02x04 - Rise of the Sultan

[bunniefuu]

I know how to control the rebels.

But now he has turned into a monster.

A man eater monster.

He has built an army too.

Of errant monsters like him.

His sword bays for blood.

And he bays for revenge.

He still is alive and well.

And his blood boils too.

But unfortunately.

His conscience is all but dead.

It is all but dead.

I am aware, Jalal.

I am aware

There is chaos in your empire.

Not chaos, sire.

Bloodshed.

Bloodshed will happen now.

Winds are blowing from the west.

Fierce wind.

Ones that will enslave
the land of Hindustan.

Is there no solution?

Had there been a solution,

I would have told you.

Goodbye, Jalal.

This is our last meeting.

Last meeting?

Are you going somewhere sire?

Everybody has to leave someday, Jalal.

Whether It's a fakir or a king.

[Announcer] With the world at his feet,

[Announcer] the glorious Mughal Prince...

[Announcer]...the Emperor of Ghazi,

[Announcer] the Sultan of Allahabad...

[Announcer]...Mirza
Nur-ud-Din Muhammad Salim.

[Announcer] Long live!

[Bakht-Un-Nissa] My Lord,

it pleases me to see
your power has grown enough,

to lead your own mighty empire.

I am here to extend a hand in friendship on behalf of Kabul.



And sacrifice of countless soldiers

An empire isn't built so easily.

Aunt, I am pleased to see you here.

You are elder to me in age,
relation and experience.

I greet you.

Salim, I told you

one day I would repay the favor.

And the taxes your father
has tried to impose on my people,

has made giving you
our support an easy choice.

[Bakht-Un-Nissa] Let me assure you.

You have my permanent allegiance.

Ahmad Sirhindi
of the Naqshbandi Sufi order.

Accept my greetings.

Welcome to my kingdom.

I will always be grateful to you for the hand in friendship that you have extended towards me.

People who wish to conquer the sky often forget

that if you spit at the sky

it will dirty your face. The time has come to show your father the ground reality.

- [Announcer] Sultan Salim!
- [Soldiers] Long live!

- [Announcer] Sultan Salim!
- [Soldiers] Long live!

- [Announcer] Sultan Salim!
- [Soldiers] Long live!

- [Announcer] Sultan Salim!
- [Soldiers] Long live!

Your Highness.

I am fine.
Come and attend to Khusrau.

His condition is severe.

What has happened?

The eye is infected.

If it spreads to his brain,

then there is no way to stop it.

What can be done?

We will have to try and remove the eye,
in order to save him.

Grandfather.

But we will have
to act fast if there is to be any hope.

Proceed.

Remember

He is no ordinary boy.

He is the future of this empire.

If anything happens to him,

then you will be held responsible.

Your Highness.

Be quick.

[Sher Afghan] My Lord,
we have been here for months.

[Sher Afghan] The
men grow weary and tired.

[Sher Afghan] We must
make progress with Golkonda.

Can't you just ride
in and take the city?

[Sher Afghan] No My Lord.

Their walls are too high,

and our numbers too small.

Someone who can tame a lion is afraid of a wall.

But these are high walls with
a thousand cannons,

pointed at us, Prince Daniyal.

Forget about Golkonda.

Any news of Salim?

[Sher Afghan] His forces
grow and so do his allies.

He now has the support

of Kabul, Kandahar
and the Naqshbandi order.

He will come for me, I know it.

[Daniyal] Set up a meeting with
all those still loyal to me.

It is time to get control over Salim.

[Hakim] Prince, be patient.
A little patient.

What is taking them so long?

My Lord, this is not something
that can be rushed.

Let's wait outside.

And what is that supposed to mean?

Nothing, My Lord.

- Just that...
- [Hakim] Your Highness.

[Hakim] Khusrau's
treatment was successful.

But...

Man.

Brother, you?

Any news of Salim?

Not Salim.

I bring news of Khusrau.

What? What?

- What happened to my son?
- Nothing Man.

Calm down.

He had hurt his eye.
The injury was serious.

The physician saved his life.

But he has lost an eye.

Man.

Brother,

he didn't just lose an eye,

he may have lost his right
to the throne.

[Abul fazl] Sir,

can I get some ink?

Why?

Did you finish writing your
'Akbarnama'?

I have got bored of the 'Akbarnama'

Now I wish to write something else.

'Hakimnama'.

- He is my brother.
- Must be.

But what he did with you,

even an enemy won't do that.

I sympathize with you completely.

Nowadays I am garnering a lot
of sympathy from Akbar's allies.

I received Daniyal's
invitation a while ago.

You must meet Daniyal.

He is a pawn

who can be very useful to you.

How?

In defeating King Akbar.

[Mahabat] Stay right there.

Who are all of you?

I am Bukhari.

And the Bengal rebels.

[Bukhari] Prince Daniyal has called us.

Who are you?

Prince Daniyal.

Greetings.

Bless you.

[Daniyal] A thousand thanks
for making the long journey.

