Original subtitles

I will wait for you.

Grandmaster De Ridefort

wants you to join forces with him in the desert.

It will be your last mission.

My name is Ebbe Sunesen.

I bring tidings of friendship from Denmark.

If you expect me to turn over the crown, you are sorely mistaken.

Jerusalem has fallen.

The Knights Templar were slaughtered like dogs.

Have we changed that much?

You are the Cecilia I remember.

THE KNIGHT TEMPLAR Based on the story by Jan Guillou

Episode Six

Riders are coming!

Get the women and children inside.

Go fetch the master.

Is that lovely lady your mother?

Unhand her!

The famous Knight Templar...

I suggest you deliver any message you may have immediately,

without dismounting.

We were passing through these parts,

and we happened on your daughter in the woods.

I was almost hit by a stray arrow.

Sometimes it's hard to tell your friends from your enemies.

You really must watch over your family, Arn.

The woods round here are not as safe as they once were.

Especially now that your King Knut lies on his deathbed.

ARN'. Why Wasn't I told?

I didn't want anyone to know. I didn't want to risk unrest.

- Unrest? - Yes, unrest!

Knut is my oldest friend.

As we speak, while the two of you exchange words,

Sverker Karlsson may be on his way to capture Visingsö.

For the past six years,

both of you have continued to cling to your differences.

It's high time you made peace with each other.

How much time does he have?

I'm not sure, but he's passing blood in his dung,

and that's never a good sign.

The Sverkers have made Ebbe Sunesson their commander.

And he has the Danish king behind him...

as well as the mighty Danish army.

We aren't ready to meet the Danes in battle.

We'll have to play for time.

There's only one solution.

What did you say?

I said there is only one solution.

We will have to yield the crown.

We have no choice but to do this.

We offer Sverker Karlsson the crown,

if he acknowledges Erik as his heir and successor.

Right, if we can persuade Knut to comply.

Am...

Erik, take me to your father.

Arn...

I came as soon as I found out.

Why does God punish me so?

Letting me die in my own shit, like a damned dog?

No blasphemy please, Father.

Don't worry, son.

The bishop is on his way.

He'll make sure I end up in the right place.

I know why you're here, Arn.

You want to put Sverker Karlsson on the throne.

Am I right?

It's the only solution.

That or war.

And Erik?

What happens to him?

Our condition is that Sverker Karlsson's heirs

will renounce any claim to the throne

and Erik will be his successor.

You have to stand by him, Arn.

No matter what happens.

Should Sverker Karlsson

harm so much as a single hair on Erik's head,

I want you to swear you'll be there to assist him, sword in hand.

You have my word.

Good.

Good.

Good.

The royal sword.

I would like to present my nephews.

Eskil Magnusson, master of Arnäs,

and Arn Magnusson, master of Forsvik.

Arn Magnusson.

Your reputation precedes you.

And yours has yet to catch up with you, Sverker Karlsson.

I have heard that...

you are a man who likes to choose his own path in life.

I follow the same path as my kin, my Lord King.

I greatly value my friendship with the Folkung clan.

And so does my viceroy.

Isn't that right, Erik?

I must return to Forsvik.

It's not safe here.

I know, but we cannot leave the castle.

I promised Knut to watch over Erik.

Erik is the Jarl, the viceroy.

His place is here, at Visingsö.

It would put my mind at ease if you and your sons accompanied me.

I refuse to run away

to accommodate Sverker Karlsson and his High Constable.

I cannot do that.

Blanka is too brave for her own good.

Sverker Karlsson is not trustworthy; he wouldn't hesitate to harm Erik.

No.

And that's what worries me.

We cannot simply leave her and the boys at Visingsö.

We'll have to send someone to watch over them.

Someone we can trust.

You'll leave Forsvik tonight.

I'm aware that I'm asking a great deal from you,

but we must protect our kin and the heir to the throne.

At Forsvik, I was held in contempt due to my Danish blood.

I never had the opportunity to show my talents.

Pray tell, what talents do you possess?

I'm an excellent bodyguard.

