Original subtitles

Ekaterina/ The Rise

Saint Petersburg, The Capital of Russian Empire, 1768

Not bad, not bad at all

Here comes the a next lesson, almost following Shishkovski methods

As he says " to get to the bottom of things"

Your Majesty, what is your guess, who arrived?

The coach is a hired one, and does not have a Monogram

The one who arrived is restricted in his means

Is it all?

Nikita Ivanovich, let's think

The carriage was allowed to enter the courtyard, which is unusual

It is unusual guest

The Empress invited him

What do you say, Your Excellency?

I say, that Count Betskoy arrived. He lived in Paris for many years lately.

Empress, Elizaveta Petrovna, had sent him out for his affair.

The affair with Iohanna Golshtein

who was a mother to our Empress, or actually is your grandma

Here, it is more important to know the facts, than just to be observant

you should remember this

Why Betskoi?

Strange question, most likely that is the name of his father

His father's name was Count Trubetskoi

Exactly, and he was born outside the marriage

Extramarital children were given shortened family names

So, he could have become Trubetskoi, but instead became Betskoi

and it is justice

Nikita Ivanovich is not pleased with his arrival

It looks like he is afraid of him

I am not aware of the reason

It is hard to live with a "shortened family name"

Like he is guilty of some kind of crime

Pavel Petrovich, your brother does not have family name at all

So you should be nice to him

I am not planning to be mean to him, but I am not looking forward to live next to an idiot

I don't want to eat at the same table with him

Why did he have to return at this moment in time?

reading a poem...

I am not in position to discuss Empresses decisions, especially making guesses

Why are not you in a good mood?

Hypocrites surround us

How did it go today?

Are you afraid to lose a chancellery?

She needs him for some reason unknown to us.

reading poems...

This spider keeps on weaving the webs of intrigues

It is time to crush him

I can't do it yet

Your Excellency, I am happy tee you here

I am glad, that I can be of use here

According to some reports, the Empress had invited him to take care of some problems, that Orlovs are dealing with

Betskoi is very experienced. His services were used by Ludovic XV

If we pay to some people, they will crush his skull, and that would be the end of it.

He can do that too

Let me show you the surroundings

What a nasty toad

Toad indeed

How have you been all this years, Ivan Ivanovich?

It was happy years, Your Majesty

Have you remembered Iohanna and Elizaveta?

While in Paris, we have spent together 10 years

I did no know anything about it

She wrote you

I was not allowed to receive the letters from her

She had a feeling that it was a case, but continued writing

When time came, that I could take charge of my own life, it was too late

I was by your mother's side right up until her death

How did she die?

Unexpectedly, during her sleep.

We walked together in the evening, had a drink, talked about upcoming trip to a seashore

We were planning to go to Britain in the summertime

I have brought you a present

A kiss from the past

This is a portrait of your mother

This is exactly as I remember you

The artist was making a portrait and I advised him on corrections

Let me tell you, artist Rokotov makes the portraits as good as the foreign artists, but he is ten times cheaper

I will ask you for a portrait of my son, Alexei

My younger son

This work is not a simple one. I will pay you a thousand

I work for 50 rubles

And it does not matter to me if I have to make your portrait, your son's portrait, or the one of the common man, selling herring a the market

God is willing for me to be an artist

Angels are helping me with paints and brushes

50 rubles it is

Let's go

Without Shishkovski's help, nothing will come out of it

And I say more, in case we act alone, we will end up hanging

Don't exaggerate, the times are different today

All right, may be they won’t hang us, or cut our tongues off, but, the Fortress is right here

And please don't talk about similar subjects to me again

Nikita Ivanovich, I won't take part in the conversation

What is your opinion about this picture?

Insult to the good taste, poison

And it looks like you are having your meals here

Do you recommend to remove it?

send it to remote inn at some station

Ever since old times, poets , artists and jokesters were free to speak up their minds to the Emperors

I will do that

The portrait will be hanging here

But I want the size of his face to be not smaller or bigger the one of Pavel Petrovich

That is important

I am not familiar with Romanov’s dynasty. What does this place mean?

Heir to the Throne

Heir to the Throne

Two equal Heirs to the Throne

will be done

We will get married with Count Orlov, and my younger son will be recognized as a lawful child

and declared as a Heir to the Throne

You have made a decision

You are right

My advise won't change it

This billiards table was built following my drawings

Grigori Grigorievich likes to play billiards on it.

