All language subtitles for V nachale slavnykh del 2in1

Central Studio

of Children and Youth Films
named after M. GORKY, USSR

and DEFA Film Studio, GDR

AT THE BEGlNNlNG
OF GLORlOUS DAYS

Based on the novel ''PETER THE FlRST''
by Alexei Tolstoy

Directed by
Sergey GERASlMOV

Screenplay by
S. GERASlMOV, Yu. KAVTARADZE

Directors of Photography
S. FlLlPPOV, H. HARDT

Production Designers

B. DULENKOV
A. POPOV, J. KELLER

Music by V. MARTYNOV

English Subtitles by
T. Kameneva

Starring

Peter -
Dmitri ZOLOTUKHlN

Natalya Kirillovna -
Tamara MAKAROVA

Tsarevna Sophia -
Natalya BONDARCHUK

Menshikov -
Nikolai YERYOMENKO

Prince Boris Golitsyn -
Mikhail NOZHKlN

Lefort - Peter REUSSE
Anna Mons - Ulrike KUNTZE

lvan Brovkin -
Eduard BOCHAROV

Sanka Brovkina -
Lyubov POLEKHlNA

Tsaritsa Yevdokiya -
Lyubov GERMANOVA

Nikita Zotov -
Anatoly BARANTSEV

Prince Buinosov -
Mikhail ZlMlN

Vasily Volkov -
Boris BACHURlN

Co-starring

Alyosha Brovkin - Yu. MOROZ

Ovdokim - V. KASHPUR

Lev Kirillovich Naryshkin -
A. BELYAVSKY

Patriarch loakim -
V. SHULGlN

Starets Nektary - N. GRlNKO

Golovin - R. KHOMYATOV
Voznitsyn - Ye. MARKOV

Gordon - H. SHRElBER
Kenigsek - W. WOLFE

Princess Buinosova -
A. MATVEYEVA

Natalya Buinosova -
Ye. VASlLYEVA

Antonida Buinosova -
M. LEVTOVA

Olga Buinosova -
M. BURDENKOVA

Strelets Gladky - L. REUTOV

Strelets Ovsey Rzhev -
V. MARENKOV

Strelets Chermny -
B. KHMELNlTSKY

Artamon Brovkin - G. FROLOV
Kuzma Zhemov - l. LAPlKOV

Gypsy - P. GLEBOV
Judas - V. MATVEYEV

Vorobyikha - M. KREPKOGORSKAYA
Vinius - S. SHPAKOVSKY

Streshnev - A. MlRONOV
Guard - F. ODlNOKOV

Hassan-Pasha - A. KARAPETYAN
Golikov - A. KlRlLLOV

Karlovitch - E. GERBERDlNG
Patkul - M. ZECHE

We pray to our Lord.

O Lord, have mercy.

Our Lord Almighty,

Jesus Christ,
Who art the Way and the Truth,

do not will the death of a sinner,

but will her reform
and stay alive,

l pray Thee and implore Thee
for thine love of mankind.

O Lord, stretch forth
thine All-honorable Hand

on Your servant Natalya,

who repents of her sin,

and pardon her transgressions.

Now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Have mercy, O Lord.

Petya dear...

Some air!

Let me!

To the sloboda! For Blumenthrost!

Bring the doctor, you fool!

You're exhausted, our mother Tsaritsa,
so tired, my dear,

on your feet since early morning.

Go take a rest, my dear.

And all of you - out! Out!

Get away! Get away!

Oh God...

Those Kukui habits,
they drink and lie down as they are.

Anna Mons goes to Siberia for good.

Yes, mother Tsaritsa.

That's first.

Then l'll deal with my husband.

Everything will be different now.

Yesterday l was Dunya,

today the Tsarina of all Russia,
Great and Small and White.

l'll have a big Tsarina's
dress made.

l'm not going to wear
Natalya Kirillovna's old clothes.

You're right, mother Tsaritsa.

Petrusha's always traveling,
l'll have to rule myself.

You are the mistress now.

When Sophia ruled,
she wasn't much older.

What kind of tsaritsa is she?
Still unmarried.

And if it comes to thinking,
there're boyars for thinking.

You're right, mother Tsaritsa.

Dunyasha.

Come here, sit down.

l dozed off.

Dunya.

Mother's dead.

l feel lonely.

lt means God's willed so.

We mustn't grumble.

We've mourned her, and that's it.

We're tsars now.

There're more important cares.

What are you saying, Dunya?

And one more thing.

lt's not proper, not good -
in a fur coat on a silk blanket.

You hang about with moujiks and
soldiers. lt's time to...

You've eaten poisoned
mushrooms or what?

Your mother took to hating me from
the first day, from our wedding!

l've shed so many tears!

Petrusha, it's holed.
Change your stockings.

l've seen some fools, but not that
big! Fool! You fool!

lt's the first time that l've asked...
You'll remember my mother's death!

What's so awful that l said?

He's mad, outright mad!

And the Turks took the Holy Tomb
away from us, the Orthodox people,

and gave it to the French,

leaving us only 24 icon lamps.

They took from us half of Golgotha,
the whole church of Bethlehem,

the holy cave,

they plundered the Deeses,
dug up the Meal,

and have done more harm to Jerusalem
than the Persians and the Arabs.

lf you, divine
Moscow autocrats,

abandon the holy church,

what praise can you deserve then?

Look how the Moslems
laugh at you:

the Tatars, just a handful of people,

brag that you're paying tribute
to them.

And the Tatars are the Turks' subjects,

which means that you're
the Turks' subjects, too.

What do you say, boyars, to this
letter of Jerusalem Patriarch Dosifey?

Of course, this is a matter
for the tsar, too.

But we, boyars,
must lay down our lives

for the desecrated Holy Sepulcher,

for our Tsar's honor.

They're laughing at us in Jerusalem.
Can we bear more disgrace?

Yes, boyars,
rule that the troops be mustered.

Since the christening of Russia

under Great Prince
Vladimir the Red Sun...

Talk about us, uncle.

Why go as back as princes
and the Ruriks' Russia?

Boyars, we have nothing to fear.

Golitsyn got burned on Crimea.

And what was his army fighting with?
With staves.

Now we've got enough weapons.
Just take my works in Tula.

Our cannons are no worse than Turkish,
and pistols and harquebuses even better.

We can't back up from war,

and it's shameful for Russia
to pay tribute to the Crimean Khan.

lf we lived alone,
we could think twice.

But we have Europe looking at us.

We can't mark time,
it's not the time of Gostomysl.

The cruel times are coming.

And the first priority is
to come out to the Black Sea.

Well, boyars, what would be
your decision?

As you wish, sire,
muster the army.

