Anthony Steffen, as a young gunman who works as a circus performer, witnesses the killing of some outlaws, carried out by their leader and is credited with the deed. Steffen suffers from a complex which blocks him in front of any violence and makes him appear cowardly, so when a young boy is kidnapped he must find a way to regain his composure.

In 1620 pirates are terrorizing the Adriatic coast. Our hero sets out to defeat them.

Tigre is the skipper of the Santa Maria, a pirate-ship, but he feels tired and decides to leave the command of the ship. Unfortunately he has only a daughter, Consuelo. So he will leave the command and the ship to the winner of a challenge among his men. Unexpectedly Consuelo wins. The same night Tigre is killed, William is charged with the killing and is sentenced to death. But before the sentence could be executed the Spaniards of Grand Duke Inigo arrives. Consuelo escapes, however this is only the first move of Indigo's wife to get to the pirates treasure.

Set in medieval Venice, this swashbuckler chronicles the courage of an executioner and his godson as they attempt to show that the Grand Inquisitor is in league with murderous pirates.