The Trilogy transports us into 17th century Poland, into a history and geography which are almost totally unknown in the United States, including three terrible invasions by rebellious Cossacks, the mighty Swedes and the and the scorge of Europe - the Turkish armies of the Ottoman Empire.  Neither the time frame nor the teritory are famililar to most modern readers, which is why this companion piece was written, to help explain or clarify some of the problems you may encounter while reading the Trilogy. Included are: a brief history of Poland's 1000 years, special map and translations.