It is the spring of 1476 in Amalgro, Spain. The Commander, Don Fernán Gómez de Guzmán, awaits the Grand Master of the Order of Calatrava, Don Rodrigo Téllez Girón, with Flores and Ortuño, two of his officers. The three debate matters of politics and respect: the Commander is annoyed to be kept waiting, believing it to be a sign of disrespect; Ortuño believes he is being advised to keep the Commander waiting, however, while Flores believes it is only due to his youth, as the Grand Master is only nineteen.

The Grand Master enters, apologizes, and claims he was unaware of the Commander’s arrival. He asks for news of the war; since the death of King Enrique, Spain has been locked in a battle for power, with both Alfonso and Ferdinand claiming the throne. Through a monologue, the Commander argues for the Grand Master to back Alfonso, as his family does, and aid Alfonso by taking Ciudad Real (a city in Central Spain) in order to form an important gateway between Spain and Portugal, where Alfonso is king (7). He cements his case by appealing to the Grand Master’s sense of pride, saying that “It’s time to silence those who

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