They talked at the time

When the herds from the fields wandered home,

When, having eaten, but not subdued,

The pigs screeched reluctantly into their barn.

Pop, "Odyssey"

In that picturesque region of merry England, which is watered by the river Don, in ancient times there were extensive forests, covering most of the most beautiful hills and valleys that lie between Sheffield and Doncaster. The remains of these vast forests are still visible around the noble castles of Wentworth, Warncliffe Park and near Rotherham. According to legend, the fabulous Wantley dragon once lived here; fierce battles took place here during the internecine wars of the White and Scarlet Roses; and here in the old days the gangs of those brave robbers gathered, whose exploits and deeds were glorified in folk songs.

This is the main scene of our story, but in terms of time - the events described in it refer to the end of the reign of Richard I, when the return of the king from a long captivity seemed a desirable, but already impossible event to desperate subjects who were subjected to endless oppression of the nobility. The feudal lords, who had received exorbitant power in the reign of Stephen, but were forced to submit to the royal authority of the prudent Henry II, now again outraged, as in former times; ignoring the weak attempts of the English council of state to limit their arbitrariness, they fortified their castles, increased the number of vassals, forced the entire district into obedience and vassalage; each feudal lord sought to gather and lead such an army that would give him the opportunity to become an influential person in the upcoming state upheavals.

At that time, the position of the petty nobles, or, as they were then called, the Franklins, became extremely precarious, who, according to the letter and spirit of English laws, should have retained their independence from the tyranny of large feudal lords. The Franklins could secure a quiet existence for some time if, as most often happened, they resorted to the patronage of one of the influential nobles of their district, or were part of his retinue, or were obliged by agreements of mutual assistance and protection to support the feudal lord in his military enterprises; but in this case they had to sacrifice their freedom, which is so dear to the heart of every true Englishman, and were in danger of being involved in any rash undertaking of their ambitious patron. On the other hand, noble barons, who had at their disposal powerful and varied means of oppression and oppression, always found an excuse to poison, persecute and bring to complete ruin any of their less powerful neighbors who would try not to recognize their authority and live independently, thinking that his safety is ensured by loyalty and strict obedience to the laws of the land.

The conquest of England by the Norman Duke William greatly increased the tyranny of the feudal lords and deepened the suffering of the lower classes. Four generations were unable to mix together the hostile blood of the Normans and Anglo-Saxons, or to reconcile the common language and mutual interests of the peoples hated by each other, of which one still reveled in victory, while the other suffered the consequences of its defeat. After the battle of Hastings, power completely passed into the hands of the Norman nobles, who were by no means distinguished by moderation. Almost without exception, the Saxon princes and the Saxon nobility were either exterminated or deprived of their possessions; the number of small Saxon proprietors, who retained the lands of their fathers, was also small. The kings constantly sought, by legal and illegal measures, to weaken that part of the population that experienced an innate hatred of the conquerors. All monarchs of Norman origin showed a clear preference for their fellows; hunting laws and other regulations that were absent in the softer and more liberal Saxon code fell on the shoulders of the vanquished, further increasing the severity of the already unbearable feudal oppression.

At the court and in the castles of the noblest nobles, who tried to introduce the splendor of court everyday life, they spoke exclusively in Norman French; legal proceedings were conducted in the same language in all places where justice was administered. In a word, the French language was the language of nobility, chivalry and even justice, while the incomparably more courageous and expressive Anglo-Saxon speech was left to the peasants and yard people who did not know another language.

However, the need for communication between landowners and the enslaved people who cultivated their land served as the basis for the gradual formation of an dialect from a mixture of French and Anglo-Saxon, speaking in which they could understand each other. Thus, little by little, the English language of the present tense arose, containing a happy mixture of the language of the victors with the dialect of the vanquished and since then has been so enriched by borrowings from the classical and so-called southern European languages.

I thought it necessary to communicate this information to the reader in order to remind him that although the history of the Anglo-Saxon people after the reign of William II is not marked by any significant events like wars or rebellions, yet the wounds inflicted by conquest did not heal until the reign of Edward III. Great are the national differences between the Anglo-Saxons and their conquerors; memories of the past and thoughts of the present reopened these wounds and contributed to the preservation of the border separating the descendants of the victorious Normans and the defeated Saxons.

