Original subtitles

Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen challenges Your Majesty...

...Lord, and Duke Witold to mortal battle

And in order to rouse your courage, which seems to fail you...

...sends you these two naked swords

THE KNIGHTS OF THE TEUTONIC ORDER

- Whom are you carrying with you? - Who are you? Out of the way!

Lower your lance, knave

- This is Count Jurand of Spychow - Save us, oh Lord

We are merchants from Plock. We carried grain from the mill

They broke the Order's laws

Traffic is allowed here only upon the consent of Commander Zygfryd de Lowe

I am the master here. Let them go

Out of the way!

Out of the way! Out of the way!

Pious Commander. We detained the Polish carts loaded with grain

But we were attacked later on

- By whom? - By Jurand of Spychow

Father, give us your permission

Danusia. Danusia

Danusia!

Close the gates. The gates

It's raining. It's raining

Thank you, oh Lord, for saving us

Open the gates

Teutonic Knights

- Are you Jurand's woman? - I am master of Spychow's wife

Mother. O, my mother

Mother!

I will take vengeance over you, my wife. I will

- You there, innkeeper - Yes, sir?

Clear the tables and bring in the candles...

...Duchess Anna Danuta is stopping here for a rest

Magda, Magda, clear the tables. Out with you, beggars. Go away!

This company is too distinguished for us

Let us go

Be seated, young boar

It is not too distinguished for us. We are gentle-folk

Hey, Danusia rejoice our hearts with the same song you sang at Zator

- Who is that? - A maiden from the duchess' court

I thought she was an angel. What do they call her?

Danusia. Her father is Jurand of Spychow. She is an orphan

Why, Jurand is still alive

The Knights of the Teutonic Order killed her mother

Jurand was out hunting when they came to Spychow

A German with a peacock feather on his helmet tied her to his saddle

She turned pale and died on the rope

There is Danusia's knight

Thank you

Worshipful lady, I wish to make my vow to that maiden

Do you wish her to be your lady? But who are you?

That is my nephew, worshipful lady, Zbyszko of Bogdaniec

- And you, sir? - I am Macko of Bogdaniec

We were in Lithuania, fighting under the command of your brother, Duke Witold

- Were you wounded? - No. But we took splendid booty

Are you not boasting by any chance? Let us see that booty

Fighting the knights from the Frisian country...

...we made an agreement

Whoever wins should take the wagons and cuirass of the defeated...

...there were few suits of armour and costly garments for my nephew

Do you want him to be your knight, Danusia?

I do

I vow to tear some peacocks crests from the German helmets...

...like those of the knight who killed your mother had, and lay them at your feet

- Foolish you are, young boar - I have vowed

The only way to get booty is to fight under Duke Witold against the Tartars

I have to get German crests. Where shall I find them among the Tartars?

You will find captives there

Who will cultivate the land in Bogdaniec?

- I have vowed - Because you are stupid

Duchess Ryngalla poisoned the duke and she was absolved

- We have enough money - I have vowed

Where will you find the German crests? Where?

Lower your lance...

Madman. It is Grand Master's envoy to our majesty the king

- Who are you? - I am Powala of Taczewo, you fool

You insulted our king. You'll pay for that with your head

I welcome thee, dear Duke and Duchess of Mazovia

I welcome thee, dear brother Lingwen, Duke of Mscislaw and Nowogrod

I welcome thee, noble envoys of the Grand Master

I welcome thee gracious fathers and all the guests at our court in Cracow...

...the Ruthenian boyars and the Polish Knights

Try to win the king's heart. It is up to him to pardon you or cut your head off

That wild Lithuanian drinks only mare's milk

- Don't you drink, Gracious Lord? - No. Springwater only

Thus, you give a good example, Gracious Lord

A still better one is given by those who act nobly

That is you, Gracious Lord

His most worshipful Majesty, the Grand Master of the Blessed Virgin order...

...aimed to let Your Majesty know...

...gracious King, with all due respect and esteem...

...that not only the Lithuanians but also many Poles...

...help the rebelling pagans in Samogitia

Our people and the people from Ruthenia...

...complain that the Order denies them access to the sea for transporting grain

We have privileges from the Holy Father

His Holiness Urban IV gave his consent to the Order of the Blessed Virgin...

...to sell agricultural products, but not for profit

We vowed poverty as monks...