A good bodyguard, you say?

You couldn't even keep track of a small baby in the woods.

Maybe I didn't want to.

A traitor.

I could have you hanged.

But I think having a Folkung among his guards might appeal to the King.

Welcome.

Look at him.

Look at him!

Stand up.

Get up and let us have a look at our Jarl, our viceroy.

Look at him.

Look at him.

Look at him!

Look at Erik, our viceroy.

He looks like a drunken...

arrow!

Sverker!

Is that how a king addresses his viceroy?

Cecilia Blanka appears to have forgotten

that she no longer is the queen.

Sverker Karlsson has displayed a great deal of generosity,

allowing you to stay on at the castle like this.

Is this what he gets in return?

Ingratitude?

You are very beautiful...

but my High Constable is right.

I have no reason to show you any gratitude.

I have no reason to show you any hospitality.

You can go.

Come along.

Alone!

Your sons are big enough to get by without their mother.

One, two, three!

Good!

Five, six!

One, two!

I have seen so much evil.

So much death.

I prayed to God never to see war again.

But if the Sverker King draws his sword,

war will be upon us.

I'm here, too.

I will be with you every second of the way.

God has a plan for you.

To go to war?

To bring peace.

Sune Folkesson...

Step forward.

My High Constable believes you serve two masters.

And what does Your Highness believe?

I haven't quite made up my mind about that yet.

But I trust my High Constable's judgment.

I only have one master, and that is King Sverker.

Good.

I'll let you prove it.

This evening you will go to Knut's sons

and tell them you are a Folkung ally and that you will help them escape.

Tonight you will take them outside the fortress.

Two men will be waiting in a boat by the shore.

Take them far out on the lake...

and drown them.

The two men accompanying you

have orders to kill you if you do not comply.

After that, I will make up my mind about you...

Sune Folkesson.

This is where your journey ends, lads.

- You can't... - Sit down.

Take your hands off him! Silence!

You damned traitor!

I'm only doing my duty.

No, watch out! - Ow!

He's wounded!

Let me see.

Here...

Sverker Karlsson has forfeited his right to the crown.

And now he fears retaliation.

The Danes will soon be upon us.

And it will take more than mere courage and determination

to defeat them.

But I swear to you -- we will be ready.

Move forward!

God keep you, Magnus.

I know you will come back to me.

I'm too old to fight...

but my men are at your disposal.

Every last slave and stable hand that can yield a bow is with us.

It's impossible.

The Danish forces are five times the size of ours.

We will win.

We will strike with surprising force.

Sverker Karlsson is a dead man. I'll have his head myself!

It is no small matter to kill a king, no matter how unworthy he may be.

He's just as headstrong as his father.

Like you.

I want peace, Eskil.

That's what I've been praying for.

I'm proud of you, little brother.

Everything's ready.

I don't know.

Our men are fearful.

Listen to me!

Cast aside all doubt.

Believe!

Believe in our victory!

We chose this place, not the Danes and not the Sverkers.

We chose this time, not the Danes and not the Sverkers.

Behave.

God stands by those who are strong in faith.

That is why we shall win, and peace shall reign!

Bring on the armored horsemen.

Horsemen!

Forward!

How do you plan to win this battle?

Don't you think the Danes will catch on?

That remains to be seen.

They're trying to scare us!

Wait for my signal, Harald.

Prepare!

Charge.

Charge!

Ready!

Wait.

NOW!

It's a trap!

NOW!

Prepare again!

Prepare!

Charge!

NOW!

Charge!

For Norway!

Kill him!

Do it! Do it!

He killed my brother!

Your father killed his father.

Do you wish to lose yet another brother?

You're the king now, Erik.

The King!

What is more important to you -- revenge or peace for your people?

Now ride off!

Let them go!

And don't you ever come back!

You're hurt?!

Am...

Arn?!

Our Lady never abandoned us.

I love you.

I love you.

Arn Magnusson's dream of peace was fulfilled many years later,

when his grandson, Birger Jarl, united the kingdom of Sweden.