Das Königsprojekt
Encyclopedia
Das Königsprojekt is a Science fiction
novel
by the German writer Carl Amery
, published in 1974. The book was the first of three Science Fiction novels written by Amery.
and the Vatican
reflects on his upbringing as a Bavaria
n Catholic
who had studied on the Catholic University of America.
through Leonardo da Vinci
after the inventor's death. Selected members of the Pope's
Swiss Guard
are sent back in time with this machine to alter history in favour of the Catholic Church. All this is supervised by a very small group of church officials and without the specific knowledge of the current Pope.
Through usage of this time machine, the Vatican comes to realise that history can not be altered, only manipulated. This means that a fact of the past, like the Reformation
, can not be undone. For example, an attempt on Martin Luther
's life fails and provides the reason for Luther's visitation by the devil
, who in truth, according to the book, was a member of the Swiss Guard trying and failing to assassinate him.
In 1688, the Progetto Reale (English: Royal Project) is undertaken by the men in charge of the department. The project's aim is to reestablish Catholicism in England
through restoration of the House of Stuart
. The Catholic Church perceives the Stuarts as too weak for their purposes and instead selects the Bavarian House of Wittelsbach as an alternative. For the purpose of legalising the claim to the British throne, a member of the Swiss Guard, Arnold Füßli, is sent out to exchange the Stone of Scone
for a fake. While this mission succeeds, the stone is deposited at what later becomes a reservoir and is lost for the cause.
The Church's main asset, its loyal Swiss Guard soldier Franz Defunderoll, however, chooses to desert and meet his unsuspecting self in the future.
Eventually, the time machine is destroyed.
In a bizarre finale of the book, the rebellious Bavarian-Scottish troops self-sacrifice in the reservoir, heeding the call of the Stone.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by the German writer Carl Amery
Carl Amery
Carl Amery , the pen name of Christian Anton Mayer, was a German writer and environmental activist. Born in Munich, he studied at the University of Munich. He was a participant of Gruppe 47.-Works:-References:...
, published in 1974. The book was the first of three Science Fiction novels written by Amery.
Background
Amery's novel, set mostly in the background of RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and the Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
reflects on his upbringing as a Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
who had studied on the Catholic University of America.
Plot
In the novel, the Vatican gains possession of a time machineTime travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
through Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
after the inventor's death. Selected members of the Pope's
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Swiss Guard
Swiss Guard
Swiss Guards or Schweizergarde is the name given to the Swiss soldiers who have served as bodyguards, ceremonial guards, and palace guards at foreign European courts since the late 15th century. They have had a high reputation for discipline, as well as loyalty to their employers...
are sent back in time with this machine to alter history in favour of the Catholic Church. All this is supervised by a very small group of church officials and without the specific knowledge of the current Pope.
Through usage of this time machine, the Vatican comes to realise that history can not be altered, only manipulated. This means that a fact of the past, like the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, can not be undone. For example, an attempt on Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
's life fails and provides the reason for Luther's visitation by the devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
, who in truth, according to the book, was a member of the Swiss Guard trying and failing to assassinate him.
In 1688, the Progetto Reale (English: Royal Project) is undertaken by the men in charge of the department. The project's aim is to reestablish Catholicism in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
through restoration of the House of Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
. The Catholic Church perceives the Stuarts as too weak for their purposes and instead selects the Bavarian House of Wittelsbach as an alternative. For the purpose of legalising the claim to the British throne, a member of the Swiss Guard, Arnold Füßli, is sent out to exchange the Stone of Scone
Stone of Scone
The Stone of Scone , also known as the Stone of Destiny and often referred to in England as The Coronation Stone, is an oblong block of red sandstone, used for centuries in the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland and later the monarchs of England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom...
for a fake. While this mission succeeds, the stone is deposited at what later becomes a reservoir and is lost for the cause.
The Church's main asset, its loyal Swiss Guard soldier Franz Defunderoll, however, chooses to desert and meet his unsuspecting self in the future.
Eventually, the time machine is destroyed.
In a bizarre finale of the book, the rebellious Bavarian-Scottish troops self-sacrifice in the reservoir, heeding the call of the Stone.
Translations
- CzechCzech languageCzech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
by January Hlaviaka, title: Kralovsky projekt, Ivo Zelezny 1997
Editions
- Piper, 1974: ISBN 3492020747
- Deutscher Taschenbuchverlag, 1978:
- Heyne, 1984: ISBN 3453310314
- Süddeutsche Verlag, 1987: ISBN 3799163662
Sources
- Das Königsprojekt by Carl Amery, publisher: Heyne
- SF im Allgemeinen und Lem im Besonderen - Carl Amery: "Das Königsprojekt" (in German)