Many of you are probably wondering
why you are here.

Do you intend to take Golkonda?

They are rich with diamonds
and wealth,

but they are heavily defended.

[Minister] A siege perhaps?

[Minister] They are well
prepared for a blockade.

Golkonda is irrelevant.

It is my petulant brother
that brings us together.

His forces are stronger
and his allies grow in number.

He has an axe
to grind with each of us.

If he truly has become
an existential threat,

what do you propose?

We must mobilize our forces
and march on Allahabad.

After Salim,

we shall march on Akbar?

My father's health dwindles.

[Daniyal] He will be gone soon.

[Daniyal] As soon as that happens,
as the rightful heir,

the capital will be mine.

You all shall reap
the benefits of my reign.

[Minister] Amen!

[Minister] Amen!

[Minister] Amen!

You are uncharacteristically
quiet today.

Where is...what's his name?

- Bukhari.
- What happened to Bukhari?

[Mahabat] Bukhari fell ill during
the long journey.

Who are you?

You don't know me.

But...

soon you will.

Prince Salim has sent me
as the messenger of death.

Prince Daniyal, go inside.

How did he survive, Mahabat?

He is slippery.

But we were able to cut the heads off
several other snakes supporting him.

Bengal's Bukhari,

that wretched Mirza Hakim,

and Sher Afghan are no more.

Well done.

I am proud of you.

Now go and get rest.

I need you recovered and well again.

We will soon rip off Delhi's treasure.

I am sorry aunt.

Uncle was a man
who stood up to my father,

for what he believed in
and I respect that.

He was power hungry zealot
who backed the wrong horse Salim.

And now he is dead.

What's worse,
Daniyal is still alive.

[Salim] He poses no threat aunt.

His supporters are either
in prison or have been vanquished.

without Sher Afghan at his side,
he is useless.

Warfare never was my
brother's strong point.

But even with our forces combined,

your father's armies still
outnumber us ten to one.

Which is why stealing his money will
enable us to hit him where it hurts.

Each seizure is just a drop

in the ocean of the empire's wealth.

It is not how much it is, aunt.

It is how you spend it.

Where is Daniyal?

I thought he was unharmed
in the attack.

Reports suggest he was unscathed,

but has gone into hiding, for
fear of a further attempt on his life.

I don't have strong evidence
but...

everything points towards
Prince Salim.

Destiny plays strange games.

My brother

turned out to be a chameleon.

One son turned out to be a traitor.

And the other a coward.

He is in hiding.

Let it be.

I regret your son-in-law's death.

A crisis has befallen Mehr.

After losing an honourable man
like Sher Afghan.

Let us not pretend.

He was a tempestuous brute.

Your Highness,
he was still my son-in-law.

At your instruction,
if I remember correctly.

If you had control over your daughter,

we would never have had to.

My condolences are
with your daughter.

I worry for her.

I suggest move her

to the harem.

All three queens will
take care of her and

keep an eye on her too.

[Ghiyas beg] Mehr

there is bad news for you.

The King wants you
to live in the harem.

Is it the King's order?

Yes.

Living in the royal harem
is not such a bad thing.

Dear, harem is a golden cage.

You won't be able
to get out of there.

Your daughter is not an ordinary bird.

I am a bird
who will fly with the golden cage.

[Soldier] let me go.

[Soldier] What are you doing? - Stop.

Alert everyone. There has been an attack.

[Soldier] Save him.

Run. Run.

Everything here belongs
to Prince Salim now.

- Even you.
- Yes.

Word has it that it is time for you,

to come join us here in the harem.

It's the King's order.

But I am here now,

at your disposal.

I am sorry for the interference.

This month's rental income,
Your Highness.

So it's gold that gets
your heart beating.

[Jodha] Follow me.

Where does the money come from?

We own immense lands in the Deccan.

This is the rents for
our lands for just one month.

That is the most money
I have ever seen.

And that's not even as much as
we get for our trade investments.

This month has shown record dividends,

from trade deals with Persia,
China and Egypt.

When you will go for hunting,
you won't have to close one eye.

Your Highness.

All taxes from the northeast Kabul,

and Kandahar have been stopped.

What?

Whether this has anything
to do with Prince Salim, we do not know.

What we do know is that he has raided
the Imperial Mint in Delhi.

Stolen all the gold and silver and,

kidnapped our most skilled engraver.

What is the condition
of the royal finances?

It's very delicate, Your Highness.

From now on, triple the number
of guards at the Mint.

In fact, send a battalion.

Yes My Lord.

If required,
hire professional soldiers.

But Your Highness,

we won't be able to pay them salary.

We have thousands of administrators,

in the capital alone
on the royal payroll,

lose half of them.

And we shall raise taxes.

Increase taxes by five percent
for all residents of the capital.

Apart from the noblemen,
add ten percent to them.

They can afford to pay more.

If required, go to the harem.

But Your Highness...

They usually have some
wealth squirreled away.

As you say Your Highness.

