Portugal, 1739, the reign of King João V, who tries to keep a delicate balance between the power of the Church and the interests of the Court. António José da Silva, nicknamed "the Jew", a famous playwright admired both by the people and the aristocracy, is charged by the Inquisition with the crime of heresy and sentenced to die at the stake. His execution is organized as a demonstration of the triumphant power of the Church against any other force.