Tirant lo Blanc (film)

Tirant lo Blanc a.k.a. The Maidens Conspiracy is a 2006 historical adventure film directed by Vicente Aranda. It stars Casper Zafer, Esther Nubiola and Victoria Abril. The script was written by Aranda based on Tirant lo Blanch, a Valencian language chivalry novel dating to 1490, written by Joanot Martorell. It presents a highly fictionalized alternate history narrative of the events leading to the Fall of Constantinople.

In 1401, Tirant lo Blanc, a famous knight, arrives with his small but battlehardened troops of Almogavars, to the port of Constantinople. The emperors only son has recently been killed by the Turks and the Byzantine emperor is too old to lead his army in battle. Constantinople is under treat of a Ottoman invasion and therefore it is in desperate need of a skilful military leader. Upon arrival, Tirant is received by the emperor who makes him commander in chief of the Imperial army.After he is presented to the empress, Tirant catches a glimpse of the breasts of the emperors only surviving child, nosebleedprone daughter Carmesina. A fanciful teenager who has just turn nubile, the beautiful Carmesina is also quickly smitten by the brave and handsome Tirant. Carmensina confides her love for Tirant to her guardian Ines, nicknamed the Placid Widow, whose late husband was an ally of the antipope. The Placid Widow immediately puts down Carmensinas romantic dreams. As brave and skilful military leader as Tirant might be, he is neither of royal blood nor has a fortune of his own to aspire to marry the heiress of the empire. Carmensinas friends and confidantes, her maidens PleasureofMyLife and Estefania, think otherwise. Scared of a possible Ottoman invasion, PleasureofMyLife, the daughter of the courts poet, encourages Carmensina interest in Tirant as she is to inherit the throne and he is going to defend it. Estefania, another ladyinwaiting, supports Tirants affair with Carmesina because she has fallen in love with Tirants righthand man Diafebus. Meanwhile, the Empress contemplates that Constantinople stands no chance against a Turkish onslaught and sees her daughters marriage to the Sultan as the sole way to accommodate him. ........

Source: Wikipedia