Rudolf Rassendyll agreed to pretend to be the king of Ruritania, Rudolf V, after the real king was poisoned. He traveled to the capital city of Strelsau with Sapt and Fritz to attend the coronation ceremony. Along the way, they worked to conceal that Rudolf was an imposter in case Duke Michael, who wanted to be king, discovered the real king was incapacitated. Upon arriving in Strelsau, Rudolf began his impersonation of the king to widespread celebrations, though he grew nervous after seeing someone on the train who seemed to recognize him.

1. Summary
Ch. 1&2
1

2. 2

3.  In the dining room of Robert’s house, Rose
and Rassendyll are talking.
 Rose is angry with Rassendyll.
 She always urges him to find a job. she
thinks that he is a lazy person who depends
only on his brother’s position in society, his
family history and his family money.
 She says that he is different from his brother
in both appearance and personality .
Rose vs. Rassendyll 3

4.  He doesn't need work as:
1. He comes from a rich
family
2. Has a good position in
society; his brother is a
lord ( Lord Burlesdon ),
his sister in-law ( Rose ) is
a countess.
Rassendyll explains and defends
explains defends
4
1. He had studied and
learned a lot at a
German school and
university.
2. Spoke many languages (
English-German-French-
Italian-Spanish ).
3. Good with swords and
riding horses.

5.  Rudolf had red hair because a long
time ago ( 1733 ), one of his relatives,
Countess Amelia Rassendyll, married
a member of the Ruritanian royal
family, the Elphbergs, who were
famous for having red hair.
 Rassendyll was the only one in the
family who inherited / had this red
hair.
The Red Hair 5

6.  Believed that his
position in society had
responsibilities.
Position in society for:
Robert
( Lord Burlesdon ) Rassendyll
6
 Believed that position in
society meant
opportunities that he
didn’t have to work.

7.  Sir. Jacob Borrodaile who was
going to become an ambassador
in six months' time wanted Rudolf
to work for him.
 Rose believed that this was a
good opportunity for Rudolf. Rudolf
agreed to take the job to please
her.
Rose’s job offer 7

8.  Rassendyll lied and told Rose and
his brother Robert that he was going
on a walking tour in the Alps and that
he was going to write a book about
the social problems in the country.
His brother thought that was a good
idea as writing a book could be the
best way to get into politics.
 He lied because he didn't want his
family to stop him or to be angry with
him.
The fake trip
8

9.  In fact he was going to Ruritania to
attend the coronation of the new
king, Rudolf the Fifth.
 He read in The Times newspaper that
Rudolf the Fifth was to become King
of Ruritania in the next three weeks,
and that amazing celebrations were
planned for this joyous occasion.
The real trip
Ruritania - The coronation
9

10.  Following uncle William’s
advice ( no one should ever
pass through Paris without
spending 24 hours there )
Rassendyll decided to spend a
day .
 He meets his friends George
Featherly who worked at the
embassy, and Bertram Bertrand
who was a famous journalist in
Paris.
 He lied again when he told
them that he was going to
Dresden
A day in Paris 10

11.  She was a well known for her wealth
and ambition.
 She was a guest of the Duke of Strelsau
(Duke Michael), the half-brother to the
King of Ruritania, who went back to
Strelsau to make the coronation
preparation.
 She took the train to Dresden with
Rassendyll.
 They both took the train to Ruritania.
Antoinette de
Mauban
11

12.  After reaching the borders,
Rassendyll stopped at Zenda.
 The guards checked his passport.
They were very surprised to see
Rudolf as he looked exactly like
the king.
Reaching the
Ruritanian Border
12

13.  Rassendyll stopped at Zenda, a
town near the borders, because all
hotels in the capital city of Strelsau
were full.
 Rassendyll stayed at an inn which
was run by an old woman and her
two daughters.
The Inn
13

