His grandfather saved the emperor's life in the Battle of Solferino. His father is a duty-bound official of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. However, Carl Joseph von Trotta, grandson of the 'Hero of Solferino' and an officer against his will, is sensitive and delicate. As the old certainties crumble, he seeks distraction from his weakness in gambling, alcohol, and women. Through the lens of three generations of the von Trotta family, Joseph Roth depicts the glory and decline of the Habsburg Empire - with this novel about his life’s theme, Joseph Roth created his masterpiece.