ACT 1, SCENE 1
QUEEN ISABELLA, downstage, addresses the theatre audience. She wears a floor lenght
costume, circa 1492. The stage is empty except for a table, chairs and a scrim upstage.
ISABELLA: Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen. I understand we have a number of students
in the audience. I would like to begin with a question? Who was the person or persons who
liberated Spain from the Moors?
AUDIENCE: (Shouts from the audience) "Ferdinand and Isabella. "?
ISABELLA: Not true. Ferdinand and Isabella. They took part in the re-conquest and freed
Granada. There was a Prince in Castile who paved the way for the re- conquest. He would
become known as Fernando the Third. He liberated the rest of Spain more than two hundred
years prior to Granada.
(HUBBUB in the audience.
ISABELLA: Who was this young Prince? Born in 1199 the son of King Alfonso the 9th of
of Leon and Dona Berenguera of Castile. Lady Berenguera's brother was heir to the throne
of Castile, but he died. That meant Lady Berenguera, who is my distant cousin, would
become Queen of Castile....ah, there's Lady Berenguera now and family friend, Archbisop
Jimenez.
( Enter DONA BERENGUERA and ARCHBISHOP JIMENEZ.. ISABELLA exits)
The Cortez, St Mary's church. In attendance members of the Cortez, nobles, Dona Berenguera of Castile, Berenguera, Don Lopez De Haro, an Archbishop Jimenez. Cheers from the assembly they have just proclaimed Dona Berenguera Queen of Castile.
Archbishop Jimenez approaches Dona Berenguera and asks her: You are queen. For a year your son has been his scoundrel father who the pope annulled because you were too closely related. Could he have turn the young Fernando from the virtuous life? Are you still sure you want to do this?
Berenguera: Our Lady saved him from death's door when he was a boy. He then said he was Jesus' Knight who will suffer great labors for him in the wars against the Moors and that he wanted to shed my blood for Him and for his glorious Mother. Yes! I will give up the throne.
Fernando enters and says to his mother: I flew like like the wind when I knew you needed my sword!
Fernando enters and knells before Berenguera: My Queen and mother.
Berenguera lifts up Fernando and knells before him: My Lord and son. I've just relinquish my title so you are king. The Cortes just named you king.
Fernando: I'm only 18 years old. How could you do this?
Berenguera: I put this burden on you because by God's providence only your sword can drive out the traitor Alvaro's armies and drive out the demon driving your father's army this way. Our tradition says that the kings of Castile are given the power of exorcism.
Fernando: Am I to do an exorcism on my father?
Berenguera: For the sake of both our kingdoms and his soul, you must pray that Jesus turns him back to his kingdom.
Fernando: So as I expel the Alvaro's hordes, I am going to expel the demon driving my father.
Berenquera: Remember that it is Jesus who expels the demons not the exorcist. You main battle to overcome these twin evils will not be with your father or Alvaro. If you wins these wars then your greatest battle is with yourself.
Scene 2
Don De Haro: As you ordered. We attacked three of Count Alvaro's strongholds and they quickly surrendered, but his main huge army is still terrorizing the countryside as if he were a Moor instead of a Christian. What of your father?
Fernando: My father can wait since he is not here yet, I see red when I think of the murderer Alvaro who insulted and persecuted my mother.
Berenquera walks in: Your army has captured Alvaro. They bring him to you at this moment.
Fernando: He deserves death!
Berenquera: Many deserve death, but...
Fernando: Did he not hang your innocent messenger? Did he not besiege you at Autillo?
Berenquera; Truly, he deserves death, but I suspect Our Lord is asking mercy for him. Please enter your inner chapel and ask Him what he desires.
Fernando knells and after a few moments stands facing his mother.
Berenquera: What did He tell you?
Fernando: In the depths of my soul I heard, "You will not sin against justice if you condemn him; but I, on the Cross, forgave." I'm not happy, but if it is God's will I'll show him mercy.
De Haro: If you do this sire, everyone will view your benevolence as the weakness of youth.
Fernando: I do not fear my enemies as long as my God and Lord is on my side. Vanquish I my passions , that my enemies be vanquished.
Archbishop Jimenez enters room and speaks to De Haro who says to the king: Sire, your father army is at the gate.
Fernando writes on a piece of paper and hands it to the Archbishop as he says: I know my Lady Holy Mary will help me with him. Archbishop you are to go immediately to my father to negotiate peace.
Current closes and opens
Archbishop Jimenez to Fernando's father: Sire, it certain that if you enter in battle with your son, God will be on the side of the innocent.
King Alfonso: You have great courage to talk to me like this. If Alvaro were in my place he would hang you.
Archbishop Jimenez: Your son wrote this letter for you. "This is a message to you my father from Holy Mary and me. I can not strike you because you are my father and my lord. So, I'm prepared to sit here and suffer with my troops until you come to your senses."
King Alfonso with a deep frowns silently for a few moments with first an expression of anger then looks down almost trembling then says with a disagreeable voice: Tell the King of Castile the war is due our kingdom not being paid 10,000 maravedis that Fernando's father never paid us for the stronghold of Santibanez.
Archbishop Jimenez: There will be no difficulty if this will bring the peace.
Note: More to come.
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