The Betrothed, which takes place in Lombardy in the late 1620s during the Spanish rule, relates the tale of two young lovers named Renzo and Lucia who are barred from getting married by the petty dictator Don Rodrigo, who wants Lucia for himself. They are cruelly separated after being forced to escape, and they must battle bizarre people like the enigmatic Nun of Monza, the fiery Father Cristoforo, and the frightening "Unnamed" in order to be reunited. These threats include plague, famine, and incarceration. One of the greatest European historical novels, The Betrothed explores love, power, and faith while providing a whirling panorama of life in seventeenth-century Italy. It is a powerful portrait of enduring romance.