14. The Inn’s owner
Liked
• The old woman (the owner of
the inn) liked Duke Michael
very much and she wished he
would be the king instead of
his brother.
why
• She said Duke Michael had
always lived in Ruritania and
he cared about the people, so
people liked him.
Didn’t like
• The old woman (the owner
of the inn) didn’t like the
king
why
• She said Rudolf Elphberg
had been abroad for most
of his life and not many
people even knew what
he looked like. He only
liked hunting and good
food.
14

15. The daughter
Liked
• She was in favor of the king.
• She liked the red hair.
• Johann, the Duke's servant, told
her about the king who was
staying at the hunting lodge.
Didn’t like
• Duke Michael.
15

16. The Enemy Brothers 16
 Rassendyll had many questions about
the relation between the two brothers
who wanted the same thing.
 They were not good friends.
 They both wanted to be a king.
 The king was at the hunting
lodge while the Duke was at the
city preparing for the coronation
( how strange !! )

17. Johann surprised 17
 Johann, the Duke's servant, arrived at
the inn.
 As soon as he saw Rudolf Rassendyll,
he stepped back in surprise as if he
had seen something amazing because
Rudolf looked exactly like the king.
 Knowing that Rassendyll was going to
Strelsau for the coronation, Johann
offered Rudolf to stay at his sister's
house in Strelsau .

18. Through the forest
 The next morning, Rudolf
decided to walk through the
forest to the next station
where he could take the
train to the capital. He
thought he might see the
king in the forest.
18

19. The Castle
 It was very old but well built.
 There was a moat all around it.
 There was a large mansion
behind it, which was used by
Duke Michael as his country
home.
 The old castle could only be
reached by a drawbridge
between it and the mansion.
19

20. Meeting The king’s men
 When Rudolf got tired, he decided to rest by lying against a
tree. He fell asleep.
 Two men were looking at Rudolf in amazement.
 They worked for the king. They were Colonel Sapt and Fritz von
Tarlenheim.
 Colonel Sapt recognised the name Rassendyll.
 Sapt believed that Rudolf Rassendyll and the King looked like
identical twins, but they did not have identical personalities or
skills.
 He also said that the king preferred eating to action. He was
not a fighting man.
20

21. Meeting the king
 The king arrived. As
Rudolf looked at him, he
gave a loud cry and the
King stood back in
amazement looking at
Rudolf.
21

22. 22

23. The Identical Twin
 The king and Rudolf
Rassendyll looked exactly the
same.
 There were slight differences:
1. The king’s mouth was perhaps
less wide
2. Rassendyll’s face was a little
thinner.
23

24. Identical In Appearance ,
Different In Personality
24
 Though they looked almost like
twins , they were different in
personality:

25. Identical In Appearance ,
Different In Personality
25
“Where are you travelling to?” the king said
“To Strelsau, sir. To the coronation.” Rudolf said
The King looked at the two other men and
smiled.
“What would my brother Michael think: if he
saw us two together!” he cried.
He only thought of his brother’s reaction, he
didn’t think of the consequence of having a
double in a coronation.

26. Identical In Appearance
, Different In Personality
26
 Fritz and Sapt were
worried of such a matter.

27. The Good Food Lover 27
 The king invited Rassendyll to
have dinner with him at the
lodge.
 Rassendyll saw Josef and
Johann’s mother there.
 At the end of the meal, Josef,
the servant , brought the king
some cakes. It was Duke
Michael's orders to give the
king these cakes

28. The Good Food Lover 28
 The king “liked” good food
,so he ate a lot of the cakes.
 Rassendyll ate only one
cake.
 Sapt and Fritz didn’t eat
much as they had an early
start next day.