...but our Order is compelled to fight with pagans

The Order builds castles, mills

Who can say there is no order and fear of God in the lands belonging to us?

Order and fear of God? And on the border, steady confusion and fires

But in our land we hold Christian laws in esteem. We do not insult the envoys

Whom are you referring to, noble knight?

Has somebody insulted you in Poland?

I did, Gracious Lord

If the Teutonic Knight demands punishment, let there be punishment

But Zbyszko is the last in our line. If he is no more, we shall be no more

Allow me, sir, to give my head for his

Law crushes the guilty, but it is not a dragon...

...which laps the blood of a man without looking whose it is

What about the Teutonic Knights' justice? Samogitia. Swords, robbery

- They have privileges granted - Let's fight them!

It is the booty you are after

We will not expose Poland to a conflict with the Order of the Blessed Virgin

Thus you will cut off my nephews' head?

We will. We shall act according to the law

Ask Lichtenstein for mercy. Only he can withdraw his complaint

That is true. I was wearing my suit of armour

Thus, you could have defended yourself, sir

It is a suit of armour one wears only when paying solemn visits

Piercing this metal plate with a blade would surely deprive one of his life

Was it your intention to kill Squire von Lichtenstein?

It was. As long as he was alive I could not get the crest

But I called to him from a distance to lower his lance

If he had called that he was an envoy, I would have left him in peace

True. Why did he not call out?

Can you swear on the Passion of our Lord...

...that you did not see his cloak and the cross?

I cannot. I should certainly not have attacked our knight

I knew it was a Knight of the Teutonic Order

How could there be any other Teutonic Knight...

...in the vicinity of Cracow, except for an envoy or one of his colour?

Commander von Lichtenstein

- Pardon him - I do pardon him

From the bottom of my heart, as a servant of Christ and a monk

- Praise be to him - But I am here as an envoy

So he who has wronged an envoy, has insulted the Order...

...and insulted Christ Himself

And such a wrongdoing I cannot forgive

Kneel down

God... be merciful to me

The noble Zbyszko of Bogdaniec...

...is condemned by the Castellan's sentence...

...to be beheaded with the sword

- Danusia - Don't be mournful.

The Castellan agreed to postpone the execution

- What good will it do? - Isn't it hard for you?

One week sooner, one later...

- What is the weather like outside? - The sun is shining

Almighty God! If I could mount a horse and ride through the vast fields!

It is hard for you...

Sing me a song

If I could be saved, my maiden...

We have to go, my lady

The duchess wrote a letter to the Grand Master

The king will pardon you if the Grand Master intercedes in your favour

Macko went to Malbork with the letter. May he only arrive in time

Stop.

It is not a Saracen. Are you a Christian?

I am. Honestly like a knight and you are like a robber

I am Fulko de Lorche from Lorraine and I joined the Order to fight the Saracens

I thought there are no fools in Lorraine. Saracens here?

You stupid man. We have been Christians for ages

What about the Mazurians? Don't make a fool out of me

I have been shown wooden Mazurian idols in Malbork

Let me give him the last blow. He is a Mazurian

To arms! Jurand!

Kill them

Help me. Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ, please help me

- Spare him. He's not a Teutonic Knight - He fought against us

Who are you?

Macko of Bogdaniec. Whom have I to thank for the rescue?

I am Jurand of Spychow

Jesus...

- Who are you? - De Bergow. You must know about me

The pious Commander of Szczytno will offer a ransom for me

- We are in Spychow - You are Jurand

I don't take ransoms

No Teutonic Knight will leave this place on his own feet

Bind him in chains and put him in the dungeon

- And what about him, sir? - I am Count de Lorche

He is not a Teutonic Knight. He is a knight from Lorraine

They came here to fight Saracens. You offered him to me, sir

What will you do with him?

My nephew's life is in the hands of the Grand Master

I was on my way to Malbork...

...with a letter from the Duchess of Mazovia and he wounded me

Let him pay for it now

A splinter is sticking between your ribs. There's not much time left for you

I cannot help it... I must go to Cracow

Now I shall not escape death. They'll cut off my head

Most certainly. But don't be mournful

I will have such an oak coffin made for you...

...that even the lords of the crown have no better

I won't even allow them to behead you...

...on the same cloth they use for the townsfolk

I have already agreed with the merchant Amyley...

