Louis XIII's wife, Queen Anne of Austria, could hardly resist the charm of the favourite of the sovereign of England, the Duke of Buckingham. She tries to keep this suitor away by offering him ferrets, but the King of France lets his jealousy and rage explode. He then forbids Buckingham to return to court. The latter, supported by the monarch of England, then decided to take revenge on Louis XIII by trying to conquer La Rochelle, the main Huguenot stronghold of France. For the love of Anne of Austria, war was declared.