Jan Andersson is a poor crofter. The only thing that brings him joy is his daughter Glory, but when the family finds itself in need of money, she moves to Stockholm to look for a job. At first Jan is despondent, especially as Glory very quickly stops sending letters. But as time goes on, Jan begins to piece together what happened to Glory in Stockholm—though his conclusions differ wildly from everyone else’s.

Blending family drama with social critique, Selma Lagerlöf explores the ways in which community and generational relations can be affected by forces both beyond and within our control, and how redemption is possible, if we so choose.

Lagerlöf considered titling the novel A Swedish King Lear , alluding to the generational conflicts central to both the novel and the play. Today The Emperor of Portugallia is considered a classic of Swedish literature, with multiple adaptations, including the now lost 1925 Hollywood film The Tower of Lies and a 1992 series for Swedish public television.