Neither the King of France,
nor the Austrian Kaiser,

has ever even dreamed of it.

lf only you had
more money, Peter...

To call up engineers,

invite clever heads here
from Europe...

Such a wild country.

What a huge country!

And what a rich country!

Yes... we have it all.

And plenty of laziness.

There they go knocking their
foreheads against the ground.

Hey, merchants,
you can't pass the tsar.

The tsar, they can't,
the bombardier, they can.

Go ahead!

The messengers, mein Herz.

Hey, who's bombardier Mikhailov here?

lt's me. Why?

A letter from Streshnev!

Head for the shore.

Read it.

Mister bombardier, we're tearfully
dismayed by the thieving contractors.

Guests Ushakov and
Gorezin undertook to deliver

5,000 buckets of vinegar, as much of
vodka, 20,000 salted sturgeons...

Enough! Tell the messengers to
dismount. Take the horses.

- Mein Herz, it won't be faster.
- You go again?

Get down from the horse!

Oh, what the heck!

Thieves!

Thieves!

Franz, come on.

Jawohl.

Report!
Stand up!

Sit.

Did you hang the contractors?
No? Why not?

Sire...

Mister bombardier, let the contactors
deliver first what they're supposed to.

We can't demand it from the dead.

Not right!

You stupid!
Why are my men not stealing?

And all yours steal!

Pass all contracts over to Brovkin.

Put Voronin and Ushakov in irons, send
them to Moscow, to Romodanovsky.

Right!

What else?
Are the ships ready?

Mister bombardier,
all ships are ready.

You're not lying?

The last ones were
brought from Voronezh yesterday.

You're lying.

All right,
Tikhon Nikitich, don't be angry.

Load the troops on the ships.
We'll swoop down and take Azov.

All quiet in the Turkish fortress,
must be getting ready to surprise us.

Attention!

Mister bombardier!
The bombardier company ready to fight!

All right.

Damn it!

Give me a fuse.

God help us!
The first one. Step aside.

Today we got the most interesting and
important news from Constantinople.

The Great Vizier reports about
the defeat of the Russian army

led by Tsar Peter

at the fortress of Azov.

He writes that the Russians dared
to approach the fortress from land,

for they don't have big ships
to approach it from the sea.

As a result,
Azov had no want of

either soldiers
or ammunition and provisions.

Suffering great casualties,
Peter withdrew back to Moscovia.

He's daring,
that young tsar, too hot.

- How old is he?
- Turned 23, Your Highness.

Well, failures make one hardy
when one's about to mature.

l'll inform His Majesty. l think
it might be of interest to the king.

Enough, women, enough.

Oh, women, women...

What's this?

Who allowed it?

Anyone who cheats
will be in trouble.

They send worthless men,
who can do nothing.

Whoever cheats,
l'm going to hang.

lf he's a good worker, then all right.

Understood?

Guard, take these fools away.

Come on, dears, follow me.

Move it, move it.

See, boys? You should be
on your guard with him.

Any false step -
you oversleep,

orjust be lazy - no mercy from him.

We didn't come here to nap.

We'll teach your German too,
he'll remember Kuzma Zhemov.

And who are you, men?
Thieves and bandits, are you?

What are you here for, men?

We were going, dear man,

with this one, to schism,
to lead a holy life,

only the devil misled us.

That's another matter.

We have the rules,
you know.

Follow me.

So our rules are like this.

The drums beat at 4 in the morning.

First a prayer, then work.

At 7, the drum again,
it's breakfast for half an hour.

l've got the watch.
Then work again.

At noon - dinner.
And sleep for half an hour.

And work again.
Supper at 7.

Work again.

At 10, the end.

Don't people overstrain themselves?

Some do, that's true.

But it's hard labor, my dear.

lf you hadn't stolen,
you'd be home now, warm and cozy.

We failed at Azov.

So it's been ordered to bring
everyone fit from prisons.

lf you're a workman or know
some skill, then it's special.

They give them shchi with beef.

And treat differently - no beating.
But strictly.

You mean we're here for good?

Who knows, my dear?

Of course, if you were free,
then it's another matter.

Hard labor, you know.

Here's your place.

Go in.

That's it, my dears.

Listen here, Gypsy.

You tell them...

That you were my hand
at the smithy, and swear on the cross.

- Why?
- Then we'll survive.

l can't bear it, Kuzma.
l wish they did me in sooner.

No such luck.

They'll tear your nostrils out,

flog you away to the bones,
and send to Siberia.

This they can do.

- lt's cruel.
- That's what l'm saying.

And here, you know...

they say they need workmen.

Yeah...

lf they call you,
say you were a hammerer with me.

Shchi with beef?

Forward! Follow me!

Forward! Follow me!

Shein!

Back up Lefort
with all guns!

What a devil!
Look what he's doing!

Semyonov regiment, follow me!

All ladders, to storm!

The entire fleet is bombarding
the fortress with a plunging fire.

Good!

From uncle in Konigsberg.

Our dear sister,

undoubtedly,
you'd be interested to know

about the victory of the young
Russian tsar over the Turks.

lt's said that he, having
built a ship with his own hands,

stepped on it at the head of a whole
marine fleet, built on a river,

went down to the Azov Sea
right to the walls of the fortress.

The Turks, besieged from the sea
and land, defended to the end.

Only when they ran out of
food and gunpowder,

they surrendered at discretion.

Word is that the young Peter

displayed the wonders of
bravery in this campaign.

As usual, the elector Frederick
is painting too rosy a picture.

Yet, for the French politics,
it's a most unpleasant surprise.

l can imagine the expression at King
Louis' face at hearing this news.

As long as we're running along
good fortune

that has never before
gone so far south,

blessed will be the one
who catches it at her hair.

Therefore, Boyars, rule it

that the destroyed and burnt
Azov be rebuilt anew

and peopled with a huge army.

And more.

Since it suits us more to fight
on the sea than on land,

build a marine caravan

of 40 or more ships.

And do it in the following order:

for monasteries, a ship
from 8,000 peasant homesteads.

For Boyars and other service ranks -

a ship from
10,000 peasant homesteads.

Guest merchants and Cossacks,
Black Hundreds and slobodas

are to build 12 big ships.

For this purpose, form companies,

that is, partnerships,

and there must be 35 of these
companies.

Furthermore, collect a special tax

for building a canal
between the Volga and the Don.

And start digging this canal at once.

We have also decided

that the 50 best Moscow noblemen
should send their sons abroad

to study mathematics,
fortification,

shipbuilding
and other sciences.

Oh God, why children...

And to show an example of zeal
for those useful businesses,

we have decided to go to Holland
personally with our embassy,

which is to depart soon
for the European courts.