The sun was setting behind one of the densely grassed clearings of the forest, which was already mentioned at the beginning of this chapter. Hundreds of sprawling oaks with low trunks and widely spread branches, which, perhaps, witnessed the majestic campaign of the ancient Roman army, stretched their knotted hands over the soft carpet of magnificent green turf. In places the oaks were mingled with beech, holly, and an undergrowth of various shrubs, grown so densely that they did not let in the low rays of the setting sun; in some places the trees parted, forming long alleys running away into the distance, in the depths of which the admiring glance is lost, and the imagination creates even wilder pictures of the age-old forest. The purple rays of the setting sun, breaking through the foliage, cast a scattered and trembling light on the broken branches and mossy trunks, then lay bright and sparkling spots on the turf. A large clearing in the middle of this clearing was probably the place where the druids performed their rites. Here rose a hill of such regular shape that it seemed to have been poured by human hands; at the top, an incomplete circle of huge uncut stones has been preserved. Seven of them stood upright, the rest were knocked down by the hands of some zealous adherent of Christianity and lay partly near the former place, partly along the hillside. Only one huge stone rolled down to the very bottom of the hill, blocking the course of a small stream that made its way at the foot of the hill - it made its peaceful and quiet jets rumble almost audibly.

Two people brought this picture to life; they belonged, judging by their dress and appearance, to the number of commoners who inhabited in those distant times the forest region of West Yorkshire. The eldest of them was a gloomy and ferocious-looking man. His clothes consisted of one leather jacket, sewn from the tanned skin of some animal, fur side up; from time to time, the fur was so worn out that it was impossible to determine from the few remaining scraps which animal it belonged to. This primitive robe covered its owner from the neck to the knees and replaced all parts of ordinary clothing for him. The collar was so wide that the jacket was put on over the head, like our shirts or old chain mail. To make the jacket fit snugly to the body, it was pulled over by a wide leather belt with a copper clasp. A bag was hung from the belt on one side, and a ram's horn with a pipe on the other. A long wide knife with a horn handle protruded from his belt; such knives were made right there, in the neighborhood, and were already known then under the name of Sheffield. On his feet this man had sandal-like shoes with bearskin straps, and thinner and narrower straps wrapped around the calves, leaving the knees bare, as is customary among the Scots. His head was not protected by anything, except for thick matted hair, faded from the sun and taking on a dark red, rusty hue and sharply different from the light blond, rather even amber color, large beard. We can only note one very curious feature in his appearance, but it is so remarkable that it cannot be ignored: it was a copper ring, like a dog collar, tightly soldered around his neck. It was wide enough not to interfere with breathing, but at the same time so narrow that it was impossible to remove it only by sawing it in half. On this peculiar collar was inscribed in Saxon letters:

"Gurth, son of Beowulf, born slave of Cedric of Rotherwood."

Near the swineherd (for such was Gurth's occupation) on one of the fallen stones of the druids sat a man who looked ten years younger than the first. His attire resembled the clothes of a swineherd, but was distinguished by some quirkiness and was sewn from the best material. His jacket was dyed bright purple, and it was painted with some colorful and ugly patterns. Over the jacket was thrown over an exorbitantly wide and very short cloak of crimson cloth, fairly soiled, trimmed with a bright yellow border. It could be freely thrown from one shoulder to another or completely wrapped in it, and then it fell in bizarre folds, draping his figure. On the hands of this man were silver bracelets, and around his neck was a silver collar with the inscription: "Wamba, son of the Mindless, slave of Cedric of Rotherwood." He wore the same shoes as his comrade, but the plaited belt was replaced by something like gaiters, of which one was red and the other yellow. Attached to his cap were bells no larger than those that are tied to hunting falcons; each time he turned his head, they rang, and since he did not remain still for almost a single minute, they rang almost continuously. The hard leather band of this cap was carved along the upper edge with teeth and a through pattern, which gave it a resemblance to a peer's crown; on the inside, a long bag was sewn to the band, the tip of which hung over one shoulder, like an old-fashioned nightcap, a triangular sieve, or the headdress of a modern hussar. From the hat with bells, and its very shape, as well as from the silly and at the same time cunning expression of Wamba's face, one could guess that he was one of those domestic clowns or jesters that rich people kept for fun in their homes, so that as to pass the time" of necessity spent within four walls.

