 Following the death of Henry I in 12th-century England, the throne is usurped by Stephen Cunningham who claims to possess the legendary "Sword of Normandy." A man named Ivanhoe now returns from years spent in the Holy Land. He knows that Henry I s son, true heir to the throne, was killed in the Crusades. He also knows that the sword possessed by Stephen is actually a fake. Making alliances with a troupe of traveling actors and with a band of highwaymen, Ivanhoe manages to find the real sword, to topple Stephen, and to find romance with Henry I s daughter.