- Oh, my goodness...
- Unheard of!

Russian Grand Princes
going to the heretics

with an ambassadorial bow.

Think of your honor, sire.

The ambassadors will be
in their own right.

And we'll stay there
without any rank, incognito.

How can we do here
without a tsar, sire?

ln the absence of our person,

we appoint Fyodor Yuryevich
Romodanovsky to rule in Moscow

in counsel with our closest Boyars.

Therefore, it is my order to honor him

as Monarch Prince.

And by our autocratic will,

from now on,
the Monarch Prince has the rule

not only over you, Boyars,
but over me, too.

Well, men, l'm no enemy to you.

What l can, l do,
for what l can't - don't be angry.

A chicken has no place to walk,
lvan Artemyevich.

You can't tell the cattle what to do,
so they trespass onto your meadow.

As for the shepherd,
we, all our village...

...will flog him.

- Flog the shepherd.
- We will.

Let our cattle go.

We're so crowded, so crowded.

l get no profit from you.

But l like order.

l've given you so much money.

So much money...

All out of my kindness,
because l come from these parts.

My father died here.

God giveth to me,
and me to you.

Out of what gain am l giving
you money? lt's ridiculous!

Not for profit, for the sake of order.

- l'm leaving you for good soon.
- Leaving where?

l'll be living in Moscow.
Starting a big business.

l'm being charitable out of
the kindness of my heart, and you?

ls that the way to be thankful?
Doing damage, slandering me.

As between our own.

All right, God be with you.

Three kopecks a cow,
one kopeck a sheep.

You can take your cattle.

Thank you, lvan Artemyevich.

- Thank you very much.
- God bless you.

Go now, men.

Sanya, take the matting away.
Those kin of ours dirtied it.

Ugh, so much dirt from
their baste shoes.

Listen.

l want to build
a stone house in Moscow.

l found a place in Kitai-gorod.
Enough of village living for us.

We're making it to the first merchant
hundred. Listen to me, Sanka.

Thank God
we weren't in a hurry about you.

Now we may get related
high in Moscow.

- Don't turn away, you fool!
- Quit it, don't touch me!

Don't touch me...
lt's me who decide.

You make me angry, l'll marry you
off to a shepherd.

l'd rather herd pigs with someone
than wither away from your stupidity.

You stale mare!

Hush!

Go look who's there.

You hear me?

l'm scared. Go yourself.

Scared! You stupid!
l'll show to those knockers...

Who's doing this outrage there?

l'm going to unleash the dogs!
Some knockers!

Open up to the tsar!

Where's the master?

Get him here alive or dead!

Mein Herz.

Come on, Nikita.

Greetings, father.
We bow to you.

We heard you got fine goods.

We've brought a buyer.
We'll pay a good price.

Welcome, dear guests!
Come into the house.

Wait, have a drink first.

Franz, where're you?

Welcome.
Please come into the house.

- Petya, l'm tired.
- What?!

Sure, tired.
lt's been three days already.

- They're matchmakers for Sanka.
- You don't say!

Welcome, dear guests!

Please, Father Tsar,
come to the place of honor.

What is it?

Oh, what a happy day!

l wondered why l dreamed last night
a bright falcon flying in a window.

That was the reason.
Welcome, welcome.

Here, sit. Move closer,
don't let him run away.

- Who's the suitor?
- Matchmaking for Volkov.

Don't you like the groom?

Or maybe you remembered
some old grievances?

Maybe the groom
pulled you by your hair

or broke the whip-handle lashing you?

Forgive him for Christ's sake.
Make it up with him.

Thank you, dear
matchmakers, for this honor.

Forgive us, country oafs,
if we hurt you in any way.

We're just traders,
ignorant, uneducated moujiks,

we talk simply.

Our gal is still unmarried,
it's such a misfortune.

We're ready to marry her off
to the worst drunkard.

lt's beyond me
why suitors avoid our house.

She's a beautiful gal.

True, one eye is bad,
but the other one is fine.

The devils seemed to thresh peas on
her face, but it can be covered.

Besides, she drags her foot,

shakes her head,
and crooked on one side.

But, all in all, she's a fine girl.

Take my beloved child,
dear matchmakers.

Alexandra, child, come out!

Alyosha, go bring your sister.

She may be in the latrine.
Got a sorrowful stomach.

Sit!

Really and truly, she's a fine girl.

Thank you for the honor,
dear matchmakers.

We like the groom very much.

We'll be like father to him:

praise him for the good
and teach him for the blame.

Lash him with a whip
or drag him by the hair.

Don't complain, dear son-in-law,
we're taking you into a peasant family.

Bring your sister.

What's the matter with you,
for God's sake?

Go!

- Here.
- Well, well...

What do you know, mein Herz.

There she is.

A fine gal, real good!

Bear it, Sanka!

lt's the Tsar himself.

Look what a groom we brought you.

Oh, mama dear...

Good girl!

Real good!

Hey, dear matchmaker, it's no way.

You can't do it.
Let go of the girl, dear matchmaker.

Let's go, sister.

Well, Vaska, thank us for the girl!

Honoring our father Bacchus,

may we sing praise to each other,
brothers!

Let's wine and dine!

What have you got?
Put it on the table.

Matryona, girls, do it, quick!

Why?
l can't find the keys.

The keys to the cellar are
under the forty martyrs.

They've never been kept there.

Thank you for the spectacle.
You humored us.

But watch out, don't over do it.

l would've never dared,
if it wasn't your wish...

All right, all right,
we know you, the devils.

Quick!

And hurry up with the wedding.

The groom goes with me abroad soon.

Hire a girl from the sloboda to teach
your daughter manners and dancing.

When l'm back from abroad,
l'll take her to my court.

Mein Herz, here it is, our precious!

Pour it!

Frederick, the elector of Brandenburg,
we're sailing to, is our man.

You'll see how he is
going to meet our embassy.

He's living in fear.

He needs us: on one side he's pressed
by Sweden, on another - by Poland.

He will ask us to come into
a military alliance.

We still have to think about it.

Right, we don't want that alliance.

Prussia will never war with Turkey.

ln Konigsberg, don't make any mischief
or l'll tear your heads off.

We shouldn't play around,
embarrassing our Grand Embassy.

- Look, the Tsar!
- ln a white wig?

No, with a beard.

- The gray-haired one?
- No, the redhead.

Are they Russians?

Not simple Russians.
lt's the Tsar Peter the First.

Her Highness
the electress of Hanover Sophia,

with her daughter Sophia-Charlotte,
electress of Brandenburg,

and her son, Crown Prince
George Louis,

heir to the English Crown,

accompanied by Duke von Zeller

and the ladies
and gentlemen of the court,

hurried to meet
Your Majesty,

the Tsar of Russia.