Like his comrade, he carried a bag on his belt, but he did not have a horn or a knife, since it was probably assumed that he belonged to that category of human beings to whom it is dangerous to put a piercing or cutting weapon into their hands. Instead of all this, he had a wooden sword, like the one with which the harlequin on the modern stage performs his tricks.

The facial expressions and behavior of these people were no less different than their clothing. The face of a slave or serf was gloomy and sad; judging by his despondent look, one might have thought that his gloom made him indifferent to everything, but the fire that sometimes lit up in his eyes spoke of the consciousness of his oppression hidden in him and of the desire for resistance. The appearance of Wamba, on the contrary, denounced the diffuse curiosity inherent in people of this kind, extreme restlessness and mobility, as well as complete satisfaction with their position and their appearance. They conversed in the Anglo-Saxon dialect, which, as has been said before, was spoken at that time in England by all the lower classes, with the exception of the Norman warriors and the closest retinue of feudal lords. However, to give their conversation in the original would be useless for a reader unfamiliar with this dialect, and therefore we will allow ourselves to give it in a literal translation.

Saint Witold, curse those damn pigs! grumbled the swineherd, after vain attempts to gather the scattered herd with the shrill sounds of the horn. The pigs answered his call with no less melodious grunts, but were in no hurry to part with a luxurious treat of beech nuts and acorns or leave the swampy banks of the stream, where part of the herd, buried in the mud, lay stretched out, ignoring the cries of their shepherd.

Smash them, Saint Vitold! I'll be damned if the two-legged wolf doesn't kill two or three pigs by nightfall." Over here, Fange! Hey Fange! he shouted at the top of his voice to a shaggy dog, either a great dane, or a greyhound, or a cross between a greyhound and a Scottish shepherd. The dog, limping, ran around and seemed to want to help his master gather the recalcitrant herd.

But either not understanding the signs given by the swineherd, or forgetting about his duties, or by malicious intent, the dog drove the pigs in different directions, thereby increasing the misfortune that he seemed to intend to correct.

Oh, damn your teeth! grumbled Gurt. - This forester would fail. Trims the nails of our dogs, and then they're no good. Be a friend, Wamba, help. Come on the other side of the hill and scare them from there. They will go home with the wind like lambs.

Listen, - said Wamba, not moving from his place. “I have already consulted with my legs about this: they decided that dragging my beautiful outfit through the bog would be a hostile act on their part against my royal person and royal attire. Therefore, Gurt, this is what I will tell you: call Fangs, and leave the herd to their fate. Does it matter whether your pigs meet with a detachment of soldiers, or with a gang of robbers, or with wandering pilgrims! After all, by morning the pigs will still turn into Normans, and, moreover, to your own pleasure and relief.

How is it that the pigs, to my pleasure and relief, will turn into Normans? Gurt asked. - Well, explain. My head is dull, and on my mind there is only annoyance and anger. I'm not into riddles.

Well, what are these grunting creatures on four legs called? Wamba asked.

Pigs, fool, pigs, answered the shepherd. - Every fool knows that.

That's right, "swain" is a Saxon word. Now, what do you call a pig when it's stabbed and skinned and cut to pieces and hung by its feet like a traitor?

Pork, answered the swineherd.

I am very glad that every fool knows this too,” Wamba remarked. “And spanking, I think, is a Norman-French word. So, while the pig is alive and a Saxon slave looks after it, then its name is in Saxon; but she becomes a Norman and is called "pork" as soon as she enters the master's castle and appears at the feast of noble persons. What do you think about this, my friend Gurt?

What's true is true, friend Wamba. I just don't know how that truth got into your stupid head.

And you listen to what I'll tell you more, - continued Wamba in the same vein. “Here, for example, is our old alderman bull: while he is herded by such slaves as you, he wears his Saxon nickname “oke”, but when he is in front of a noble gentleman to taste him, the bull becomes an ardent and amiable French knight Beef. In the same way, the calf - "kaf" - is made by Monsieur de Vaux: while he needs to be looked after - he is a Saxon, but when he is needed for enjoyment - he is given a Norman name.

