01x05 - Winter on the River

[bunniefuu]

TV Channel Russia presents

TV Channel Russia

'Moskino' Production Company

Supported by the Ministry of
Culture of the Russian
Federation

Supported by Defense Ministry
of the Russian Federation

present

Maria Andreeva as
Sophia Paleologue

Evgeny Tsyganov as Ioann III

Nadezhda Markina as
the Grand Princess

Pyotr Zaichenko as
the Metropolitan

Boris Nevzorov as
Grigory Mamonov

Giuliano Di Capua
as Ivan Fryazin

Director of Photography
Denis Alarcon Ramirez

Art Director Evgeny Kachanov

Costumes by Natalya Saltykova

Make-up by Anastasia Esadze

Edited by Igor Litoninsky

Music by Artem Vasilyev

Produced by Ekaterina
Zhukova Maria Ushakova

Directed by Alexei Andrianov

SOPHIA

Episode 5

Ahmed Khan of the Golden Horde
moves out against Moscow.

Ioann the Young, son
of the Grand Prince,

intercepts the Khan
with his troops and,

after valiantly thwarting
the Horde's first onslaught,

gives his Father's newly
arrived warriors a chance

to occupy a line of defense

along the bank of
the Ugra River.

October 20, 1480,

marks the start of the famous
Great Stand on the Ugra.

Ioann Vasilievich,

a runner has arrived
from Uglich.

What's the news?

Please forgive me for the
ill tidings, Grand Prince.

The Princes Andrei and Boris

have taken all their
men against you.

Sire, Nur Devlet is back.

Grand Prince,

I've brought a piece of news
from the Khan of Crimea,

Meñli Giray.

Just tell me, yes or no?

-Yes.

Khan Meñli Giray
will stand with you.

Rise.

You bring good tidings,
Nur Devlet.

Go to these brothers of mine.

Find them.

And tell them that the Grand
Prince of Moscow wishes to talk.

As you wish, My Prince.

They are sh**ting at the river
crossings from both sides.

If we make a move again, you
shall lose many men, My Lord.

-This is worse than
scaling a wall -

we should sacrifice the five

so that the sixth
could pass through!

We can wait.

No Russian cannons will
hold off the Russian winter.

Soon, Ugra will ice over,

and then my warriors
will cross it with ease.

-Pardon my boldness, My Lord.

There is little of
horse fodder here.

And little of clean water.

We cannot waste any
more time, My Lord.

We must move forward.

The Russians will
have company soon.

Ioann's brothers are advancing
on him from behind.

With the armies of their own.

Let them fight each other.

I will wait.

I will spare my warriors
from fighting for now,

and then I will drown the
Russians in their own blood.

He is so noisy,
this son of yours.

Ioann was not like this.

Ioann was quiet

and ate like a piglet.

And what about Andrei?
Was he always so prideful?

Oh, haven't you shed a
tear when you met them?

Should have shed a tear.

This would have pierced them.

Is that a Russian custom,
to resolve problems by crying?

Let me make an infusion
for you, My Lady.

It will clear your chest.

No, thank you.

I can manage without
those Roman potions.

They will make peace, My Lady.

You have a lovely home, Boyar.

A rich one.

What did you call me for?

I would like to treat
you to dinner.

Welcome!

My thanks, Boyar.
But I am not hungry.

You're afraid, aren't you?

Afraid that I can
give you poison?

After all, they poison
someone every day

in that Rome of yours.

Don't they do the
same in Moscow?

In Moscow, we chop
people's heads off.

It's easier this way.

Fair enough.

Tell me, what will happen
when the Tatars come?

Moscow will burn.

So it will.

You can help.

And you will be thanked for it.

Whatever can I help
you with, Boyar?

You have been to the
Horde, am I right?

Yes, I have.

Well, go there and bring
Ahmed Khan some money.

Boyar, this is
nothing but treason.

Aren't you afraid that
I will inform on you?

To whom?

There is no-one here.

They are all out there,
on the Ugra River.

-Not all of them.

Kuritsyn is here.

All that he knows,

the Prince knows as well.

Kuritsyn!

Kuritsyn!

Come over here.

Sit down.

Well, tell our guest everything.

You, Roman, is a cunning man.

This means you are a smart man.

So, you will believe to
what is written down.

And this paper right here,

it says that in the
summer of 1408,

Khan Edigu of the Horde
laid siege to Moscow.

He was appeased with a gift
of three thousand rubles,

and so he left.

Well then, we have to
collect the money.

You spare no gold
for the Tatars, Boyar.

Well, why else
would I need money

if not to make trouble go away?

-There is no treason here.

-And besides,

I myself am not as simple.

One in every two men in
my family is a prince.

And we, too, descend from Rurik.

So why can't I myself come
to an agreement with the

Khan of the Horde?

