The Italian libretto was written partly by Felice Romani (acts 1 and 2) and by Girolamo Maria Marini [it] (act 3), a part-time poet who had achieved notability the previous year with Otto Nicolai's Il templario.

The story features the protagonist, Adelia, the daughter of Arnoldo, one of Duke Carlo's bodyguards.

The Duke returns from a successful battle to find a fellow nobleman, Count Oliviero, leaving Arnoldo's house which is on Carlo's estate.

The chorus then sing rumors that Oliviero has slept with Adelia, taking her virginity.

The Duke sentences Oliviero to death for this perceived transgression, but the other characters prevent this.