I swear by Saint Dunstan, - answered Gurth, - you speak the truth, even though it is bitter. We were left with only air to breathe, and it was not taken away only because otherwise we would not have done the work piled on our shoulders. What is tastier and fatter, then to their table; more beautiful women - on their bed; the best and bravest among us must serve in the armies under the command of foreigners and cover distant countries with our bones, and here few remain, and even those have neither the strength nor the desire to defend the unfortunate Saxons. God bless our master Cedric for standing up for us like a brave warrior; only one of these days Reginald Fron de Boeuf will arrive in our direction, then we will see what all the troubles of Cedric are worth ... Here, here! he suddenly shouted, raising his voice again. - That's it, good them. Fange! Well done, got everyone together.

Gurt, - said the jester, - everything shows that you consider me a fool, otherwise you would not stick your head down my throat. For if I hint to Reginald Fron de Boeuf or Philippe de Malvoisin that you are cursing the Normans, you will be thrown up into one of these trees in an instant. So you will swing for warning to everyone who decides to vilify noble gentlemen.

Dog! Are you capable of betraying me? You yourself called me to such words! exclaimed Gurth.

Give you away? No, - said the jester, - this is how smart people act, where can I, the fool ... But be quiet ... Who is going to us? he interrupted himself, listening to the sound of the horses, which was already quite distinct.

Do you care who goes there? asked Gurth, who in the meantime had managed to collect all his herd and drove him along one of the gloomy clearings.

No, I must see those riders, Wamba answered. “Perhaps they are coming from the magical realm on an errand from King Obsron…”

Shut up! interrupted the swineherd. - You want to talk about it when there is a terrible thunderstorm with thunder and lightning nearby. Listen, what rumbles. And the rain! I have never seen such large and sheer drops in summer. Look, there is no wind, and the oaks are cracking and groaning, as if in a storm. Shut up better, let's hurry home before the storm hits! The night will be terrible.

Wamba, apparently, comprehended the full force of these arguments and followed his companion, who took a long staff that lay beside him on the grass, and set off. This newest Eumeus hurriedly walked to the edge of the forest, with the help of Fangs urging the piercingly grunting herd.

As befits a good adventure novel, Ivanhoe is notable for its energetic plot and unambiguous characters. All of Scott's are Normans, all the positive ones are Saxons.

The plot of the novel: the return from the war

At the beginning of the novel, a young warrior returns to his homeland after being seriously wounded and forced to hide his name. King Richard is languishing in captivity, and England is Prince John, who supports the Normans and oppresses the common people.

Development: Ashby Tournament

Their challenge is taken up by the mysterious Knight Disinherited, to whom, at the last moment, the no less mysterious Black Knight. Declared the winner of the tournament, the Disinherited Knight proclaims Lady Rowena the queen of love and beauty. Accepting the award from her hands, the knight takes off his helmet and turns out to be her lover Ivanhoe. He falls unconscious from a wound received in battle.

Climax: the siege of the castle of Front de Boeuf

But the servants of Cedric, who escaped captivity, save the noble heroes. They find the Black Knight, who helped Ivanhoe in the tournament, and Locksley the gunslinger with a group of yeomen. The assembled team storms the castle and frees the captives, the villains are overtaken by a well-deserved punishment.

happy ending

In his novel, Walter Scott showed the reader the ideal knight, handsome, loyal and brave. All conceivable virtues, collected in one person, made the image of Ivanhoe synonymous with impeccable chivalry.

Ivanhoe is a historical novel that describes medieval England. Events take place in the 12th century. At that time, England was ruled by Richard the First, known as the Lionheart, and the country was sharpened by the struggle between the Normans and the Saxons. The author of this novel is the founder of historical novelism Walter Scott.

"Ivanhoe": a summary

This novel is dedicated to the distant past. Therefore, the summary of Ivanhoe should begin with a description of the historical circumstances in which the heroes of the novel fall. England is going through a difficult time. King Richard the First is in captivity. At this time, his brother, Prince John, intends to seize the throne.