Who?

Go.

There is no w*r; they are just
standing on the Ugra bank.

Stay here.

You are brave to come here
alone, Ioann Vasilievich.

After everything you've done...

And what have I done to
fear my own brothers?

You insulted your brothers
in front of all the people.

You locked us up in a cellar
like common thieves.

And now, having come here alone,
you expect us to forgive you?

-What else do you want me to do?

Give us our lands back.

I shall give you back
all that is yours.

Why are you so generous
all of a sudden?

I just cannot allow
us to be disgraced;

I cannot have brothers

waging w*r against their
own Russian Homeland

together with the
pagans from the Horde

turning into pagans themselves.

We were not the ones
who started all this...

I started it!

Forgive me, if you only can.

You have poisoned our hearts
with bitterness, Brother.

Our Father would have paid for
this with naught but blood.

Blood, you say?

Enough!

Forgive us, Brother.

What are you waiting for?

Get over here!

How many daughters,
you said, Casimir has?

Seven?

Ask Boris. He was
counting them...

Have a care, Andrei Vasilievich,

I've never even thought of it.

You told me differently.

This is a surprise how you
managed to return unmarried.

And who else among
us is unmarried?

Right here -

-Fyodor Davydych.

Where is Nozdrevaty?

I will have to marry
off all seven of them.

-I shall tell you one
thing, Grand Prince.

Our Father was a
friend of Casimir.

And it would be good for us
to live in peace with him.

Was it Casimir to
tell you about it?

Yes, it was him.

Whatsoever a man would say to
see his daughters married...

-My Prince...

King Casimir is moving
out of Vilnius.

Accompanied by thirty
thousand swordsmen.

They are marching
right toward us.

-And this you will
give to Ahmed Khan

as a personal little
something from me.

Overall, you will be travelling
with five chests of gold

and twenty chests of silver.

And some fur garbs on top.

-Here.

Yes, and my man will
keep you company

so as you do not get
bored on the road.

Jonah!

My greetings...

The carriage is ready, Master.

What, did you think
you would come alone?

Oh no.

It will be hard to lug all
those heavy chests alone, eh?

Come, dawn will
be breaking soon.

If Casimir has
already moved out,

Ahmed must be aware of this.

And they will both
strike at once, Sire.

One from the front,

the other from the wing.

-Ahmed Khan's
troops are searching

for new paths
to cross the river.

If they find the paths,

they will pave their way to
Moscow, Ioann Vasilievich.

-You need to return to Moscow.

Tell your Mother to leave.

My wife and son are there, too.

And the treasury.

Go back, Ioann Vasilievich.

Once you have settled the
matters in your household,

you might return.

And why are you so quiet?

Where is your brother?

Khan Meñli Giray of Crimea?

He has sworn that he will
do anything in his power.

He will strike Lithuania
from the south-east

to do some raiding and burning.

Well, why is he not
burning anything yet?

Meñli Giray is with you.

He has given his word.

Grand Prince.

I beg you not to doubt him.

-Ioann Vasilievich!

Can you hear us out?

My Lord.

We can go downstream

to reach Sarai, and
to reach Ahmed Khan.

And to torch the place.

In a hurry to die, are you?

In a hurry to win.

And who will lead
this expedition?

Not you?

-I will.

This was our idea,
between the two of us.

And we have also found
the men to accomplish this.

The most daring ones.

We decided not to take pack
horses, to get to Volga faster.

How will you carry
supplies then?

Or will you eat what you loot?

Or tighten our belts.

Very well, tighten them.

The horse with a small
burden is a fast horse.

Let's sit a while
before the road.

Are you frightened?

Yes I am.

That is good.

You need fear.

Fear for yourself, for your men,

or else you will die in vain.

You have Vasili now, don't you?

You will not go heirless.

Please return.

Have you made peace?

Yes, Mother.

Oh, how I prayed for this.

God is merciful, Mother.

If my sons were at
w*r with each other,

how would I look into
other people's eyes?

This will never be.

That's fine.

But why did you return?

Ahmed Khan and King
Casimir are coming;

they are advancing
from both sides.

I fear for you and Sophia.

You need to hide.

Leave Moscow.

You can return once we
have vanquished our foes.

Casimir...

He was a friend of your Father.

Father has gone, and the
friendship has gone too.

I shall not leave my home.

Send off your wife,
your baby, your treasury.

Take away all that you wish.

But do not disturb me.

I have spent half
my life fleeing

with little children
in my arms.

Where am I supposed to flee now?

Fleeing from death?

No, I shall not go.

I shall not go anywhere.

You are leaving tomorrow -

together with Vasili.

You will be accompanied by my
treasure and by my Honor Guard.

-Are you giving up Moscow?

I am protecting my family.

Does this mean everything
will burn soon?

I do not know.

What of the temple?