29. The POISNED Cakes
 The next morning, Fritz and Sapt
couldn't wake up the king.
 The king was poisoned by THE
DUKE’S CAKES.
 Rassendyll ate only one cake .
Sapt had to throw water over
Rassendyll to wake him up.
 Rassendyll thought that the
cakes he and the king ate were
poisonous.
29

30. What to do ??
 Sapt suggested getting a doctor
BUT there's no doctor for fifteen
kilometres and even a thousand
doctors won't make him better
today.
 Fritz worried and suggested that
they must tell the people of
Ruritania that he is ill and Sapt
refused.
30

31. Why ?!
 The whole country as well as most of
the army was waiting for the king to
be crowned.
 If he wasn't crowned on the specified
day, he will never be crowned and
Duke Michael would take the crown.
 Duke Michael wanted to be the king .
he planned to get rid of his brother to
be the king .
31

32. The Worries 32
 The wise ,experienced old
Sapt had a plan.
 He asked Rassendyll to
pretend to be the king and
attend the coronation
instead of the real king.
 Rassendyll was afraid as

33. The Worries 33
 WHY
 People would realise
that he’s not the King!
 He is English
 He is not Ruritanian
 Sapt and Fritz had a
different opinion :

34. The Worries 34
 WHAT
 His German is PERFECT
 If they dress him in different
clothes, no one will know.
 If he doesn’t go to Strelsau, Duke
Michael will be King, and the King
will either be dead or in prison.
 The country needs his help.
 Rassendyll agrees on playing the
king’s role.

35. The plan to save the
king and country
35
 Sapt’s plan :
1. Carried the poisoned king to the cellar.
2. They didn’t wait for Michael’s guard but
leave for Strelsau at once.
3. Josef would tell Michael and his men
that the hunting lodge was empty.
4. Go to the palace and attend the
coronation.

36. The plan to save the
king and country
36
5. after the coronation Sapt and Rudolf
go back to Zenda, Fritz would stay and
guard the king's bedroom. Tell any one
the king was asleep.
6. The king would return to the palace
with Sapt.
7. Rudolf would ride to the border and
leave Ruritania before it was light.

37. A change in plan
 Johann's mother overheard
Sapt's plan, so Sapt put her in
the cellar with the king.
 Josef would let Johann's
mother out of the cellar after
Michael had gone.
37

38. Plan into Action 38
A. Setting off
 Sapt, Fritz and Rassendyll left
the hunting lodge an hour
earlier.
WHY
to avoid being seen by Duke
Michael's guards.

39. Plan into Action 39
B. On the way
 On their way to the station.
Sapt told Rassendyll
everything about the king.
 The station guard was surprised
to see them as they came an
hour earlier, so Fritz told him that
the king had changed his plans.

40. At The Station
 They got off the train in Strelsau.
 Rassendyll had breakfast at the
station restaurant. (Acting like the
Good Food Loving King)
 Marshal Strakencz arrived with his
soldiers to meet the king.
 Duke Michael was unable to meet
the king at the station, but he would
see him shortly.
40

41. God Save The King
 God save both kings
 People at station were cheering out
“ God save the king ”
 Sapt prayed that God save both
kings;
1. the real king, poisoned at the cellar
Rudolf the 5th
2. the pretending king, at the
coronation Rudolf Rassendyll
41

42. Strelsau, the capital of Ruritania
Partly old and partly new
42
New Part
 Rich people
lived in large
houses in wide,
modern streets.
 had always
lived well under
the king's father.
Old Part
 Poor people lived in
narrow streets.
 crowded into very small
houses.
 old houses , hot in the
summer and very cold in
the winter.
 Poor people did not want
things to stay the same.

43. Strelsau, the capital of Ruritania
Partly old and partly new
43
 THUS
They
supported the
king because
they knew
that nothing
would
change.
 THUS
They
supported
Duke Michael
because they
wanted a
change for a
better future.

44. The city celebrating
 People in the streets of Strelsau were
clapping and cheering.
 There were colourful flags everywhere.
 People threw flowers from their
balconies.
 Rudolf picked a flower and stuck it onto
his coat.
44

45. The traveler on the train 45
 As Rassendyll got rid of his
nervousness and at that
moment, he believed that
he was actually the king.
 Suddenly, Rudolf saw
Antoinette de Mauban on
a balcony above him.
 Stared at him.
 He got worried

46. The traveler on the train 46
 WHY
It seemed that she
knew him.
Rudolf feared that she
might call out and tell
everyone that he was
not the real king.