...to give you a quite new one, scarlet...

...good enough for the king to use to line his fur coat with

And I won't grudge you masses. Never fear

God reward you, uncle

- Uncle? - Yes, Zbyszko?

- I want you to make me a promise - A promise?

When they cut my head off, take a mighty woman for yourself

What? Are you mad?

You said it yourself. Our line must not die out

- Look. Do you see? - Do you spit blood like that all the time?

A splinter two inches long is sticking between my ribs

I am going to die before winter comes

- Only you yourself can save your life - What?

Have you heard about Duke Witold?

How he was imprisoned in Krewa and escaped disguised in women's clothes?

Now, take my leather jacket, take my hood and go, understand?

Here you have the ransom the Teutons paid for this de Lorche from Lorraine...

Then they'll cut off your head instead of mine

Good for them. I'll die anyway in two or three weeks' time

- Take it - I won't do that

I wish you had never been born

Listen...

...it was not a shame for Duke Witold to escape in that way...

...it will not be a shame for you

Duke Witold is a grand duke

He has received a crown from the king's hands, he has wealth and lordship

And I, poor nobleman, have nothing but my honour

Don't you understand that I love you and won't give your head for mine?

May the cross-wolves perish if children are to be executed through them

Shame, shame...

Stop! Stop!

He doesn't belong to the headman. He's mine, he's mine

She threw her veil over him. It's an old custom. He is hers

Let's go to the castle. To the Castellan

Pagan country, pagan customs

It is true. Such ancient customs exist

But it is more suited to the robbers of the Carpathian foothills...

...and to the simple folk

Ask Father Stanislaw, he knows everything about laws and customs

One should have asked the Grand Master

It was his envoy who was insulted

The ancient, folk customs became law

Gracious Duchess. The betrothal must take place at once...

...if I am to honour this custom

Gracious Duke, we offer these humble gifts to you, the truly Christian lord...

...and our Order's friend

Don't bear a grudge because of the petty conflicts and quarrels...

...and the inconsiderate and passionate deeds committed by youngsters

You may assure the Grand Master...

...we are his true friends and defenders of our common faith

The pious Grand Commander Zygfryd de Lowe of Szczytno...

...wants to lodge a complaint to be considered by your Serene Highness...

...not because of "youngsters"

Jurand of Spychow, your Serene Highness, attacked our people

He slaughtered and wounded many. He took brother de Bergow captive

We have here the noble witness, Lord Fulko de Lorche from Lorraine...

...who is the Order's guest

He has also been cruelly injured by Jurand...

Who is this most beautiful maiden in the world?

Fascinating indeed

She is the daughter of Jurand, the man who aimed to kill you

Hot paternal blood

Against a girl like that I'll fight most gladly

Border disputes... the pious knight de Love accuses the Count of Spychow...

...while the noble Jurand accuses the Grand Commander of Szczytno

It is not only this complaint we ask you to consider, your Serene Highness

The Grand Master would like to get acquainted with your opinion...

...concerning the alliance of King Jagiello with the heathens

And with the schismatics from Ruthenia as well

The Grand Master sends you this holy relic...

...the same the gracious Duchess asked for...

...the forefinger of St. Onufry...

...who died a glorious death, killed by the pagans

I told you to go with this mission to Cracow and to negotiate there

- The Duke of Mazovia is benevolent - But he will not give us Jurand

- Jurand will beg at our gates, my father - What have you said, my son?

I said, my father, Jurand will come to us on his knees to get his daughter back

- I do not understand - Do you want to kidnap his daughter?

She is the daughter of the most rancorous enemy of the Order

You barely escaped him with your own life

It does not agree with the knightly gospel and honour

We are destined to live on the borders, in forests

Doomed is the one who is not able to repay a blow with a blow

Listen. She is still a child. Don't force me to warn them

- You will not do it, sir - I will, so help me God...

You won't...

Give him the last blow...

It is not necessary after I worked upon him

Proceed, sir, I will join you

Forgive him, Lord Jesus, his sins and grant him everlasting rest

Why, oh Lord, to spread Thy rule...

...to defend Thy home, we have to make so much injustice

You will certainly not bring me alive to Bogda...

- Water... - Stampeding horses!

To the woods! To the woods!

You intruded unnecessarily, I would have managed

- Hlawa. Take the horse - Zych

Zych... At last...