That's what l call etiquette.
Standing on his toes, a real picture.

And his wig is short,
while ours are down to the navel.

What a son of a bitch!

With the sole desire

to reward themselves
for a tiresome journey

and all kinds of difficulties

with meeting the remarkable
and glorious Tsar of Moscovia.

l can't.

l'm in a hurry.

l have no time.

When l return from Holland...

Then maybe.

He won't leave you alone, mein Herz.
You better go for an hour.

Mein Herz!

Mein Herz, your hat.

- Don't forget to pay.
- Don't worry, mein Herz.

We'll do everything it takes.

Please try it, Your Majesty,
this dish is worth it.

This is a canvas by a great
Flemish painter.

l believe that arts and sciences are
flourishing in your great country?

Moscow has plenty of everything.

But a lot of nonsense is being
said about us, too.

For example, they say
that l shed too much blood.

Don't believe it.

Most of all
l love building ships.

l built the galley ''Principium'' with
these hands from mast to keel.

l know 14 crafts.

But so far, not enough.

That's why l came here.

But that l'm vicious and bloodthirsty,
those are lies.

Dealing with our Boyars
would make anyone mad.

Oh, ma'am.

To be kings here
is just a pleasure.

And l have to learn
carpentry first.

That's how it is.

Your Majesty, allow me
to introduce my court to you.

You already know our family.

By the way, this boy
is heir to the English Crown.

Almost a king?
l wish you good luck.

Peter the First, the Tsar of Moscovia!

Your Majesty, do they
dance a lot at your court, too?

Yes, our people like it.

Aleksasha, run and bring our men
from the carts, let them show it.

What was his order?

The tsar got a splendid idea.

Minuet!

We're going to dance.

The Tsar dances very well.

- A tsar must know how to do anything.
- Oh, yes.

Aleksashka, come on!

Garrit Kist! ls that you, blacksmith?

Ah, it's you, lad?

That's them!

Sehr gut that you
came to Holland!

How are you! For the whole winter,
to do carpentry in the shipyard.

We're going to buy tools today.

Jacob Oma's widow
has good tools.

l'll speak to her,
she'll sell it cheap.

l've decided back in Moscow
to stay with you.

l'm glad you not forget me.

- You sleep here.
- Here?

- Don't like it?
- Mein Herz!

Come pour for me.

You'll be cramped
here now, Peter.

l'm a poor man,
my house got very bad.

And l guess they won't pay me
much in the shipyard.

You always loved to joke, Peter.

No, it's not a laughing
matter for us now.

We must build our fleet in two years,
and become clever instead of foolish.

Everybody must learn to work.

lt's a good thing that you
got on your mind, Peter.

The attic is for you and Lyoshka.

Hi, Rensen.

lt's me.
lf you don't believe it, feel me.

l meant to drop by, but had no time.
l work in Lingst Rogge's shipyard.

Why did you run away from Voronezh?

Mind you, don't tell anybody
who l am.

l'm Peter Mikhailov here,
a carpenter. Understand?

The city of Amsterdam

stands by the sea, in low lands,

all streets have canals,

so big
that you can bring a ship in.

On either side of the canals,
streets are wide,

some places two carriages
can ride there.

l saw a head here,

made of wood,
a human head - it talks!

They wind it up like a clock.

l also saw an elephant
that played minuvets,

blared in Turkish,

fired from a musket

and did affections with a dog.

Affections with a dog!

lt's a most unusual wonder.

And the men who
had been sent here before us,

having learned only the compass,
wanted to go to Moscow,

thinking they've mastered everything.

But we changed their intention,

making them work as hands
in the Ostad shipyard.

Peter.

The ambassadors will be here today.

You and Alyoshka go meet them,
or they might get angry with us.

Who decided to sleep there?

ls that Troyekurov?

Go and rouse him.
Tell him l'll beat the hell out of him.

You may be proud of yourself:
you've been made a knight.

The ambassadors from Amsterdam,
mein Herz.

What do you say, ambassadors?

Sit.

Yesterday
a young man

was sent to us as a courier
with a message from Kaiser Leopold.

Our dear brother Peter.

The Christian troops won
a victory over the Turkish Sultan.

The Turkish soldiers retreated
under the pressure of our army.

ln fear they abandoned
their entrenchments,

and, to save their lives,
jumped into the river.

This battle has inflicted great
casualties upon the Turkish army.

There were very many killed.

So our victory was complete.

They've taken the caravan, mein Herz.

12,000 Turks were killed
in that battle.

Among them, it is said,
the Great Vizier.

They also say that their Sultan was
killed, too, but l guess it's a lie.

Who was at the head of the army?

Was it our brother,
Holy Roman Emperor Leopold?

The generalissimo
of the Emperor's army

was the brother of
Duke of Savoy, Eugene,

a young man,
about 27.

lt was his first battle.

What else, ambassadors?

The Monarch Prince writes that they
can't wait to see the Tsar in Moscow.

They can wait.

To be so near England
and not visit it -

an unforgivable foolishness.

You still can't part
with your beards, ambassadors.

lt's not becoming, sire.

Anyway, we're going home soon.

No, not soon.
And it won't do at home, either.

You can go now.
Get ready for the passage to England.

And l got to go to the shipyard,
l'm a workman now,

l'm being paid for that.

l'm happy to meet the young
and famous Tsar of Russia.

He's a very learned man.
Though could be more modest.

Yes, yes.

l would also like to make you
a gift on behalf of

the Royal Academy of Sciences.

Allow me to present to you
this spy-glass,

so that you could
see far and clear.

Thank you very much.

l'm happy to meet
the king of all sciences.

Excuse me for the intrusion.

What's going on?

Until now we knew that the French
King was an ally of the Turkish Sultan

and that William,
the King of England,

promised to help me
in the war with the Turks.

And now you report that
the Austrian Emperor Leopold

entered into peace negotiations with
the Turks, which he beat yesterday.

And who is soliciting the peacemaking?

That same William, the King of England
and the Statthalter of Holland.

Without asking either us
or the Polish Augusts.

l understand...

And what about his recent assurances

of his fervor for the successes
of Christian arms

against the enemies of
the Holy Sepulcher?

What does it mean?

He called me his brother.

He gave me a yacht.
We were feasting together.

What am l supposed to think now?

Sire, Kaiser Leopold is talking
with the Turks about peace.

He and the French king are
contending for the Spanish throne.

Of course, it's important which one
will make his son a Spanish king.

But what do Holland and England
have to do with it?

They want to untie
the Austrian Kaiser's hands,

so that the Turks don't interfere
in his war with France.