If you hide your family away,

what will your subjects say?

I do not wish to speak
of this with you.

Do not wish you speak to me?!

I have the blood of the emperors
flowing through my veins!

I have changed my name for you!

I have born the
children for you!

I am your wife, your other half.

We are bound before God!

And you do not wish
to speak to me?

I cannot spend so
much time in a saddle.

I was born to sit on the throne.

And what were you born for?

-Get your hands away from him!

-I just wanted to have a
word or two with the heir.

Your husband,

the Grand Prince,

didn't deign to find the time
for a conversation with me.

You shall not see him.

I told my husband that he has
nothing to talk about with you.

I have wasted so much time...

I have been made a fool
of for five years...

You have betrayed
your own brother!!

My brother is offering
the crown for sale!

I do not want this disgrace
to affect my husband!

You lying b*tch!

You've been lying to all of us!

-Andreas!

Bear in mind that you still
have enemies left in Rome!

And they will never
forgive you anything!

Stop!

Get out.

You will ride on horseback.

Didn't you hear what I said?

I said, get out!

Shoo, shoo, go away!

Enough! It is a monastery...

These pathetic cripples do
not understand otherwise.

It is you who is pathetic.

Don't be scared,
don't be scared.

All done as was ordered.

Good.

You have the first shift, Efim.

Yes.

Your permission to
enter, My Lady.

Come in.

Here, it's from the
treasury lock.

What for?

Such is the custom, My Lady.

When the Prince is away,
his wife keeps the key.

Go.

I came to bid you farewell.

I am leaving for Rome.

It is high time to.

Farewell.

Anything else?

Camelopardalis?

Our Uncle Constantine

had one of these in his book.

Remember how he used to
read it before bedtime?

Nanny told us that we could
meet one in the garden

when the moon is full.

And I ran off with the
other boys to the garden

And I ran off with the
other boys to the garden
after midnight to hunt for him.

after midnight to hunt for him.

Not taking me with you...

You hadn't missed anything.

We never found this
Camelopardalis.

Though we found Nanny.

She was very angry with us
and complained to the Uncle

that very morning.

Yes, you all got a
good punishment...

I am sorry I turned to be not
the best brother for you.

I would like to change myself.

It is never too late to repent.

I would like to very much.

Dine with me.

I need to leave.

Wait...wait!

I will give you some money.

My Prince, do you
remember Ahmed's son?

I do, Commander.

Well, God bless us!

Seize them!

After them!

Hey, look at that,

our lad Efim is snoring
with his head off.

We'll wake him up right up!

He has sneaked in
to rob the Treasury.

When our men reached him,

he jumped on them
with a knife...

My Lady! My Lady!

Where are you from?

I'm local, Milord.

Are you Mamonov's servant?

No.

Now I am yours.

Do you play dice?

No, Milord.

Then this is going
to be a long road...

What a huge country.

One might not survive

the journey from one
end to the other.

You seem to have
just everything.

Your land is so rich.

But everything in it
is so haphazard...

Well then, Milord, why do you
live in such a haphazard land?

Go home if this land be
not to your liking...

For a servant,
you talk too much.

Forgive me, Milord.

Have some.

Oh, the Holy Mother of God,

Our Lady in Heaven!

Save and protect us,

your humble servants
Ioann and Sophia,

and spare us from
slander and gossip,

and from all that is harmful,

and from sudden death.

Watch over us in
the daytime hours,

and in the morning
and in the evening,

and keep us safe whether
we were standing or sitting

or walking down any path,
or sleeping in the night.

Provide for us, defend us,

shield us and protect us,

Our Lady Blessed Virgin,

from all our foes
seen and unseen,

and from any evil deed,

in any place and at any time;

be our sheltering wall,
oh Blessed Mother,

and our stalwart guardian.

Always now and ever,

And unto the ages of ages! Amen!

[singing in Italian]

-Halt right there!

Where, you think,
you are going to?

Where are you offto?

-Brothers!

Fellow Christians!
Don't hurt us!

We are the friends!

-What do you mean by "friends"?

Where are you from?

We're from Pskov.

I am a merchant!

Merchant?

Have you seen your
ugly mug, merchant?

I swear to God, Good Sir!

I'm a merchant, honest!

I sell furs and things...

Would these be your furs?

And what do you have here?

Open up.

Open up!

-All this is mine.

Earned from selling my goods.

-Looks like way too many
goods, eh, Merchant?

Tie him up!

Have mercy, Boyar!

These are honest trade
profits, I swear to God!

Boyar, I beg you, let me go!

Take all of my gold,
just let me go!

I am an honest man,

honest to goodness,

I have never done
harm to anyone...

Your man has been captured.

-I know this!

Why are you back, though?

Get out of here;

I will pay you even
more than I did...

-And then you will
blame it all on me.

