In 1551, King John III of Portugal, whose wife, Catherine, is a Habsburg, decides that the best wedding present they can give to the Archduke Maximilian - a Habsburg - is the elephant that has been living in Lisbon for the last two years - a gift from the Portuguese colonies in India. The Archduke is currently in Valladolid in Spain with his new wife, but will be returning home to Vienna shortly. The elephant, Solomon, along with his mahout (or driver) Subhro, is living in dismal conditions, his initial popularity having long worn off.