That's why they want Russia
not to end the war with the Sultan.

Yes, Peter, he's a great
double-dealing European politician.

lt's advantageous to lie low and bring
other countries to confrontation.

Mein Herz!

Yes, he was here himself,
and gave it to me.

You've probably
never even heard who he is.

Mein Herz.

What have you got?

The man who came yesterday from
Lord Peregrin, Marquis Carmartin,

is here with the money.

As was agreed yesterday,
to pay for the tobacco concession.

For importing 3,000 barrels
of nicotiana grass,

they brought 20,000 pounds sterling.

Take the money.

We need money.

Let them trade in their nicotiana.
Golovin here will write the paper.

What do l do with the money,
mein Herz?

Bring it in here.

Come on.

We can use this money
for the benefit of sciences.

Buy the instruments,

curiosities, and open a kunstkamera,
no worse than one in Amsterdam.

There're many things...

we're short of.

Well, what shall we
decide, ambassadors?

The End of Part One

Part Two

Why are you closed?
Open up!

Wait.

Why are you in a sledge, my dear?

We left Arkhangelsk
in a blizzard.

- And we have far to go.
- What have you got there?

The Tsar's presents
from overseas.

Throw the cover away.

lt's some case,
looking like a coffin.

Open it.

Oh, holy Christ!

ln Moscow even bandits
get swollen from hunger,

and they bring some vermin.

That's no better - some cut stone,
as if we don't have enough of it here.

Tsar Peter has vanished overseas.

People say Lefort
found a German looking like him,

tall as a verst, too,

and he passes him off as Peter.

They say he'll rule himself instead
of Peter, and stir trouble in Moscow.

They're going to ban our old faith.

They got our Tsarevna Sophia
locked up in a convent,

and themselves, look what
they're doing!

Tsarevna Sophia used to feed us,
no less that eight times in a year.

And the Tsarevna's sisters
gave us food, too.

After the fast ended, they gave
beef tongues to common people.

Meatjelly!
Chicken and porridge!

Those were the tsars!

And now they buy kikimoras overseas

for our money.

Eat them, my dear people!

Help yourselves!

What are you doing here,
Orthodox people?

Looking at the Tsar's presents.

Why are you delaying him?
Let him go.

Open up!

They also say that the top Boyars,

those who often go to Kukui
and are chummy with foreigners,

wanted to strangle Tsarevich Alexei.

But those close to him put
another man in his place.

The Boyars got angry and began to
slap the young Tsaritsa on her cheeks.

As for the Tsar, nobody knows
if he's alive or dead.

But he's sending those presents.

Who knows who's sending them.

lt's not for nothing
there's word among people

that if we streltsy
don't stand up for Moscow,

there would be no Moscow at all.

Oh God, my dears...

All right, go on.

Let's give him a hand, men!

Verka!

Watch out, Verka,
it's my life in here.

lf you lose it, better not come back.

Don't you worry, Mother Tsaritsa,
l'll deliver it safely.

Go, then.

Save me, O Lord.

God Lord Jesus Christ,
the Heavenly Mother of God!

Forgive my sinful soul.

lt's not for myself,

but for the holy, rightful cause
that l'm intervening.

Stretch forth Your All-Mighty Hand,

protect our troops

that have risen up for Russia
and our faith.

O Lord!

Everybody here?

Listen, streltsy!

The Tsarevna Sophia Alexeyevna
is writing to us.

Streltsy!

lt's become known to me

that only few
of your regiments

had come to Moscow.

So all your four regiments
are to come to Moscow,

camp by
the Devichy Monastery

and beg me
to go to Moscow

to rule instead of the present one.

And if the troops
that stand by the monastery

don't let you go to Moscow,

you are to get the better of them,
beat them,

and be in Moscow.

Sophia.

Do we do it?

We've already decided, haven't we?

Whoa, my dear!

What's this?

Where're you going?

To the Monarch Prince.
lt's a matter of state.

Prince.

l've been riding all night from
Sychovka that's near New Jerusalem.

- lt's horrible news.
- From Sychovka?

Are you drunk? Don't you know
your rank?

Four regiments of streltsy
are coming to Moscow.

They must be already at the lstra.
They move slowly, with carts.

Tell the archimandrite
to hurry up.

- l will.
- Where's Shein?

Alexei Semyonovich.

- You heard what's going on?
- What is it?

Four regiments of streltsy are coming
to Moscow, already at the lstra.

Take Gordon's regiment,
the Preobrazhensky, the Semyonovsky...

Take everybody you can get, and hurry.

Stop them at the lstra,
don't let them come to Moscow.

Sure thing.

After the service, l want
to see everybody.

O Lord, everything's in thy hands,
do not let it happen.

Wake up the men.

Begin the crossing, guys!

Streltsy!

Streltsy!

The great Tsar
Pyotr Alexeyevich

is on his way to Moscow now.

Who is riding over there?
Can it be our father Tsar?

That's him.

Yes, him.

Risen from the dead to our misfortune.

Now he'll go raging in Moscow.

Right, he'll sure do.

The streltsy blood will be flowing.

What shall we do, sire?

We'll do what we ought to.

Farewell, good people!

Make way, Tsar,
l'll lie down here.

That's it, Nikita.

You shouldn't have rebelled.

What, Boyars?

Why are you so shy?

Well, Orthodox people,
you have been missing me?

Where's your beard?

You dare grinning?
Get out of here now!

Quiet, you there!

What a bitch!
The Kukui Tsaritsa Anna Mons!

And our own lawful
Tsaritsa Yevdokiya Fyodorovna

was taken in a simple sledge
to a convent in Suzdal

for good, to shed tears there.

You should wipe your feet.

They drink for a kopeck,
but leave dirt for a ruble.

Why are you staring?

Brothers.

Treat me to a drink, will you.

l feel parched. Gave away
my cross for a drink yesterday.

- Who are you?
- Ondryushka Golikov.

We're from Palekh, been
icon painters from the olden times.

Here, take it.

May Christ save you.

They executed the streltsy.
All right.

That's the Tsar's business,
not ours, but...

That's just it - but.
That's it!

Now an ukase: take all streltsy off
the wall and out of town by Easter.

- There're about 8,000 of them.
- Eight hundred.

Eight thousand.

Right, but where do we get the carts?
The moujik is to take the rap again?

Fools are born to do the donkeywork.

What do you know, man...

Don't spill it.

To your health!

The moujik is a fool,

but the moujik understands...

No, my dears.

They squeeze the moujik dry.

He pays quit-rent, he pays for serfdom,
he gives to the Boyar for food,

he pays for his piece of land,
he pays road tax,

he goes to the market - he pays...

