Women in the pillory

The story takes place from February to June 1353. It is inspired by events that happened in Brno at that time, and the history of Bohemia and Moravia is projected in the second plan of the story.

In February, the second wife of King Charles IV died. and he immediately arranges another marriage. In February, a daughter, Katherine, was also born to the Margrave couple Margaret of Opava and Jan Henry of Luxembourg, and her engagement was planned immediately.

The main story line is the relationship of the Ferre family and the subsequent trial of Jiří Ferre. Jiří Ferreus and his young wife Kateřina Smelclinová are members of wealthy patrician Brno families. Ferreus treats his wife outrageously, even by the standards of the time. He beats her cruelly, scolds her and tortures her psychologically in every way. He claims he's raising her that way when her parents didn't raise her properly. Catherine's parents talk him down, but when that doesn't work, they turn to the city council for help. She also talks Ferre down. Ferreus doesn't make a big deal out of it though, and continues to beat his wife ungodly. He knows he has city law on his side, which guarantees him impunity for his behavior towards his wife. The sworn are clueless.

The impoverished Katerina finally manages to escape from the house and hides with her parents. Ferreus asks them to hand his wife back to him. Katerina's mother, related to influential Brno families, plans with the mothers of the families how to make Ferrea socially impossible and save Katerina. When the trial is decided in the presence of the Margrave himself.

The second story line is the fate of the Brno executioner. The dying prisoner he was originally supposed to execute confides in him a secret of great wealth. Kat Hajo has it almost at her fingertips, but it's not easy to get. Moreover, his wife has just died, he has to take care of his two children and solve the case of Magdalena, a townswoman who is convicted of murdering her old husband. A Dominican monk is interested in the hidden wealth and tries to acquire it for his order. He seems to suspect the executioner of knowing something about the whole case. He is a strong opponent who will stop at nothing to get his way.