Your Highness, I beg your pardon.

Sire Salim has sent a gift for you.

Please accept it.

What is this?

I don't know your Highness.

[Akbar] How dare he!

[Akbar] Salim.

This is not a gift but rebellion.

How dare he!

Grandfather! Are you fine?

Sometimes...

Sometimes family is sent
to test our spirits.

But I am family too, grandfather.

I am with you in all your trials.

Please, grandfather.

Allow me to ride on my father
with the royal army and crush him.

Don't talk childishly Khusrau.

That is not the best way
to deal with this situation.

We peel supporters away instead

of a full scale military action.

Emperor this is not the time...

We break his rebellion
before it even starts.

Khusrau, travel to Allahabad.

Not for w*r with your
father but to sue for peace.

Distract him with negotiations

while we make our plan.

Go.

Ready my the horses.

I will go to Golkonda myself.

And with their support,

we will overwhelm Salim.

[Khurram] Grandmother.

Khurram, my child.

You have come after a long time.

- Thank goodness you remembered me.
- Grandmother.

What's going on in Diwan-E-Khas?

- Grandfather got very upset.
- Is that so?

Why?

Father sent him a chest of money.

With the insignia of not
the Mughal empire,

but father's empire.

Oh God! Salim is too much!

Grandfather will travel
to Deccan now.

Is that so?

And?

And...

They are running low on money

for the w*r effort.

How low?

Low enough that they
will be coming here,

to the harem to take tribute from you.

Harem's money.

Yes.

Our wealth is no longer safe.

If only there was somewhere safe,

you could move your treasure to.

Come.

[Ruqaiya] We will have
to transfer the wealth tonight itself.

But keep it where?

We will bury it in the land
behind the harem.

[Mehr-un-Nissa] Pardon me, Queen.

That would be foolishness.

What do you mean?

The King's men won't search
only the harem.

The entire land is theirs.

Sooner or later they will find it.

You should send the wealth
to a place beyond the King's reach.

Is there any such place?

Yes.

There is one place.

Bidar.

- Brother.
- Mehr come.

See what I have got for you.

So precious.

It's only costly.

It will be precious
when the prime minister will wear it.

Prime minister?

Who?

You.

Be ready.

But who will make me one?

Me.

When Prince Salim
will ascend the throne,

I will sit right next to him.

And you will be the prime minister.

Isn't it nice?

You will have to do some work.

Send it to Prince Salim.

Mehr if anybody gets any inkling,

the King will behead me.

If you want to be the prime minister,

you will have to take some risk.

Don't worry brother.

I know what I am doing.

That's what I am afraid of.

Hurry up. There is much of the treasure left.

Sajid.

Have this sent to my lands in Bidar.

Send a bodyguard.

Ensure that it is well looked after.

Don't worry my Queen.

[Soldier] Message sir.

It's from Abul Fazl.

He says to stay put

I told you my prince,

do not fear.

Help is on the way.

And it sounds like
Sher Afghan's widow Mehr-un-Nissa,

has already found favor
with a new man.

Who my Prince?

Salim.

Salim.

My brother's weakness
has always been his women.

And I know just how
to use that against him.

I want her dead.

Use this blade coated with poison.

You will also see that

when someone's love dies,
then how painful it is.

Leave.

What you want shall happen, My Lord.

[Bakht-Un-Nissa] It is
surely an impressive vessel.

Much greater than anything the
Mughals have on the water.

But how will that help us?

[Ahmad Sirhindi] Prince Salim, meet him.

[Ahmad Sirhindi] He has come from across
the seven seas.

Sir William Van Gildar.

[Ahmad Sirhindi] He is Prince Salim.

Rightful ruler of Hindustan.

Greetings Your Majesty.

The Dutch East India company
has sent me.

To do trade with you.

First let's test its strength.

That's what I like about you Mughals.

Get set fire.

Fire.

Very good.

Imagine what those g*ns could do
if they were facing us.

They could destroy a city.

[Salim] Definitely.

When my father built this fort,
he built it on Jamuna.

The river...

flows all the way to Agra.

We can sail this weapon of
w*r unopposed all the way to,

my father's doorstep and lay waste
to his precious kingdom.

It's time to greet King Akbar.

This is the last chance

we have of finishing Salim.

Soldier. Soldier.

Shouting is pointless Shah Daniyal.

There is no one who can protect you now.

when I was alive, I was shackled by a king's demand.

And now you have shackled me after death.

We will have to keep close watch on the free conversations between the brother and sister.

Stay away from the personal matters

of Akbar and Salim

You sent that m*rder*r?

And I will k*ll Sire Salim too.

Your Highness, the emperor's condition is critical

But he doesn't want w*r.

Then go tell him

to be ready for a clash head on.

If I win, the crown will be mine.

People who hold others at knifepoint

often forget...

What if I don't accede to you?

He could also be

the target instead.

The one who is on the throne has to bear the responsibilities that come with it.

Jahangir.

There will be a m*ssacre now.