All right.

Now we have to give
horses for the Tsar's convoy.

And they want us to give them bread,
too.

Count how many homesteads
are left in the village.

Where are all the rest?

Everybody's willing to run where
they have full board and lodging.

The moujik is a fool
until his belly is full.

But if you pull his last
from under his ass...

The moujik changes his bast shoes
and goes wherever he wants.

Go and look for him!

Should go north,

to the hermitage
of holy starets Nektary.

We'll decide where we go.

Should go there, dear, only there.
lt's peace and quiet there!

Those who go there,
will stay alive.

All right, then.
And the tobacco?

ln what books was it written
that a man must swallow smoke?

You know who spits smoke
from his mouth.

What?

For forty eight thousand rubles,

all the towns, the whole Siberia

was farmed out to the Englishman
Carmartenov, to sell tobacco.

And that ukase to smoke
this hellish nicotiana grass.

Whose work is that?

And what about tea and coffee?

May it be damned,
that lust of the Antichrist!

Hi, Ovdokim.

Hello, lvan.

Long time no see, ataman.

Are you begging?

Out of sickness.

l've had my fun in the woods,
now l'm too old for that.

l've had it - time to die.

Don't be in a hurry to.

Greetings to you from the Don.

You mean they still remember me?

lt's not the right time to forget.
Here.

And l was going to rest.

Not yet. Not yet.

Oh, Versailles!

You had to see that
paradise on earth, Anna,

those huge windows
lit by millions of candles!

Those spouting fountains.

The most Christian king
Louis in a chair.

Leaning against his chair
is a lady in a black domino,

with its hood over her eyes.

Everything seems to be colored
with the gold of glory.

Oh, Kenigsek, l can't
believe it's not a dream.

The lady in a domino,
is she the queen?

She's Madame de Maintenon,
the king's favorite,

a woman who makes
ministers and the court tremble.

Why doesn't the king
marry Madame de Maintenon?

Fraulein Anna,
can a queen

compare in power
with a favorite?

Oh, Kenigsek, most important is to
know that happiness can be lasting.

You need a true friend,
my lovely child.

You have nobody to confide in.

You can confide in me.

l'll be delighted to give
myself to you.

ln what capacity are you offering
yourself? l don't understand you.

l'm not sure that
l should even listen to you.

Look, that Mons woman.
lt's her carriage.

- Must be with her Kenigsek.
- You don't say!

- What a shameless woman!
- You didn't know?

All Moscow have been
whispering about that Kenigsek.

Boyar's wife Volkova!

Mishka, take all this away.

Boyar's wife Volkova is here.

Boyar's wife Volkova...

Five years ago, that Boyar's wife
Volkova was called Sanka,

who wiped her snot with a torn skirt.

Ah, Alexandra lvanovna!

Come on in. Sit down, be our guest.

Bonjour, pryncess.

S'il vous plait,
have a cup of coffee.

Thank you.

Misha, pour a cup of coffee,
and bring it on a tray.

- You're really going to drink it?
- Thank you.

Good heavens...

Just look at her coif!

Must be on whalebone.

And they put rags
and sticks in ours.

Beautiful! l can't take my eyes off.

lt's a real pain in the neck about
the coiffeur -just one in all Moscow.

On Shrovetide, dames
had to wait for a week,

and those who got a hairdo in
good time, slept on a chair.

l asked father to bring
a coiffeur from Amsterdam.

My best regards to
the honorable lvan Artemyevich.

Thank you.

How is his linen factory going?

l've meant to take a look at it,
it's a new, interesting business.

Father is finishing his new house.

He invites everybody for
the housewarming, that's why l came.

Thank you.

Vasya's in Voronezh now,
with the Tsar.

We know, we know,
Alexandra lvanovna.

l got a letter from Vasya the other day.

They may send
my Vasya to Paris.

What does he write?
Anything about the Tsar?

Sorry, l learned
to read not long ago.

Good day, Sashenka, my darling, may
you be well for many years to come.

Our business in Voronezh
is going on.

Soon we'll launch
the ships in the Don,

and our living here will
come to an end.

l don't want to frighten you, but...

l heard from other people

that the Tsar wants
to send me with the ambassadors to...

the Hague, and then on to Paris.

l don't know what to think of it -

it's pretty far and a bit scary.

Herr Peter sends you his greetings,
he remembered you at supper lately.

He works day and night,

in the yard, like a common laborer.

He himself forges nails and...

clamps, and himself...

...caulks them.

Don't even have time to shave beards,

for he hastens everybody,
and drives men dead tired.

But we've built our fleet.

Then go amorous things.

Written by Vasya.

Yeah... sure, the fleet...

He forges himself, caulks himself.

Doesn't know what to do
with his strength.

When the Tsar is back for the holiday,
l'll throw myself at his feet.

l want to go to Paris.

What horror!
You scare me.

To Paris?
lt must be bad there.

Oh no!

l'm so bored in Moscow!

l would just go running abroad.

Tsarevna Natalya Alexeyevna has
a Frenchman living at her place.

He teaches manners.
He teaches me, too.

The stories he tells!

Every night l dream

that l'm dancing the minuvet
in a crimson bodice,

l dance better than anyone else,

my head is going round and round,
the gentlemen make way,

and suddenly the king Louis
approaches and gives me a rose.

lt's so boring in Moscow now.

Thank God they took the streltsy off
the walls, l'm scared of the dead.

Lieutenant Brovkin is here.

Franz loannovich Lefort is dying.

Oh, God...

Oh, my goodness...

Everything's in God's hands.

Such a misfortune.

Great misfortune!

There'll be no other friend like him.

Couldn't die for seven days.

As though he waited for the Tsar,
may he rest in peace.

Coming.

l can see.

You're rejoicing.

My condolences.

Franz is gone.

l can't understand it.

He was a bad admiral,
but he was worth a whole fleet.

l'll never have a friend like him.

All l have left is
Aleksashka and you.

Oh, Peter...

Peter, you haven't eaten all day.

l'll go fry your favorite sausage.

Boyar Volkov and his wife!

Boyar Volkov and his wife!

Couldn't you order them to ride slowly?
That road got all my insides shaken.

Oh God, what a woman you are!
A downright nuisance!

No peace, no quiet.
You neither sleep nor eat.

Can't even speak like a human being.

Why do you want to go
to the end of the earth? What for?

To dance the minuvet with kings?
Are you sure they'd like to?

Only because it's my parents' house
that l'm listening to you now.

Oh, Alexandra, l'm being very patient.

You may yell. What do l care?

lnstead of grumbling,
you'd better practice swords.

What for?

You'll know what for
when you come to Paris.

Boyar Streshnev and his wife!

