Fernando Play... Fernando: Sing, little creatures of God, sing, cover the sound of our hidden advance to the great walls of Quesada.

Fernando Play

Venue:  Theater at Catholic High School or University.

Curtain opens.  NARRATOR addresses theater audience.

NARRATOR:  Understand we have students from Social Studies and Religion

classes in the audience today. 

NARRATOR:  Good.  Then I shall begin with a question?  In the reconquest of

Spain.  Can you name the person or persons who drove the Moors out of Spain.

AUDIENCE: Chorus - Ferdinand & Isabella, 1492.  Any more questions. (Laughter)

NARRATOR: True. , but only one Kingdom--Granada.  Who drove the Moors out of

the vast majority of Spain 200 years before Ferdinand & Isabella?  Who recaptured almost all of Spain and several major cities including the 2 most important supposedly unconquerable Moorish strongholds Cordoba and Seville?  If you don't know, that's OK. Very few students or even teachers do.His name was Fernado, a youth of 18 years of age. He would be known as 

Fernando the 3rd. King of Castile.

A little background on this young Prince.  He was the son of King Alphonse of 

Leon and Dona Berenguera.   After Berenguera younger brother Enrique inherited 

the throne, died  at age 13.  He was succeeded by his sister Berengurera

She was proclaimed Queen of Castile.  When some Nobles opposed the Queen

(friends of Alvaro Nunez) Her Highness convoked a meeting of the Cortez and planned

a little surprise.  

NARRATOR EXITS. .  Curtain rises to laughter and chatter to reveal The CORTEZ.

A crowd of Knights and Nobles in conversation.   Archbishop Jiminez escorts 

Berenguera to a Throne Chair.  Jiminez call for silence in the court.  The Queen begins

her address to the assembly which will end in her abdication in favor of her son.

Though approved by the Cortes--there is likely to be some objections from Nobles

loyal to Alvaro Nunez.

Scene 1

Knight, enters a different Castle room with the banner of Leon, says to 18 year old Fernando: 

Count Alvaro is invading Castile with plans to attack you Mother's castle. You and I must  leave immediately from your father’s castle because he is just a pawn in Alvaro's plan to rule Castile.

Fernando: 

Let's us ride like the wind so we can defend my mother. Alvaro because he has my uncle Enrique the king under his control thinks that he can destroy my mother. He will have to kill me first.

Fernando arriving at his mother's castle says to his mother and Archbishop Jimenez: 

I want nothing more than to defend you my mother. 

Berenguera: 

My son, your uncle is dead by a accident that has put in motion many things. Count Alvaro has convinced your father to war with us to make himself or your father king of Castile. Castile must act quickly as the armies of Alvaro and your father are invading. 

Archbishop Jimenez: 

Come Fernando, the Cortes and nobles are in assembly and they are going to crown your mother the queen of Castile.

Archbishop Jimenez approaches on the throne Berenqurea seated next to Fernando. He whispers to her and then the Archbishop joins the assembly. 

Dona Berenguera: 

I have an announcement to make to the Cortes. As you can see my son arrived from Leon. I would like you and him to hear what I have to say. 

Berenguera says in front of the assembly of nobles and clergy: 

I renounced the throne in favor of her son you must  proclaimed him king. I am grateful for the honor bestowed upon me this day. However, my reign as Queen will be short. Therefore let it be known with your consent and witness I intend to renounce my claim to the throne of Castile. 

A prolonged applause

In shock, Fernando, as he leave the room, says: 

What must do now that you have made me king at the age of 18?

Noble watching Fernando leave approaches Bereguera says:

I'm concerned because Ferdinand's age. Madam, he is just a boy.  Does he know how fierce a foe we

contend with?

Berenguera:  

Come with me.  She takes the Knight to a Chapel

What do you see Senor?You will rescue your own country. By your chivalry, loyalty and generosity of character.

A boy in prayer before an image of The Madonna.

Berenquera:

He prays almost every day--ever since he was consumed with

an illness with repulsive sores--and had a miraculous recovery from Our Lady.

One day I eaves dropped and heard

these words.  "Tell Jesus

that he is my King.  I will suffer great labors for him--in war against

the Moors--for him and his glorious Mother--My Lady. You will rescue your own country. By your chivalry, loyalty and generosity of character."

KNIGHT: If we are to liberate Spain it all comes down to prayer which will lead to bold action.

Scene 2

The big imposing Gonzalo Ruiz and a group of soldiers carrying long make sift ladders follow Fernando creeping quietly forward with crickets singing in the background.

Fernando: Sing, little creatures of God, sing, cover the sound of our hidden advance to the great walls of Quesada.

They arrive at a great wall.

Army Captain Gonzalo Ruiz: The guards on the wall are still not aware of us. I will be the first up the ladder. The king must guarded well while I climb.

Suddenly Fernando thrusts aside Ruiz and lays his hands upon a rung and set it against the and starts climbing.

Fernando climbing over wall. Two Moor guards with scimitars swords attack him from behind. He turns with his sword flying and the first tumbles over the wall and the second after a brief sword play falls to the ground. More Moor soldiers are rushing in as Ruiz and other climb over the wall and join the fight. The king goes headlong straight in the attacker with the rest following him.

Moor guard: It's the king. Ignore the rest and everyone attack him. 

Fernando is surrounded. A weapon whizzes past his head as he duck and the two more guards fall as Ruiz and the rest run and drop the rest. The rest of the Moors run. Once the way the King opens the gate.

Fernando shouts: Santiago and Castile! Enter the city Christain army.

Fade out. 

Standing next to a exhausted Fernado is Ruiz as Archbishop Rodrigo plants the victorious Cross of Christ flag of Castile.

Ruiz: My king you must rest now. You have fought tirelessly throughout the night to win your first victory against the Moors.

Fernando smiles as his breathing returns to normal and the look of intense battle fury recedes from his face and he looks at he Cross of Christ flag: 

My Lord God who the hearts of of all. I seek your glory and not my own. You know I desire only the growth of the faith and the Catholic religion, rather than the conquest of perishable kingdoms. Thou 

Ruiz: Now, we have awaken the sleeping giant Ibn Hud the Red who dresses in black with his great army with his red battle flags signaling the blood that flow in his conquest of Moorish Spain who had soon meet us in a battle to the death for the soul of Spain. I know because I just returned from you send me to reinforce you fathers army against the murderous Hud. 

Scene 3

Ruiz: Your son send us to fight the Hud

King Alfonso: Know then that Fernando probably has send you to your death,as you see we are greatly out numbered. Know if we lose lose that your death will be terrible. Hud mercilessly strangles and maims his own people to subdue them be they men, women and the smallest children.