Good gracious

Thus, you returned to your Bogdaniec

- I did, didn't I, just to die here - What is wrong?

Jagna, it's our neighbour Macko of Bogdaniec

Come here

- Who is that? - Did you not recognise Zbyszko?

Zbyszko?

Jagna, come here

Quickly.

Give him a kiss, for old times' sake

Am I already at death's door, Father?

I tried to pull out the splinter, but I failed

- He failed. Zych? - Yes, brother?

Do you have much land of your own?

Thanks to good husbandry three malets and about 50 men

And Jagna? Jagna, how old is she?

She is now so attracted to boys that when she sees them...

...she rubs one knee against the other

Zych, you lied, you have 70 men

- What is that to you? - If Zbyszko takes your Jagna...

Well, well. Let me hear your confession, it may be too late later

Tell me the truth, as in the face of God. How many men have you?

- Will he live, sir? - God willing

But the priest advised to try to heal him with bear's fat

Hlawa. Have you brought bear's fat?

- No, my lady. The dogs ate it all up - I will look for some in the tree-hives

I've been told I could easily find one there

It's dangerous. Take our Hlawa with you

To frighten the bear away? No

God have mercy...

Use your axe

- Who are you? - Jagienka

I don't know what would have happened if it was not for you

Leave me alone. Will you?

A lad of ours also went with a fork and an axe...

...and the bear tore him to pieces

Thus, I went after you

- Then it was you there under the pines? - Yes

There cannot be another girl like you in the world

- You ought to go to the war - Don't laugh at me

Wait. We'd better get a beaver at once because when the wound opens...

...you have to stop it with beaver's fat and the sickness will leave him

- Where are the beaver's lodges? - Come

Did you heard me sing, when you laid in wait for the bear?

- It was you? - Yes

These woods belong to Cztan of Rogow

- The man who would like to marry you? - If only I would let him!

I've been told that Cztan grinds his teeth at Wolf...

...your other neighbour who would like to marry you too

Oh, yes

- Foolish lads - Why?

When your father was away...

...one of them should have taken you from Zgorzelice

What if your father had come back and found you with a child?

Let them try. You think I don't know how to grasp a spear or a crossbow?

I would have driven each of them home again and raided their villages

If I were Cztan or Wolf, I would not be afraid of your father or you

- But I would have taken you - You would have?

Why should a girl fight with lads when she ought to marry

Don't be stupid. Be quiet

There are the beavers, in the warm spring

- I've got it, I've got it - I am going for it

Don't. The mud is deep. Anyone unfamiliar with it will certainly drown

- Then how will you get it? - Don't worry about it. Let's go

I've left my arrows in the willow. Wait

- Hey, what a cunning girl you are - Oh, go away

Squeeze out the water from my plait

- And I was waiting for you like a fool - Was I to undress in front of you?

- That would be something to marvel at - Be quiet. Take the beaver

Give it

- Zbyszko - Yes?

I will marry neither Cztan nor Wolf

God will give you the best man possible. You will be worthy of him

In a couple of weeks, Macko will be able to mount a horse

I am waiting for that as for salvation. It is hard for me to stay here

- Why? - Were you told about Danusia?

I heard something. I know she covered you with a veil

I know every knight vows some deed, even the married ones

- But this Danusia, who is she? - I will tell you, as I would my own sister

For her sake I would cross the ninth river and the ninth sea

I will fulfil what I have vowed to her, unless I die first

- Is it true? - It is

I did not realise that. Hlawa...

May God reward you for everything, my girl

Hlawa will help you to get the beavers. I am going back home

What the deuce! Who has killed him?

Wait... He is still breathing.

- It's not worth it. He'll die in no time - Let's help him

Leave him. If he recovers, it will bring us trouble

And so his purse and sword...

He'll reward us happily with the purse when he recovers, and besides...

...we gain merit in heaven for rescuing a Christian. Let's take him

You fool. It's a mere loss of time

Go on. Take him

Perhaps he'll survive

An urgent message for the gracious Duchess from the Count of Spychow

Nothing but bad news. A part of the fortalice had been burned in Spychow

Jesus

Father Kaleb writes, the Count of Spychow may recover...

...but the sparks and coals so burned his only eye...

...that little light was left in it and he is threatened with blindness

That is why the Count of Spychow... summons Danusia to come to him...

