The Lion in Winter takes place during Christmas of 1183 at the château of King Henry II at Chinon, Anjou, Angevin Empire. Act I opens with the arrival of Henry’s wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, whom Henry has held under house arrest since 1173. The entire action of the play revolves around the gamesmanship between Eleanor, Henry, their sons Richard, Geoffrey, and John, a guest, Phillip II of France, and the half-sister of Phillip, Alais. Alais has been at court since she was eight years old, when she was betrothed to Richard, but she has since become Henry’s mistress. Richard, Geoffrey, and John are all vying for position as each hopes to be the heir to Henry’s throne. Eleanor favors Richard to succeed Henry while Henry leans toward John. To complicate matters, Phillip II has arrived on the scene to remind the King about a treaty he signed many years before promising to marry his heir to Phillip’s sister, Alais.