It's 19th-century Peru. Lorenzo Robles, a Spanish loyalist, comes home in defeat and finds his brother Paco, an independentist, is stirring up trouble.
As independence fever grows, Lorenzo confronts Paco. A reluctant Rosa María agrees to please her family and marry the older but rich Adolfo.
The liberating forces inch closer as Paco continues his anti-imperialist work. Lorenzo's pay is withheld, and his family helps him and his new wife.
Family circumstances force Paco to become head of household, but he still helps out a friend. Meanwhile, Rosa María and Adolfo's marriage grows tense.
Blas runs away to San Martín's camp while Miguel, still smitten with Rosa María, tries to decide whether to join his father and the patriot forces.
As the New Year dawns and San Martín's forces grow, Francisco, the Robles patriarch, makes an important decision. Lorenzo recovers at his family's home.
Antonia's mother returns, threatening to reveal family secrets. Meanwhile, San Martín's blockade of Lima causes hunger in all social classes.
Paco grows disillusioned after he and Catalina are assaulted by men claiming to be patriots. Adolfo pivots opportunistically.
Paco's parents refuse to accept Catalina, a mixed-race puppeteer. His mother, Josefa, tries to bribe María Mazombé to take Antonia away.
Paco and Lorenzo are appalled to learn the truth about their father. Meanwhile, Doña Constanza overhears a secret from a feverish and delirious Adolfo.
San Martín and the Spanish viceroy try to come to an agreement while Adolfo plots how to avoid going to Spain, where his past could be revealed.
The liberating army enters an empty and starved Lima, where Paco confronts the bandits who attacked him and Catalina. Blas comes home to La Magdalena.
San Martín deliberates how best to proceed with independence, while Blas and Tadea struggle with their personal liberation from slavery.
María Mazombé confesses her secret, forcing Paco to confront his mother. Furious that women can't sign the Act of Independence, Antonia finds a way.
Francisco is incensed to learn he's been denounced, and inadvertently crosses Blas. Meanwhile, Teresa steps in to save Rosa María.
Catalina is beseeched by Monteagudo's advances while Paco recovers. Meanwhile, Lorenzo contends with Germán's continued tantrums against the patriots.
Francisco comes up with a scheme to pay what he considers an unfair fine. Lorenzo must make a decision to determine his fate.
Miguel takes dangerous risks to save Francisco, Rosa María's father. Paco considers an offer from San Martín, while Adolfo gossips about family.
Teresa gives birth, bringing joy to the Robles family, except for Rosa María. When Evaristo goes to Justina's, he's shocked by what Miguel has done.
Monteagudo grows increasingly obsessed, threatening Paco's political possibilities. Paco's own doubts grow so intensely, he asks to talk to San Martín.
San Martín must travel to conference with Simón Bolívar, but he's reluctant to leave Peru in Monteagudo's hands. Lorenzo has a strange encounter.
Monteagudo wants to tighten the screws on Lorenzo, while Paco's campaign takes off. Isabel decides to take her revenge, with catastrophic results.
Monteagudo tells Paco what really happened with Isabel, forcing his hand. San Martín decides to break with tradition when bestowing medals.
Shattered, Lorenzo confronts Teresa, who tells him the truth. Torre Tagle, left to govern Peru while San Martín is away, plots against Monteagudo.
Torre Tagle confronts Monteagudo and the standoff sparks a confession from Rosa. Lorenzo is beside himself and Josefa puts two and two together.
San Martín prepares to leave Peru. Adolfo considers a move too, now that he's a deputy, while Rosa María agonizes about the future of her unborn child.
Josefa and Rosa María devise a plot to hide the truth from Adolfo. But Adolfo has his own realization — about none other than Doña Constanza.
When Rosa María's moment of truth comes, she sees her mother, Teresa, Paco and Tadea all have her back. But how long can they keep Adolfo in the dark?
Adolfo learns the truth and plots revenge. In the meantime, the royalist forces have fought their way back and the new government has collapsed.
Adolfo pivots once more, hoping that being a mediator between royalists and patriots will give him an advantage. Lorenzo is tortured by doubts.
After searching fruitlessly for Rosa María, Paco and Miguel find María Mazombé instead and bring her home. Doña Constanza brings Rosa María a package.
As Simón Bolívar becomes Peru's new liberator, Paco has to decide where he stands politically. He and Catalina must also determine how to proceed.
Francisco makes a catastrophic mistake, and Miguel suggests a solution that, unknown to the Robleses, will bring further troubles. Paco visits Bolívar.
Monteagudo returns to Peru and everyone is miserable but Bolívar. As Lorenzo begins to consider a life outside the military, he suffers a terrible blow.
In the end, the Robles family endures deaths and births, as well as reconciliations and separations, and adapts to life in a free and sovereign Peru.