The well-born Saxon Cedric of Rotherwood dreams of throwing off the Norman dominion and reviving the power of his people. In his opinion, Athelstan of Koningsburg should become the head of the future liberation movement. Cedric decides to marry him to Lady Rowena, his pupil, who is the last representative of King Alfred's family. But Lady Rowena becomes attached to Cedric's son, Ivanhoe. The summary describes that because of this, an angry Cedric kicks his son out of the house and disinherits him.

The plot of the novel begins with the fact that Ivanhoe secretly returns from a crusade in the guise of a pilgrim. Soon he is overtaken by a detachment of Brian de Boisguillebert, commander of the templars, heading for a jousting tournament. This tournament takes place in the presence of Prince John. Brian de Boisguillebert confidently defeats many knights. But suddenly a new knight appears on the arena, whose shield is decorated with the motto "Deprived of Inheritance". He challenges the templar to a duel and wins. As the winner, he chooses the queen of love and beauty, which becomes Rowena. On the second day, the Disinherited knight wins with the help of the mysterious Black Knight. As a reward, Rowena should place an honorary crown on her head. When they take off his helmet, he falls, bleeding. Everyone recognizes Ivanhoe in an unfamiliar knight. The summary tells that he perceives this as a sign that Richard the First received freedom. Therefore, he begins to look for supporters, promising them big rewards. For example, he proposes to Maurice de Bracy the rich and noble bride Lady Rowena, whom the named knight decides to kidnap.

Soon, Cedric and his companions (among them the wounded Ivanhoe) are attacked by a detachment of robbers, led by Boisguillebert and de Bracy. The captives are taken to a fortified castle, where de Bracy tries to win Lady Rowena's favor, but she rebuffs him. At this time, the castle is besieged by the Black Knight, who had already once helped Ivanhoe. The summary describes how he captures de Bracy and saves Ivanhoe. But during the siege of the castle, Athelstan, the fiance of Lady Rowena, dies.

At the end of Ivanhoe's novel (whose summary omits many details), readers learn that the Black Knight is none other than King Richard the First. Taking his rightful place on the throne, he forgives Prince John. Cedric, in turn, agrees to the wedding of Ivanhoe and Lady Rowena.

ivanhoe summary by chapter 5 chapters and got the best answer

Answer from GALINA[guru]
The proud Tan Cedric of Rotherwood does not give up hope of throwing off the Norman yoke and reviving the former power of the Saxons, placing Athelstan of Koningsburg, a descendant of the royal family, at the head of the liberation movement. However, the obtuse and unenterprising Sir Athelstan causes mistrust among many. To give more weight to his figure, Cedric dreams of marrying Athelstan to his pupil, Lady Rowena, the last representative of King Alfred's family. When Lady Rowena's attachment to Cedric's son, Wilfred Ivanhoe, got in the way of these plans, the adamant thane, not without reason nicknamed Sax for his devotion to the cause, expelled his son from his parental home and disinherited him.
And now Ivanhoe, dressed as a pilgrim, is secretly returning home from a crusade. Not far from his father's estate, he is overtaken by the detachment of the commander of the order of the templars, Brian de Boisguillebert, who is heading to the jousting tournament in Ashby de la Zouche. Caught on the road by bad weather, he decides to ask Cedric for an overnight stay. The hospitable house of a noble tan is open to everyone, even to the Jew Isaac from York, who joins the guests already during the meal. Boisguillebert, who also visited Palestine, boasts at the table of his exploits in the name of the Holy Sepulcher. The pilgrim defends the honor of Richard and his brave warriors, and on behalf of Ivanhoe, who has already once defeated the templar in a duel, accepts the challenge of the arrogant commander to fight. When the guests leave for their rooms, the pilgrim advises Isaac to quietly leave Cedric's house - he heard how Boisguillebert gave the order to the servants to seize the Jew, as soon as he drives away from the estate. The perceptive Isaac, who saw the spurs under the wanderer's attire, gives him a note in gratitude to a merchant relative, in which he asks to lend the pilgrim armor and a war horse.
The tournament at Ashby, which brought together the entire color of English chivalry, and even in the presence of Prince John himself, attracted everyone's attention. The host knights, including the arrogant Briand de Boisguillebert, confidently win one victory after another. But when it seemed that no one else would dare to oppose the instigators and the outcome of the tournament was decided, a new fighter appears on the arena with the motto “Deprived of Inheritance” on the shield, who fearlessly challenges the templar himself to a mortal battle. Several times the opponents converge, and their spears scatter in fragments to the very handles. All the sympathy of the audience is on the side of the brave stranger - and luck accompanies him: Boisguillebert falls from his horse, and the duel is recognized as over. Then the Disinherited Knight fights in turn with all the instigators and decisively takes over them. As the winner, he must choose the queen of love and beauty, and, gracefully bowing his spear, the stranger places the crown at the feet of the beautiful Rowena.
The next day, a general tournament is held: the party of the knight of the Disinherited fights against the party of Briand de Boisguillebert. The templar is supported by almost all instigators. They are pushing the young stranger, and if not for the help of the mysterious Black Knight, he would hardly have managed to become the hero of the day for the second time. The queen of love and beauty should put an honorary crown on the head of the winner. But when the marshals take off the helmet from the stranger, she sees in front of her pale as death Ivanhoe, who falls at her feet, bleeding from his wounds.
Meanwhile, Prince John receives a note from a messenger: "Be careful - the devil is unleashed." This means that his brother Richard got his freedom. The prince is in a panic, in a panic and his supporters. To secure their loyalty, John promises them rewards and honors. To the Norman knight Maurice de Bracy, for example, he proposes Lady Rowena as his wife - the bride is rich, beautiful and noble. De Bracy is delighted and decides to attack Cedric's squad on the way home from Ashby and kidnap the beautiful Rowena.
Proud of his son's victory, but still unwilling to forgive him, Cedric Sacks sets off on his return journey with a heavy heart. The news that the wounded Ivanhoe was carried away by a stretcher of some rich lady only kindles a feeling of indignation in him. By road