Boyar Streshnev and his wife!

A good house.

No worse that mine.

- Better than ours.
- Ours cannot even compare.

Hush, women, know your place.
Don't rush ahead of men.

Go do something.

Oh, my goodness...

Of course, the Tsar knows better,
trying to keep up with Europe.

But it's no good
dragging girls from house to house.

That's how it is, Roman Borisovich.

Come in, pryncess.

Who is this?

l guess, Bacchus.

And what's she doing?

lt's Danae lying down,
with a cupid at her feet.

This man with a cow's legs,
he's got horns too, is a satyr.

What's that he got?

You shouldn't scowl, Olga.
lt's a fig leaf, they always draw it.

And this is Cupid,

he wants to pierce her with an arrow.

She's crying, she doesn't want to live.

Her sweetheart had
an amour with her, and sailed away.

See the sail?

lt's called ''Ariadne the Deserted''.

You should memorize all that.

The dancing partners keep
asking about Greek gods.

We would memorize it,
but we haven't got the book,

and father won't give as much
as a kopeck for it.

Presenter mine
younger brother Artamosha.

Princess Antonida.

Princess Olga.

Princess Natalya.

How often do you do plaisir?

The other day
we danced at the Naryshkins'.

lt was such a succes, so hot.

We changed dresses three times.

Why do we never see you?

l'm too young.

Father is afraid he'll get naughty.
But he's so deft at dancing.

And the way he speaks French,
you'll be spellbound!

Let's go to the music.

Ah, the children...

Where did you have your son broken in?

We have teachers coming.

We're in the public eye. Didn't get it
by birth, have to get it other ways.

Yeah, it's time to crawl
out of our crevices.

And the Tsar is not pleased:

you just rake in the money,
he says, so go out of your way.

Raking in, what do you know!

Sanka alone costs me a lot.
But there she is, for all to see.

A smart woman, that's right.

The Tsar!

Artemyich did flash his purse.

- Thank you for the honor, sire!
- Hello, lvan.

l came to take a look.
They say you built a fine house.

We're doing our best, sire.

l can see it's good.
A real paradise, isn't it, Danilych?

Very good, mein Herz.
A paradise, a real paradise.

Highly commendable,
lvan Artemyevich.

- Good evening, Your Majesty.
- Alexandra lvanovna.

My father
got another son.

The youngest, named Artamon.

- lvan!
- What?

- Show your son.
- Just a minute, sire.

Artamon!

Artamon!

See how people should live?

And what about you?

You fenced in half of Moscow
for your courtyard,

but never even thought of planting
a nice and useful kitchen garden.

- l will, father Tsar.
- l know you!

The buildings are falling down!

But you, the devils, won't
move your ass to prop them up!

You're too lazy to answer the call
of nature in a decent place.

l will prop it, father Tsar.

Avdotya Nikitichna,
l'm sorry, l didn't say hello to you.

Pyotr Alexeyevich,
come on, scold us, the fools.

l'll tell you,
in the village of Vovchuga,

two common men,
Osip and Fyodor Bazhenin,

built a water sawing mill,
to cut wood into boards.

They built it themselves,
without any overseas craftsmen.

What's most precious
is the initiative.

Demidych!

Here, l've brought you this man.

Nikita Demidych Antufyev,
a common blacksmith from Tula,

he makes pistols and guns that
are no inferior to the English ones.

He casts iron,
prospects for ores in the Urals.

Talk to him,
dear merchants.

Think about it.
And l'm his friend.

Here he is, sire, my youngest.

Why are you hiding
this fine fellow from me?

l'm struggling desperately,
and there they are!

- Can you read and write?
- He can.

Good gracious.
What else?

l know French and German, too,
reading and writing fluently.

- That's something!
- And in Dutch, too.

lvan!
Thank you for the present, brother.

But say goodbye to your son now.

You won't regret it. Soon l'll be
making them counts for their brains!

Are you hiding anyone
else from me here?

No, it's my last, the fourth son,
that l'm giving to you.

Don't be sad. All your sons
are doing useful things.

See, your Alyoshka
has been sent to the North.

They closed themselves in
under lock and barrel.

l guess they're going
to burn themselves.

Come on!

Those are just fairy tales.

Why fairy tales?
Father Nektary is here.

My children.

lt has come to pass.

The end is coming.

And we'll ascend, my children,
in a fiery flame above the church.

Lieutenant, we can break in
all together, can't we?

No, we shouldn't break in.
We should do it peacefully.

Right, they may have straw
and a barrel of gunpowder in there.

You must be careful.

There's another gate here.
lt must be nailed shut, too.

- Shall we take a look?
- Come on.

God will forgive.

Give me your blessing, Father.

God will forgive.

God will forgive.

God will forgive.

Brothers and sisters, do you hear?
They're breaking the gates.

The diabolical army
of the antichrist Tsar!

His servants came here
for your souls.

God will forgive.

God will forgive.

We'll burn down,
but we will live forever!

People, people, what are you doing...

- l have to go.
- So soon?

They may need me
any minute.

So, my beautiful child,
all my hope is in you.

ln your influence on the Tsar.

Good evening, Annushka.

l've brought guests.

Herr Johann Patkul.
General Karlovitch.

Come in, gentlemen,
you may feel here as at my home.

We'll continue our
conversation at supper.

Oh, Peter, l'm so glad
you've come.

l'll go and make arrangements.

l hope l don't have
to introduce Monsieur Ambassador.

You seem to have frequented my
woman lately, Monsieur Ambassador.

The mortals sacrificing doves
and flowers to the Goddess Venus

are not to be punished.

We know that goddess.

Danilych, show the house to our guests.

We shall, mein Herz.

Please.

Annushka.

Come sit by me.

Do you love me, Annushka?

Oh, Peter...

Peter, we won't have to go
to so much expenses

if you warn me beforehand
about the arrival of guests.

Let's go, our guests are waiting.

Oh, Peter, you don't wear
your wig again.

Come on, Danilych,
pour water on my hands.

Whatever wig l may wear,

l can't compete with King August.

He's too fabulous and magnificent!

And we spend time at a smithy
and at a stable.

Entertain our guests, Annushka.

How long have you been in Moscow?

l arrived in Moscow
a week ago, from Riga.

General Karlovitch
a little earlier, from Warsaw.

General Karlovitch
has the honor to represent

the interests of my king, August.

lt's gratifying to know that
the noble lady

enjoys the confidence
of the young monarch.

Of course, after Europe
it feels lonely in Moscow.

But, God willing,
we'll soon make peace with Turkey,

make everybody wear
German and Hungarian clothes,

and clear Moscow of bandits.

Please, gentlemen,
come to the table.

