The Promised Land

Impoverished Danish officer turned land-seeker who fuels his ascent with pragmatism and stubborn resolve. He forms a fragile, evolving family dynamic with Ann while pursuing a noble title to legitimize his hold on the moor. His leadership blends strategic ruthlessness with a capacity for tenderness toward those he protects.

A merciless local magistrate and landowner who works to monopolize the moorland. He uses legal and extralegal means to keep Kahlen’s labor force under his control and to preserve his own wealth. His ruthless tactics escalate the conflict and threaten the fledgling settlement.

Schinkel’s cousin and intended fiancée who resists a loveless marriage for wealth. She secretly connects with Kahlen, offering a glimmer of escape through a possible marriage if he can secure a title. Her choices reflect the limited agency of noblewomen in arranged alliances.

Kahlen’s partner and ally, initially a worker who becomes part of an unofficial family on the farm. She represents resilience and cunning, ultimately taking decisive action against oppression. Her relationship with Kahlen and the fate of the group hinge on her choices and sacrifices.

A Romani girl who leads the way into the camp and later learns to read and survey from Kahlen. Her presence highlights the marginalized communities behind the settlement’s success and their precarious status within the social order.

A teenage Romani traveler connected to the same group, representing the younger generation’s experience of displacement and travel. Her presence underscores the continuity of Romani life amid the settlement’s growth and the pressures of exclusion.

An escaped serf who becomes a symbol of the brutal labor system. His torture and death become a pivotal catalyst for Kahlen’s actions and the moral crisis surrounding the settlement’s legitimacy.

A loyal servant who reveals the political machinations to the king’s cabinet, helping to expose the consequences of the power struggle. He functions as a conduit between the estate and the royal authorities.

A court-connected figure whose actions reflect the broader aristocratic interests at play. He represents the entrenched networks that influence land ownership and political outcomes.

A figure tied to the estate’s machinery of control, contributing to the tension between laborers and landowners. His presence underscores the systemic oppression that the settlers face.

A secondary actor within the settlement’s orbit, illustrating the layered hierarchy of workers and overseers. His role helps to flesh out the social structure that GK has to navigate.

Another estate figure who participates in the land politics surrounding Kahlen’s pursuit of the moor. His actions contribute to the plot’s escalation and the ultimate outcomes of the power struggle.