Year of writing:

1819

Reading time:

Description of the work:

In the 19th century, the novel was recognized as a classic of adventure literature. The novel was written by Walter Scott in 1819. Immediately after publication, the work received a resounding success. The first print run (10,000 books) sold out in two weeks, which was incredible for the time. Interestingly, Walter Scott originally requested that the novel be published without attribution. First, he was interested in whether readers would understand who the author really was. Secondly, following Ivanhoe, he wanted to publish The Monastery, and compete in the literary field with himself.

Almost one hundred and thirty years have passed since the Norman Duke William the Conqueror defeated the Anglo-Saxon troops and took possession of England at the Battle of Hastings (1066). The English people are going through hard times. King Richard the Lionheart has not returned from the last crusade, taken prisoner by the treacherous Duke of Austria. The place of his imprisonment is unknown. Meanwhile, the king's brother, Prince John, recruits supporters, intending, in the event of Richard's death, to remove the legitimate heir from power and seize the throne. A cunning schemer, Prince John is wreaking havoc throughout the country, igniting the long-standing feud between the Saxons and the Normans.

The proud Tan Cedric of Rotherwood does not give up hope of throwing off the Norman yoke and reviving the former power of the Saxons, placing Athelstan of Koningsburg, a descendant of the royal family, at the head of the liberation movement. However, the obtuse and unenterprising Sir Athelstan causes mistrust among many. To give more weight to his figure, Cedric dreams of marrying Athelstan to his pupil, Lady Rowena, the last representative of King Alfred's family. When Lady Rowena's attachment to Cedric's son, Wilfred Ivanhoe, got in the way of these plans, the adamant thane, not without reason nicknamed Sax for his devotion to the cause, expelled his son from his parental home and disinherited him.

And now Ivanhoe, dressed as a pilgrim, is secretly returning home from a crusade. Not far from his father's estate, he is overtaken by the detachment of the commander of the order of the templars, Brian de Boisguillebert, who is heading to the jousting tournament in Ashby de la Zouche. Caught on the road by bad weather, he decides to ask Cedric for an overnight stay. The hospitable house of a noble tan is open to everyone, even to the Jew Isaac from York, who joins the guests already during the meal. Boisguillebert, who also visited Palestine, boasts at the table of his exploits in the name of the Holy Sepulcher. The pilgrim defends the honor of Richard and his brave warriors, and on behalf of Ivanhoe, who has already once defeated the templar in a duel, accepts the challenge of the arrogant commander to fight. When the guests leave for their rooms, the pilgrim advises Isaac to quietly leave Cedric's house - he heard how Boisguillebert gave the order to the servants to seize the Jew, as soon as he drives away from the estate. The perceptive Isaac, who saw the spurs under the wanderer's attire, in gratitude gives him a note to a merchant relative, in which he asks to lend the pilgrim armor and a war horse.