Could this sauce be made
of Kenigsek's pigeons

that he brings
to your Venus altar?

You're joking as usual,
Your Majesty.

Gentlemen,
to the health and prosperity

of His Majesty,
the Tsar of all Russia!

Sire, with your permission,
let's get back to our conversation...

To my dear friend,
the Polish King August!

Your pigeons seem to...

smell of pigs,
Monsieur Ambassador.

Sire, you have a chance now,
as never before,

to get your hold
on the Baltic Sea

and take lngria and Karelia
from the Swedes,

those primordial Russian lands.

Consolidating your hold on the Baltic,
go out to the Mediterranean

and, establishing yourself in the sea,
attain world glory,

start trading with Holland,
England, Spain and Portugal,

and do what no European
monarch has been able to -

create a new trade route

between East and West,
going through Moscovia.

You'd be able to establish ties with
the monarchs of all Christian states,

have your word in European politics

and become the third maritime power.

Now or never.

Now or never.

Why now?

Are we on fire or what?

To war with the Swedes
is a big undertaking.

Their army is the best in Europe.

Couldn't you give me
a better advice?

lt's easy to beat the Swedes today.

Last year General
Karlovitch was in Stockholm,

and he saw what kind
of a king they got.

Yes, l visited them.

Charles Xll is a fool.

He is not a king.

He's like a woman, all in bows,

thinking only of hunting and dancing.

Squandered the public
purse on masquerades.

ln a word, he's a lion without teeth.

Such a king can be beaten by our
Preobrazhensky Regiment alone.

And this, Annushka,
is none of your business.

You better go and order
to give us more wine.

lt's too early for us to get
embroiled in the European mess.

The Turks give us no peace.

The Black Sea will give you
nothing for promoting trade.

All right, we'll talk about it later.

Danilych.

Fill up the glasses.

To the health of our dear guests!

This Moselle wine is pretty strong.

ln the company of such
a charming young lady,

one can get drunk without wine,
and drink without getting drunk.

l see Bacchus is sure getting
to you, Monsieur Ambassador.

Danilych, fill up that goblet.

To the goddess Venus
you have so much liking for.

l'll be absolutely drunk, sire.

According to the Russian tradition,
you can't refuse the tsar.

Right, Danilych.
Good for you.

To the health...

...of the Kukui nymph.

Your health, Annushka.

General?

No.

You must, General.

Everybody drinks bottoms up.

Your health, Anna loanovna.

lt's nothing!
To the beautiful ladies!

You're all Dutch courage.
Shall l pour more?

He's sick.

l've been attracted to everything
beautiful and elegant since childhood.

The most gallant man in all Moscow.

Peter, don't do it.

We should give him something.

Kenigsek.

l'm here, Your Majesty.

What were you bragging about
to Hamilton?

l didn't brag,
Your Majesty.

You're lying, you did.

You said you treasure this thing
more than the salvation of your soul.

What is that thing?

l don't remember
saying that.

Perhaps l was speaking
of my snuffbox, sire.

lt's of French workmanship.

Show it.

lt's in my carriage. l'll go bring it.

l love good workmanship.

Danilych.

Go with the ambassador,
so that he doesn't run away.

Oh, no, l'll go alone.

He's absolutely soused.

Where's Kenigsek?

He ran for his box.
He'll be right back.

Go look what's going on.

Oh, it's so late!

Excuse us, sire,
it's time to go home.

Thank you for your hospitality,
Your Majesty.

What is it?

Too bad, sire, Kenigsek missed a step
on the stairs. He's unconscious.

Never mind, he'll come to.
l myself will take him home.

Why are you standing?
You got any medicine?

Bring everything you got.
l'll see to it.

We hope to see you again,
Your Majesty.

We hope so very much.

Maybe.

She's a trash, mein Herz. l've meant
to tell you for a long time.

A bitch. A slut.

Shut up!
Don't you dare!

Get out!

Everything will be alright, mein Herz.
Have some Hungarian wine.

You fool!
Your place is in the hencoop!

lt's over.

Hold it!
Come on! Come on!

There you go!

Place it closer, closer.

Come on, strike!

There we go.

The fluke.

The fluke!
Damn it...

Yes!
Damn!

Hold it! Closer!

Never mind, Pyotr Alexeyevich,
it happens.

But next time don't
brandish the tongs so.

Or you can hurt someone

and get the welding
into the anvil.

l was flogged for this.

Mein Herz,
the grand ambassadors are here.

Danilych, help the grand ambassador up.

l'll get up myself.

What have l done to merit
your ire, father Tsar?

Don't be angry, Prokofy.
l'm tired.

l've read your letters.
You wrote to me not to be angry.

l'm not angry. You were doing your
work honestly, though the old way.

Englishmen, Romans...

All right, it was the last time
that you went bowing down.

We're standing here and think
that Europe's looking at us.

No. To them, we're
an insignificant politician,

even not a politician at all.

This is our politician.

We'll fit you up with a ship,
named ''The Fortress''.

And you'll go straight to
Constantinople by the Black Sea.

What are you saying, father Tsar?
The Turks will never let us.

Who's going to ask them?

Let them try to catch up with you.

So you're our hope.

lf you obtain the permanent
peace with the great Sultan,

you'll earn the praise
of the entire Russian state.

The more so, my praise.

At your service, sire.

God be with you!

The Tsar is tired.
Later, later.

We're very flattered
by your visit, Admiral.

lt's a great honor for me

to see the Russian navy in our Kerch.

There's word that the Tsar himself
has arrived with the fleet.

lt's by far not
the entire Russian fleet.

And the Tsar has
more important business to attend.

How do you like the harbor?

At first sight, it's quite suitable,
well closed from the winds.

We don't keep a big
fleet here, in Kerch.

We have no one to fear.

But in the Sea of Marmara,
the Sultan has really powerful ships.

The cannons aboard them can hurl
stone balls weighing three poods.

Our ships don't
use stone balls.

We fire cast-iron balls
weighing 30 pounds.

They can hole an enemy
ship from side to side.

A very...

...beautiful frigate.

lt must be moving fast.

Yes, all these ships accompanied
the grand ambassador to Kerch.

As you know, he's heading for
lstanbul aboard the ''Fortress'',

to meet His Majesty
the Sultan.

Does he suppose to go
all the way by the sea?

lt's extremely dangerous.

The Black Sea is a treacherous sea.

Nothing can be
too dangerous

for the sake of making
a good peace, Admiral.

Please.

- What's this?
- The farewell salvo.

Too bad Franz is gone.
He would have been pleased.

With this ship, we can go
to any sea!

The Russian fleet may be
burdensome for us now, but later!..

The End