The objective is to use one hit and to place two balls in different pockets

I can make Grigori Grigorievich an Emperor

but I still don't know if I should

No

Thank you for your advice

20 years ago I designed a project of granite embankments in Sankt-Petersburg. It would lessen the effects of flooding.

I thinks those drawings could be in the Summer Palace

You can take the carriage and ride up there

Thank you, Your Majesty

Would it be possible for you to bring Pavel Petrovich with you.

That would be my honor

Ivan Ivanovich, I am very happy that you are with me

Sankt-Petersburg will be the only city in the world, that will have the contiguous granite embankments

What about Paris?

Paris will never have the granite embankments. River Seine is very narrow, and building are built right up to the shores of it, very dense.

No wind there, so the boats and barges are dragged by horses and people up the stream.

Here is so much air and space in Sankt - Petersburg

Always windy, either from the side of Finish bay, or Ladoga Lake

Spectacular

You set your sails and you are free to go anywhere!

This city is magical and incomprehensible!

Did you miss it?

I am old, and my health is failing.

But I intend to live 30 more years to finish everything that I planned for

Did you find out where is Grigori Grigorievich?

No, Your Majesty

Where should I hang Iohanna's portrait?

Maybe next to the portrait of your father, Your Majesty

Next to my father's portrait. How come I did no think of it?

I am not being myself today.

Are you with me? Kidding..

Sorry, brother, I won't be able to help

I will have to be on my own here

You know how to ruin my mood, mother

Last time I saw you, it was about 20 years ago

She was spying on behalf of King Frederich, and was getting paid by him

She almost ended up in the Fortress , and could have dragged me there too

Put her portrait somewhere far

cover it with a cloth. That is all.

I am here, my Empress

Ready to travel

I was worrying , Grigori. Let's go

Summer Palace of the Empress Elizaveta Petrovna

Do you think it belonged to Peter the Great?

Let me see

It was Tsarevich Aleksei's

And this is his suit

He was studying, trying to please his father, but did not help. Lost his head.

Why you did not tell me about it earlier

Again, the forbidden subject

The truth is Tsarevich Aleksei was a traitor

He wanted to become the Emperor while his father was still alive

He ran to to Rome and conspired with the Pope

they gave him the army, and planned to shrink Russia to the size of Moscow 's suburbs

Peter told him to return, and promised to forgive. But he did not keep his word. Executed him

Pavel Petrovich, we are studying history in order to find some decent examples for ourselves

Learn from past mistakes

However in life of Tsarevich Aleksei was nothing decent, that you can follow

Only pain , darkness and shame

What if he is not as guilty as they picture him to be?

Executed him, then named him a traitor?

Coming up with a proof, that otherwise Russia would fall apart

What if Peter the Great was not right here?

What if we try to understand Tsarevich Aleksei?

Petr the Great was frightening man

He ruined Russia financially

He was drinking and killing as he wished

was sleeping around

played around with the Church

he placed his lawful wife in jail, and placed another one on the Throne

and his last child he executed

But we remember Petr as a reformer and a builder

The great city carries his name

But if you think about it, Petersburg was built by Elizaveta Petrovna

thank you

But no one remembers her

That is not fair

But who told you?

I have tried to get to the bottom line

I did my best, not sure it is fair or not

They waited for me

My father

My respects to your Imperial Majesty! Hurrah!

Semyon Andreevich

Teach me to play, I want to be like my father

We will take this portrait with us

All right, I will teach you

I suppose you can take whatever you want

by the way, this portrait was made the year you were born

My father was 25 years old

Sankt-Petersburg, Peter and Paul's Cathedral

They are making us wait

You promised to surprise me with your patience

I don't like waiting. Bored.

You are in Cathedral. Pray.

For me to start praying, I should come down first.

Coming, but does not sound like he is in a hurry

You Majesty

Your Eminency

Step down, Your Excellency. This place is only for Emperor and Empress!

Who chooses to allow or not for me to stand here?