The tournament at Ashby, which brought together the entire color of English chivalry, and even in the presence of Prince John himself, attracted everyone's attention. The host knights, including the arrogant Briand de Boisguillebert, confidently win one victory after another. But when it seemed that no one else would dare to oppose the instigators and the outcome of the tournament was decided, a new fighter appears on the arena with the motto "Deprived of Inheritance" on the shield, who fearlessly challenges the templar himself to a mortal battle. Opponents converge several times, and their spears scatter in fragments to the very handles. All the sympathy of the audience is on the side of the brave stranger - and luck accompanies him: Boisguillebert falls from his horse, and the duel is recognized as over. Then the Disinherited Knight fights in turn with all the instigators and decisively takes over them. As the winner, he must choose the queen of love and beauty, and, gracefully bowing his spear, the stranger places the crown at the feet of the beautiful Rowena.

The next day, a general tournament is held: the party of the Knight of the Disinherited fights against the party of Brian de Boisguillebert. The templar is supported by almost all instigators. They are pushing the young stranger, and if it were not for the help of the mysterious Black Knight, he would hardly have managed to become the hero of the day for the second time. The queen of love and beauty should place an honorary crown on the head of the winner. But when the marshals take off the helmet from the stranger, she sees in front of her pale as death Ivanhoe, who falls at her feet, bleeding from his wounds.

Meanwhile, Prince John receives a note from a messenger: "Be careful - the devil is unleashed." This means that his brother Richard got his freedom. The prince is in a panic, in a panic and his supporters. To secure their loyalty, John promises them rewards and honors. To the Norman knight Maurice de Bracy, for example, he proposes Lady Rowena as his wife - the bride is rich, beautiful and noble. De Bracy is delighted and decides to attack Cedric's squad on the way home from Ashby and kidnap the beautiful Rowena.

Proud of his son's victory, but still unwilling to forgive him, Cedric Sax sets off with a heavy heart on his way back. The news that the wounded Ivanhoe was carried away by a stretcher of some rich lady only kindles a feeling of indignation in him. On the way to the cavalcade of Cedric and Athelstan of Coningsburg, Isaac from York joins with his daughter Rebekah. They were also at the tournament and now they are asking to be taken under protection - not so much for themselves, but for the sick friend they are accompanying. But as soon as the travelers go deep into the forest, a large detachment of robbers pounces on them and all of them are taken prisoner.

Cedric and his companions are taken to the fortified castle of Fron de Boeuf. The leaders of the "robbers" are Boisguillebert and de Bracy, which Cedric guesses when he sees the battlements of the castle. "If Cedric Sax cannot save England, he is ready to die for her," he challenges his captors.

Meanwhile, De Bracy comes to Lady Rowena and, confessing everything to her, tries to win her favor. However, the proud beauty is adamant and, only learning that Wilfred Ivanhoe is also in the castle (namely, he was in Isaac's stretcher), prays to the knight to save him from death.

But hard as it is for Lady Rowena, Rebekah is in much greater danger. Captivated by the mind and beauty of the daughter of Zion, Brian de Boisguillebert was inflamed with passion for her, and now he is persuading the girl to run away with him. Rebekah is ready to prefer death to disgrace, but her fearless rebuke, full of indignation, only gives rise to the templar's confidence that he has met the woman of his destiny, his soul mate.

