The Prince of Homburg, a general in the army of the Brandenburg Elector, sometimes has difficulty separating his dreams from reality. He falls in love with the Princess Natalia, ward of the Elector, and as a result of his infatuation does not pay close attention to the orders for the next day's battle. As a result, he precipitously engages the enemy before being ordered to do so, and thus both helps win the battle but also brings down on his own head the charge of disobedience to orders. When a court-martial orders his death, everyone involved, including the Prince himself, comes to mixed opinion about whether the sentence should be carried out.