Grigori Grigorievich

I am aware of your desire to have a wedding ceremony

I am a widow, therefore you can't refuse me

Empress Ekaterina I has taken a Throne as a widow of Petr the Great, never been remarried

Empress Anna Ioanovna ruled as a widow

Empress Elizaveta ruled for 20 years unmarried and with no children

Three woman ruled Russia prior to you, all unmarried, and had no children outside the marriage

All of them had man lovers, and happen to have children!

And only the fourth Empress could not overcome her desires

Elizaveta Petrovna was dreaming to have husband and children

It is you, who took he happiness, when she could not get married in Church

She took away my son, mother's happiness

In most of it is your sin!

Would not you want to ask for forgiveness for her sin as it was your own?

You are spilling out audacious and unfounded blames

I was not in power then and I am not in power today to make such decisions

Nine archbishops govern the Church in Russia

I am the Ruler of Church and Ultimate Judge

Peter the Great used to call himself that

He is the one who repealed the Patriarchy in Russia

But he has done it with words. " I am taking on what I can handle ".

But he could not see, that this weight will soon be placed on woman's shoulders

Man does his deeds, but the everything is in God's will

I will be able to handle this

Then why are you here to see me?

You know why, is no need to ask.

Synod will gather for a meeting and will take in consideration your request

Until them Church urges you to bring yourself back

and not to lead your life in sin either with him or a different man

It is hard day today. I did not expect it to be like that.

Ekaterina Alekseevna, dear, my heart is going out to you

I have never seen you in tears before

You thought I am incapable of crying

He is a decrepit old man, unlikely to survive this summer

God, forgive me my thoughts, but he was s decrepit 10 years ago

everyone is dead, who wished his death

I will meet up with all of the Archbishops separately to find out their thoughts

You are criminal! Anathema!

Take him!

Don't hold him back.

This is all deeds of the Archbishop's hands

Let him go!

You can't count your wealth. I am blaming you in destruction!

You will face the anger and the rage

reading the prayers about forgiveness..

Semyon Andreevich

Tell me more about my father

Your father, Petr III. He lived short but eventful life.

He could have done a lot for Russia, but did not have enough time

Why there is no place for him among the rest of the Emperors?

Petr Fedorovich was not crowned, otherwise his portrait would be definitely here

There were no other reasons

I will ask permission from the Empress

Pavel Petrovich, hang it in your office!

You will have a chance to see it more often.

You are not being sincere with me.

I heard, that Count Saltykov could have been my father.

Who told you that, Pavel Petrovich?

That is not important. Do you think it is possible?

There is always possibility in anything.

It means that he could have been

There is just not enough evidence for that

I think about Petr Fedorovich like he is my father

But I hardly know anything about him

He died six years ago, but no one is even remembers him, or plays his music.

Why not playing his music?

Here it is

Here are some good berries, that would help you if you have a fever

Take it, please, Grigori Aleksandrovich, it is too soon for you to travel

Rodgerson told me, that the crisis is over

But your wound can still open up!

The disease has not left you

I will be fine! I need to get back to service and not lay around in warm bed

Grigori Aleksandrovich, here is a note for you

Who is it from?

Fekla

Glad to meet you, Your Majesty

What a beautiful place!

Our parliament is requesting to support Turkish Sultan in the war

They say, it is our historic chance to bring back the great Poland

With Turks help we will get back Kiev, Smolensk, Poltava, Voronezh

Oh, you want Voronezh too? Bravo!

Not me, my people

of course

I am trying to save my Throne and just existing borders

Empress Ekaterina also wants Black sea access, straits

She speaks peace, but gets ready for war

For Russia the war with Turkey is a catastrophe

It is huger, rebellions. The price of victory will be enormous

Do you believe in your victory?

Sultan has the biggest Navy in the world!

The biggest Army as well

Europe is an ally of Turkey

Yes, of course, but nevertheless, Russia will strain itself, but wins anyway!

Whether it to be Osman Empire, or anybody else!

But how long can we be at war? We need to work

We need to save money and not to spend

I came here to speak about Count Orlov

If he becomes an Emperor, I will lose everything! With or without war, does not matter.

He won't become one, Your Majesty

If you help me

What help you are talking about?

Money

I can give you a quarter of the sum of money I received

But there is an obstacle, Kshishtov

He knows about a million

He has a paperwork from the Mint and Treasury

Yes, that is a serious obstacle

Kshishtov is not only advisor, he is my friend

I understand

How can I help you?