Meanwhile, detachments of free yeomen are gathered around the castle, brought by Cedric's servants who escaped captivity. The siege is led by Ivanhoe, who once came to the aid of the Black Knight. Under the blows of his huge ax, the gates of the castle crack and disintegrate, and stones and logs flying at his head from the walls annoy him no more than raindrops. Rebekah, who made her way into Ivanhoe's room in the turmoil of the battle, tells the bedridden young man what is happening around. Reproaching herself for her tender feelings for a non-believer, she is unable to leave him at such a dangerous moment. And the liberators are winning span after span from the besieged. The Black Knight mortally wounds Front de Boeuf and captures de Bracy. And what is strange - the proud Norman, after a few words spoken to him, unquestioningly resigns himself to his fate. Suddenly the castle is engulfed in flames. The Black Knight barely manages to pull Ivanhoe out into the open air. Boisguillebert grabs the desperately resisting Rebekah and, putting her on the horse of one of the slaves, tries to escape from the trap. However, Athelstan rushes in pursuit of him, deciding that the templar has kidnapped Lady Rowena. The sharp sword of the templar falls with all his might on the head of the ill-fated Saxon, and he falls dead to the ground.

Leaving the dilapidated castle and thanking the free shooters for their help, Cedric, accompanied by a stretcher with the body of Athelstan of Koningsburg, goes to his estate, where he will be given the last honors. The Black Knight also parted with his faithful assistants - his wanderings are not over yet. The leader of the shooters, Loxley, gives him a hunting horn as a farewell gift and asks him to blow it in case of danger. Released, de Bracy gallops at full speed to Prince John to tell him the terrible news - Richard is in England. The cowardly and vile prince sends his main henchman Voldemar Fitz-Urs to capture, or even better, kill Richard.

Boisguillebert takes refuge with Rebekah in the abode of the Knights of Templestow. Grandmaster Beaumanoir, who arrived at the monastery with a check, finds many shortcomings, first of all, he is outraged by the promiscuity of the templars. When he learns that a captive Jewess is hiding within the walls of the preceptory, who, in all likelihood, is in a love affair with one of the brothers of the order, he decides to arrange a trial for the girl and accuse her of witchcraft - for what, if not witchcraft, explains her power over the commander The stern ascetic Beaumanoir believes that the execution of a Jewess will serve as a cleansing sacrifice for the love sins of the Knights of the Temple. In a brilliant speech that won the sympathy of even her opponents, Rebecca rejects all Beaumanoir's accusations and demands a duel: let whoever volunteers to defend her prove her case with a sword.

Meanwhile, the Black Knight, making his way through the forests to his only guided goal, comes across an ambush. Fitz-Urs carried out his vile plans, and the king of England could have fallen from a treacherous hand, if it were not for the sound of the horn of free arrows led by Loxley. The knight finally reveals his incognito: he is Richard Plantagenet, the rightful king of England. Loxley does not remain in debt either: he is Robin Hood from Sherwood Forest. Here the company is caught up by Wilfred Ivanhoe, traveling from St. Botolph Abbey, where he was recovering from his wounds, to Koningsburgh Castle. Forced to wait until his supporters muster enough forces, Richard goes with him. In the castle, he persuades Cedric to forgive the recalcitrant son and give him Lady Rowena as his wife. The resurrected, or rather, never dying, but only stunned Sir Athelstan joins his request. The turbulent events of recent days have repulsed his last ambitious dreams. However, in the midst of the conversation, Ivanhoe suddenly disappears - some Jew called him urgently, according to the servants. At Templestow, everything is ready for the duel. There is only no knight willing to fight with Boisguillebert for the honor of Rebekah. If the intercessor does not appear before sunset, Rebekah will be burned. And then a rider appears on the field, his horse almost falls from fatigue, and he himself can barely keep in the saddle. This is Wilfred Ivanhoe, and Rebekah trembles with excitement for him. Opponents converge - and Wilfred falls, unable to withstand the well-aimed blow of the templar. However, from a fleeting touch of Ivanhoe's spear, Boisguillebert also falls - and no longer gets up. God's judgment is over! The Grandmaster declares Rebekah free and innocent.

Having taken his rightful place on the throne, Richard forgives his dissolute brother. Cedric finally agrees to the wedding of Lady Rowena with her son, and Rebekah and her father leave England forever. Ivanhoe lived happily ever after with Rowena. They loved each other even more because they experienced so many obstacles to their union. But it would be risky to ask too much whether the memory of the beauty and generosity of Rebecca did not come to his mind much more often than Alfred's beautiful heiress might have liked.

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