The young Trenck, endowed with ingenuity and intelligence, but also famous for his fiery temper and litigiousness, conquers the benevolence of the Prussian King Frederick II, who assumes him in his body of guard and intends to open a brilliant military career to him. But the affectionate relations between Trenck and the sister of the King, Amalia, will be fatal to the cadet. Frederick jealously guards the couple and finally demands that Amalia once and for all give up Trenck. Despite the ban, Amalia attempts to re-establish the bond with the cadet who participates as a lieutenant in the war against Austria and repeatedly stands out for particular valuable enterprises. It won't do much for him: on Frederick's orders, Trenck is also imprisoned in the Glatz fortress.

Trenck, imprisoned in the fortress of Glatz, is outraged by the unfair treatment, even more because the silence about the real reason for his detention, that is, the irremediable opposition of King Frederick II of Prussia to the love relationship of the young baron with Amalia, sister of the king . After having witnessed the unjustified punishment of a custody officer, Trenck tries to escape for the first time, but fails. While the king considers his sister Amalia responsible for the baron's attempt to escape, the young man plans a second escape from the fortress, which this time succeeds. He then goes to Bohemia, where he cleverly escapes from the pitfalls he finds himself in by the Prussian agents, and continues to Vienna. Here he hopes to be helped by his famous Austrian cousin, the commander of the Panduri Trenck.

Trenck, a fugitive from Prussian prisons, seeks help in Vienna from the famous cousin, commander of the Panathites, but even his bellicose relative now urgently needs help. His value is highly appreciated by the court of Vienna in times of war, but his obstinacy, his grandeur in spending and the barbaric customs of his hordes of knights looters make him increasingly unpopular. The Pandour is at home. A trial awaits him. But the reckless, sure of the favor of Empress Maria Teresa, indulges in further provocations and ends up in jail. Trenck tries to intervene on his behalf, but only collects scorn and sarcasm. After a visit to the prison, he barely escapes an assassination attempt by two officers. Trenck then abandons the inhospitable Vienna and enlist as captain in the Russian army.

After escaping an attempted kidnapping organized by the Prussians, Trenck reaches Moscow and takes a fancy himself with General Lìeven's daughter. It's a fleeting love affair. Longer lasting is his affair with Anastasia, wife of Chancellor Bestuscheff. The Prussian ambassador discovers the relationship and tries with a plot to cause the ruin of Trenck. However, the accused can manage to exonerate himself, he is rehabilitated and even gets a gift of grace from the Tsaritsa. Trenck prepares Bestuscheff's sketches of the Prussian fortifications. Anastasia advises him to leave Russia. Trenck returns to Vienna, where, after the sudden and spectacular death of his cousin, a huge inheritance awaits him

Trenck, in Vienna, must fight against a corrupt environment, including intrigues and plots of all kinds. The legacy, which is disputed, has already been partly squandered by rapacious officials. His mother's death brings Trenck back to Gdansk and this time the Prussians are able to kidnap the baron who, by order in the sovereign Frederick II, is imprisoned in Magdeburg, in a place from which it is impossible to escape. The beautiful Amalia, the cause of disagreements between Trenck and the king, his brother, is a woman now withered, who has renounced the worldly life.