Your Majesty, anything happens in life.

What if, let's say, Kshishtov fell in love, stayed in Russia, and disappeared

Three Empresses did not have children, and the forth one did

He put this blame on me

God is giving me guidance, and I need to follow it

Ekaterina Alekseevna, what else you need?

Here he is. Have one more son or daughter.

And later grief or happiness, we have to rely on God's will

Together, that is the most important thing

Together, forever!

You, Grigori are sleeping

not hearing me

Do you like it?

This is much better. Try the dark green color

Will be more expensive this way

But it won't be easy to get stained

On the dark color, the dust will be ore noticeable

But on the light color, you will see more gunpowder, blood, horse hair

Let's not argue, get the samples and test them

Your Majesty

Grigori Aleksandrovich

Lieutenant Potemkin is supervising the design of new uniforms

This is Betskoi, Ivan Ivanovich

report directly to him

Your Excellency

How are you feeling?

With your prayers , Your Majesty, I am not thinking of my wounds

But I did not forget

Here, Your Majesty

I like it!

You look good in anything. Bravo!

Me? I just tried it for fun

Whatever you try, everything looks beautiful on you

Do you like it?

I admire you

Try dark green

Continue work

I am glad you are back at service

I hope we will meet each other more often

It would be my honor, Your Majesty

You know, that Anna Petrovna's heart is already taken

Don't waste your time here

And who is he, do I know him?

Nikita Ivanovich, we are leaving

Your Majesty

Well?

Nothing good

Failed again?

Say it, we are not in theater!

I fell asleep

After?

Before

damn mixture

We bought the same thing, it seems

They told us, it is only good once

Let's go to Lavinia's

I need to go to Medicus, so he can fix me

so I could perform at anytime, rain or shine

If there would be such a Medicus, there would be already a monument to him

Do you want to say that Grigori Orlov has no hope?

Let's go

Alexei, look at this type of torture

There they used hot oil for tortures

The death is scary

There death has a male identity

can be depicted with a scythe

Here is a terrible picture depicting death due to hanging

Why all the pictures are related to death?

You are scaring a boy, and it is interfering with my work

He only likes those type

How much longer?

Don't get into my business, it is not finished!

You sound irritated, Mr Rokotov, and it seems to not by your work

Yes, I don't like this

The child came out looking stupid

He has nice, kind eyes

Yes, Alesha is a nice boy

but he is special.

He refuses to talk, but actually knows how to.

I know his tricks

You should go, I can do it on my own. Go!

Alexei Grigorievich, you should stay here

Talk to me

If you won't talk to me you will look like those ugly pictures

Is this a dead body?

I grew up without parents too.

The peasant woman raised me

How old are you now?

Six or seven?

Six and a half

Can I take a look?

Yes, you can

I am fool

I am sorry

We can't give this to the Empress

She will get upset and will send to me to the magical vicious snake

Both me and you!

All right, I will change it. Sit down!

Do you promise to keep my secret?

The fact that you can speak?

Promise

Your guardian is a very nice man, and he treats you nice.

He wishes you well. Do you understand it?

He is not my real father.

And soon they will move me from here.

And who is your father?

Despicable man

Good thing, that you know him at least

For example, I don't know my father

Do you know your mother?

Empress does not love me.

And won't love her.

All right. I would like you to take something in your hand.

Rattle toy? You are not little.

I am using it to scare the servants off.

This means I am upset

This is the one I am waiting for.

Nikita Ivanovich?

Don't come near to Countess Sheremetieva. I forbid you.

Why?

Don't dare to question me.

I would like you to change the tone of your voice.

I intend to ask her hand in the near future.

And then marry her.

What are you doing here, with no means to speak of?

I am not rich, but I build my life following good intentions and hard work

By the way, I have no debts

Ever since yesterday, I have no debts either

I paid everything off

Countess Sheremetieva comes with one million dowry

Money follows money

not like bills and poverty, like in your case

At the wedding ceremony, God unites husband and wife to one whole

Have you looked in the mirror lately?

It would not be possible to imagine, that God would have placed you next to Anna Petrovna

Nevertheless, Countess Sheremetieva will be my wife

And no worthless pig snout will stop me from that!

Did you realize what you just said?

