| Tuulihaukka | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Kaari Utrio |
| Country | Finland |
| Language | Finnish |
| Subject(s) | Pagan and Christian Finland, love |
| Genre(s) | Historical fiction |
| Publisher | Tammi |
| Publication date | 1995 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback, pocket book) |
| Pages | 733 pp |
| ISBN | 9789513138127 |
| OCLC Number | 141388617 |
| Preceded by | Vaskilintu |
| Followed by | Yksisarvinen |
Tuulihaukka (Finnish: Kestrel or The Wind Falcon) is a historical novel by Finnish author Kaari Utrio.
Tuulihaukkas can also mean Common Kestrels.
Plot summary: The story follows two young people who briefly met in the beginning stages (in southwestern Finland) and towards the end, end up to same region (Calabria, southern Italy). Meanwhile, they both travel separately through Europe, their separate routes.
the eponymous Kestrel, Juvalos Skleros Gerakis, aka Olaf Falco, owner of the ship Tuulihaukka (= kestrel, wind falcon), a young man, returns from Viking treks to meet his parents at their home in southwestern Finland, and finds them slaughtered by neighboring district's pagans. After some customary revenge, he leaves the shores with his ship, adventuring to Normandy to meet his step-brother and childhood friend Odo. Odo's sister Adela has grown to a beautiful maiden, and her stepbrother Olaf-Juvalos rescues her. They marry and embark to southern Italy where the Falco intends to serve the Duke Robert Guiscard. Duke Robert sends the Falco to suppress a local revolt in the imaginary town of Sinetra in Calabrian coast, with promise to receive the town and territory as fief. In Sinetra, Juvalos Gerakis the kesrrel ('falco') becomes the heir of an old Byzantine noblewoman despoina Helena Harzaniteina, the legitimate owner of the territory, and builds up his county.
Meanwhile, a young noble girl Aure from southern Finland, raped and after the local justiciar her father got too invalid, leaves her homestead with her brother Lyy, who decided to seek to the Varangian guard of the emperor of Constantinople. They settle a household in Constantinople and have adventures, including in Anatolia where they traveled to the Battle of Manzikert. Afterwards, the court of Constantinople sent Lyy ('Leo') and aure to accompany an imperial princess to her marriage in Venice. However, in southern Dalmatia, the retinue is attacked by Norman adventurers from south Italy, and Aure was taken by knight Fulberto de Montecaldo, who decided to marry the highly-born Greek noblewoman - as Aure (despoina Aurelia) presented herself. Aurelia ends up to Calabria, to the manor of Montecaldo, where she has her daughter, donna Constantia de Montecaldo. Aurelia and Juvalos, both from southwestern Finland, now live in same region, but it takes years before they actually meet one another.
Because of a local rebellion of nobles, Aure and Juvalos end up together and they marry after Juvalos' hitherto wife Adela dies.
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