Edhasa 2005

Ruter the Red is the story of a fascinating character.

Born in Germany and apparently related to Rubens, his life was marked by travel, deceit, and constant changes of identity.

Swept along by the events of his time, he married twice—once in Italy and once in Spain—deceived nobles, trafficked horses, escaped from prison, and resorted to every kind of trick to survive during the turbulent years of the struggle between the Habsburgs and the Bourbons.

Drawing from the scant written material about him—chiefly his letters and the transcriptions of the inquisitorial interrogations he endured—the author reconstructs the extraordinary life of this man, placing it vividly and precisely within the context of his era.