It is not me who you offended.

Really?

Whom then?

I would like to promote Lieutenant Potemkin in his rank.

I received some papers from his regiment. What do people of society say about him?

He is from Moscow. Never saw him at the balls

Does he have a fiancee? Any love affairs?

Would that influence his promotion?

Curious

I will inquire, Your Majesty

It is windy today, let's go back

Drink it, Your Highness

When you wake up in the morning, I will be here. I will do venesection on you.

Thank you

Sleep well, Your Highness

Luka, please call Semyon Andreevich

I would like him to read me

Your Highness, the Medicus said

Who's orders are you following?

Forgive me, Your Highness

I will call him right away

Your Highness

Good evening, Semyon Andreevich

I collected all the materials

And organized it in the table under bad, good, mistakes, and the death

He was a very complicated man

Are you ready to listen to me?

Here I have some notes

and a table

Bad: Petr Fedorovich did not love Russia

They brought me to this damn country, where I feel like I am in jail

Those are his words

Also he did not like the Empress. Insulted her immediately, wanted to get rid of her.

And wanted to get married to someone else, Elizaveta Vorontsova

What do you mean" get read of her"?

Send up north to the Monastery

in jail?

yes

Town Povinets, Monastery jail, guars, strict discipline

There is a saying" Povinets equals the end of the world"

Continue

The further it gets even worse

Russia, as we know, won the 7 years long war with Prussia

Our losses were 138,000 of solders

and 100,000 of the civil population

Petr Fedorovich returned back to Prussia all the lands that we won

Only because he worshiped King of Prussia, Frederich II

Frederich II is being called the Great right now

Petr Fedorovich was right

It is better not to fight but get along with prominent people

What "good" do you have?

He was an open minded man, and was not afraid of anybody, had no bodyguards

Did not hide anything from other people

that is all

not, this is not all

Also he was kind

I remember

His mistakes?

His main mistake is that he did not to get coronated

He assumed that he has lots of time, and that he is the Emperor by birth

grandchild of Peter the Great

The death?

Ekaterina Alekseevna had to become the Sovereign Empress in order to save Russia

Peter III gave up the Throne, he died in the palace

He did not die of natural causes?

He was killed

It was a coup

The Empress was in Saint Petersburg, but he died in different place

How did she find out?

She received a letter, I have it

"Empress, the disaster happened.

Our monster had an unfortunate argument and passed away."

Who wrote this?

Aleksei Orlov

It means he killed him

What a slums. Where have you brought me, brother?

I was told, this guy Pinkus is a miracle maker.

Open your mouth

I don't have any problems with my mouth

I am not going to argue with patients

Open your mouth

Close it

If you only knew, how many people like you come to me with similar problems

Lick it

Did anybody licked it before me?

Everybody get the new one

Don't spit on the floor, please. You would not spit on the floor in your house, right?

Well, what is in there?

Bend over, please

You were hit on your head

I am aware of this

Are you going to treat him or not?

Do you have a money?

How much needed?

For today's visit it would be 2 grivens (20 kopeiks)

We don't keep this kind of money

We have chervonec (10 rubles)

I will treat you

I need it to act fast

I will start promptly

But I won't promise anything

I won't eat dinner now. I will wait for Grigori Grigorievich. Go!

I understand that he is tired after battles

And I am expecting passion from him

Tell me, do I act wrong?

After returning from the battles, man are usually full of passion.

If woman needs but the man can't deliver, he should try his best, never refuse

But he runs away from me.

Why Joseph did not let someone's wife to seduce himself?

probably was tired too

I don't like your double talk

This is the most simple explanation

Fekla, serve me a light dinner

Tell me , when we say, out of sight, out of mind

Does it mean, when we remove the man out of sight, he will start cheating?

Not exactly, Your Majesty

Explain

When man is next to you. You have love

But if you don't see him for a long time, you discover, that there are other man too.

If you won't see him everyday, both you and him will fall out of love with each other

That is a wrong saying

Some people believe it is true

Sometimes, it is good to indulge yourself in solitude

Look around and notice someone, you have not noticed before

the one, who will pamper your body and soul

The new feelings are strongest

But I don't won't to be alone

I love Grigori, and I am being faithful to him, but he runs away

I won't wait any longer, let's eat!