Surely, I will not go far

if the Prince catches
wind of this treason.

I am not to blame.

But if I flee,

it would look like
it was my own fault.

I haven't been with you.

Why should I bring
harm to the Prince?

I knew you were a snake,

but I did not know
just how slippery.

I am not a snake, I am a fox.

My last name is La Volpe.

In Russian, it means fox.

A stupid goose,
that's what you are.

If I am captured,

I shall not stay
silent on the rack,

I shall tell them
everything about you,

everything!

-Thank you for warning.

We cannot wait any longer.

There is no fodder.

The horses are growing weaker.

The dirty water is
making our men sick.

We need to cross the river

at any cost.

-Great Khan, give the
order to advance.

If we cross the Ugra today,

winter will see us in Moscow.

No.

Winter will see us here.

On this river bank.

King Casimir's troops
will arrive soon.

And we shall cross
the ice together.

Why is this ram's meat?

This ram's meat
is for you, Master.

I eat only what
my warriors eat.

But your warriors
eat nothing, Master.

When they start
eating dead flesh,

I shall also be
eating dead flesh.

Starting with yours. Am I clear?

Take it away.

Khan Meñli Giray of Crimea
has attacked Lithuania.

King Casimir

has turned his troops
around to fight him.

Casimir is not coming.

The w*r is over.

Great Khan Ahmed is offering
to show you His Great Mercy.

He will leave your land.

If you give back
what you owe him.

This arrow is just like the
one that k*lled my Brother,

Prince Yury.

Who will answer for
my Brother's death?

-The Great Khan will
answer if you ask him.

But you need to be also ready
to answer for what you've done!

You've k*lled his messengers!

And we shall k*ll you too.

You shall all fall here
if you do not leave.

Can you feel the
mood of my people?

Yes, Prince, I can.

So tell Ahmed Khan

I am ready to talk to him.

Greetings, Ahmed Khan!

Thank you for coming.

-Listen, Prince.

I can see that you
are a bold man.

Pay me what you owe, and we
can part ways as friends!

I cannot do that, Great Khan.

If I pay back my debt to you,

what shall I pay
King Casimir with?

Or is Casimir not coming?

Then you will die!

And your children will die too!

Spare my children, Great Khan.

Children are innocent
before God.

Murtaza!

This is all that I can give you!

Murtaza!!

Murtaza!!

Murtaza!!

Go home!

You will not get
anything else from us!

-Ah!

Quiet!

I am scared.

Then be scared.

It's good to be scared.

Those who do not get scared,

they always end up dead.

-Don't go!

Come here.

Gotcha!

When the Great Temüjin
went to claim Samarqand,

he brought 200
thousand warriors!

And 200 thousand captives!

Samarqand was circled
by a deep moat,

but Temüjin filled it with
the bodies of his captives -

and Samarqand was his...

Will you k*ll him?

Yes.

I will k*ll him soon.

Will you k*ll him tomorrow?

Tomorrow.

I will k*ll him tomorrow.

Praise be!!

Today, we are celebrating
the conclusion

of a momentous mission.

For three hundred years,

the Tatar heathens were
ruling over the Russian lands;

for three hundred years,

we had to suffer
through humiliation

paying impossible tributes.

But God, acting through us,
has sent us a miracle.

To our Faith and
to our Homeland!

Let us rise and
drink in silence.

And now, my people, rejoice!

Welcome this Grand Day!

To our Faith and
to our Homeland!

I was so terrified...

I feared that they
would k*ll you...

Why did you?

Fear is worse than death.

If I have come back,
it means God has willed it.

[singing in Italian]

Grigory Ivanovich...

Mm?

Your daughter.

Anastasia Grigorievna...

How is she?

She is well, thank God.

Prayed every day, she did.

For our warriors, for you.

For me?

Oh, I say.

Is it true what they
keep talking about,

that you have caught
a heinous thief?

Carrying a hundred
thousand in gold?

I do not know yet.

Maybe it is.

I shall look into it.

Yes, so you should,
so you should.

There are so many thieves
lurking around these days,

and where there are thieves,

there is treason...

Yes of course.

So, um, if you, for instance,

should ever want
to pay us a visit,

you are welcome at any time.

My Nastya will be happy...

Whose money was that?

Well! Start talking!

Mine

All sixty thousand, mine.

If you wish, I can
kiss a cross for you.

-Don't be hasty, there will be
plenty of time for kissing.

Where were you taking the money?

For what purpose, huh?

It was my money.

I was taking it home, home.

Miron! Get the truth out of him.

Who is your master?

Just give us the name!

Who is he?

No-one, no-one.

Go on, Miron.

Make sure he makes it out alive.

I can't make promises,
Fyodor Davydych.

He is barely breathing.

-Make sure he breathes
some more time.

Come on!