Introduction

At the turn of the sixteenth century the two most powerful people on the planet, Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon are making plans to expand their empire. They are plundering the riches of the New World, removing all Jews and Moors from their territories and waging war on the infidels in the East. At home they seek to assert the dominance of Spain by marrying their daughters to various princes of Europe. One such daughter is Juana, a young woman full of religion and passion. Why, however, is she mad?

Though set during the Golden Age of Spain, The Lunatic Queen is both a contemporary satire and classical revenge tragedy, as it tells the story of Juana's two servants who seek vengeance on a system which has victimised them.