On July 16, 1648, General Hans Christoff von Königsmarck, commander of Sweden’s flying column, leads a successful attack on Prague. His soldiers scale the castle walls and occupy the fortress. Acting on orders from Queen Christina of Sweden, von Königsmarck’s mission is to loot the vast private collections of the late Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II. The Thirty Years’ War is winding down, but Christina seeks to bolster Sweden’s cultural prestige through plunder. Von Königsmarck enters the famous Kunstkammer—Rudolf’s chamber of art—which overflows with paintings, scientific instruments, curiosities, and occult objects. Despite the overwhelming disorder, he has a specific target: the Codex Gigas, an enormous manuscript also known as the Devil’s Bible. His aide confirms the devil illustration is on folio 290 and offers to show it to him.
Key Events
- Swedish forces under von Königsmarck capture Prague Castle on July 16, 1648.
- Von Königsmarck reflects on the Thirty Years’ War, the death toll, and the exhaustion of both sides.
- He is ordered by Queen Christina to plunder Rudolf II’s Kunstkammer to enrich Sweden’s cultural holdings.
- He enters the castle and passes a door knocker depicting fellatio, which offends his Protestant sensibility.
- Inside the Kunstkammer, he is overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of objects left after decades of looting by others.
- Von Königsmarck orders his aide to show him the Codex Gigas.
- He learns the devil illustration is on folio 290 and asks, “Is the devil there?”
Character Development
General Hans Christoff von Königsmarck: The chapter reveals a seasoned commander weary of war but dutiful to his queen. He follows orders despite personal distaste, as seen when he notes the obscene door knocker but decides not to remove it because he will leave soon. He admires Rudolf II’s enlightenment yet treats the collection as mere spoils. His focus on the Codex Gigas shows he understands the symbolic importance of the manuscript for Sweden’s prestige.
Queen Christina: Though absent, her orders drive every action. She is portrayed as ambitious, willing to extend the war for cultural gain. Her demand for a “final sweep” highlights her strategic calculation.
Rudolf II (posthumously): Known as a recluse fascinated by the occult, astrology, and alchemy. His Kunstkammer reflects his eclectic and obsessive collecting, blending art, science, and the esoteric. The remaining objects hint at a once-great collection now ravaged by decades of war and looting.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Plunder as National Prestige: Von Königsmarck explicitly connects the looting of Rudolf’s collections to Sweden’s need for cultural standing. This theme underscores the realpolitik of war, where art and knowledge become bargaining chips for power.
The Cost of War: The chapter repeatedly references the Thirty Years’ War’s devastation: eight million dead, Bohemia losing a third of its population. The image of a disintegrating collection mirrors the broken world left behind.
Clash of Moralities: Von Königsmarck’s Protestant sensibilities clash with the blatant eroticism of the door knocker and the occult items in Rudolf’s chamber. This tension between religious propriety and the pursuit of knowledge (or plunder) recurs throughout the chapter.
The Occult and the Forbidden: The Codex Gigas itself is a symbol of forbidden knowledge. Rudolf’s collection of alchemical and astronomical instruments underscores his pursuit of hidden truths. Von Königsmarck’s pointed question about the devil elevates the manuscript to a supernatural object of desire.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter provides the historical foundation for the novel’s central artifact, the Codex Gigas. It explains how the manuscript came into Swedish possession during the final months of the Thirty Years’ War. By placing the reader inside the mind of a general tasked with looting a legendary collection, Berry establishes the stakes and the moral ambiguity of the treasure hunt. The chapter also deepens the theme of cultural theft that likely echoes in the modern-day storyline.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Queen Christina order the final campaign into Bohemia despite ongoing peace negotiations?
Answer: Christina wants to loot Rudolf II’s remaining collections to quickly enhance Sweden’s cultural prestige, as Sweden’s treasures do not compare to those of Spain, France, or other neighbors. She seizes the opportunity before the war officially ends.
2. What specific object does von Königsmarck seek, and where is it found?
Answer: He seeks the Codex Gigas (the Devil’s Bible), which lies atop a sturdy oak table in the fourth room of the Kunstkammer. His aide notes that the devil illustration is marked on folio 290.
3. How does von Königsmarck’s Protestant identity influence his reactions during the chapter?
Answer: He is disgusted by the door knocker depicting fellatio, calling it an “obscenity” offensive to his Protestant sensibility. However, he chooses not to remove it because he will not stay long, showing his pragmatic focus on the mission over personal revulsion.