...for he wants to see her again before darkness overwhelms him

He also humbly thanks the Duchess...

...for raising the girl like a daughter...

...and he promises that he would come to Ciechanow for Christmas...

...to fall at the lady's feet and beg her favour and support...

...for Danusia for the future

Come nearer

I do not know you. Why hasn't Tolima come?

He was injured in a recent fight with the Germans

The Count begs for the swift return of his daughter since he may be blind soon

Gracious lady, we have to go back as soon as the horses have rested

We shall meet your neighbours, Cztan and Wolf, at Krzesnia

- Show them to me from a distance - I will, Zbyszko

They will meet you in front of the church. What will they do?

Attend me as best they know

They will not attend to you today, understand?

That's them

- What now? - Well, what?

- Shall we at once... - How can you fall on him in church?

Not in church but after Mass

That's her father. Do you remember what he said?

If we started a fight he would banish us from Zgorzelice

If it were not for that, I would have broken your ribs long ago

Or I yours

Let's better break his together

- Let's do it - After Mass

Hurry up

- Woe is me - To the inn

I have to pay for the mass for my uncle's health. I'll go back

- We'll send money from Zgorzelice - I have to go back

Go. God be with you

If either of you two denies...

...that the most beautiful and virtuous girl in the world is Danusia...

...Jurand of Spychow's daughter...

...I will challenge him to fight on horseback or on foot, until death

What?

You dog's brother. Jagienka is not the most beautiful

He is mocking

That's what you knights are like?

- Jesus Christ be praised - For ever and ever

Where is Zbyszko?

He went back to the church. He forgot to pay for the Mass

Daddy. Perhaps we will send a couple of lads to Krzesnia?

- What for? - The quarrel has broken out there

What quarrel? Whom is he to fight with?

Cztan and Wolf, he'll fight for me

If so, let them fight

- You've done it quickly, how was it? - I just paid for the Mass

- Haven't you been in the inn? - I have

- Well, and what happened? - Nothing

Now my uncle feels better, I shall go to Mazovia

- To Danusia? - I have vowed

You vowed to get a peacock's crest

I vowed to take her for my wife. God grant you health and all the best

- Jesus Christ be praised - For ever and ever

- I am your servant, my Lord - My servant?

Lady Jagienka of Zgorzelice gave me to you

- Go back home. I don't want you - I will not go back, sir

I am a prisoner of war from Boleslawice. I was given to you

- Thus, you are mine? - Yours, my Lord

Then, I order you to go back

Lady Jagienka sent you this too

Go away. Do you want me to break your bones?

- What is your name? - In Czech, Hlawa. In Polish, Big Head

Give me the cape

Christians, save a servant of God

Whoever you are, sir, help a servant of God

Who are you?

Sanderus. My horse ran away, I was left alone without weapons

A wild beast may appear any moment in the forest

I shall perish if you do not save me

Give him a horse

May God multiply your victories, valiant knight

Hey, innkeeper. We want to wait until the snowstorm is over

Welcome travellers from far away

Get out of here

I am dead-cold. Order a flask of wine for me

For two or three gulps, I shall excuse you a month in purgatory

He looks like a drunkard

Beware of everlasting damnation. You are speaking to a man...

...who ate hard-boiled eggs with the Holy Father last Easter

How can you write me off a month of purgatory if you are not ordained?

I have obtained permission to sell pardons and relics

- Where are you from? - Under the Prussian lords, from Malbork

You speak our language well What do they call you?

I am a German and my name is Sanderus

I was born at Torun, where all folk speak like that

Even the brothers of the Order understand your language

Innkeeper. Bring warm beer

- Is it long since you left Malbork? - Long enough

I have been in the Holy Land then I returned to Malbork...

...and now I carry the holy relics and pardons...

...which pious Christians buy for their soul's salvation

Where have you got those holy wares from?

I have plenary pardons, pardons for 500 years, for 300...

...and cheaper ones, so that even poor people can buy them...

...and thus shorten the pains of purgatory for themselves...

I have pardons for past sins and for the future ones...

...but I don't keep the money I get for them

A piece of black bread and a drink of water is enough for me

The remainder of what I get I take to Rome...

...to help them to collect in time for a new crusade

And these relics? Are they important ones?

Such that it is not fitting even to talk of them without taking your hat off

I have a shoe of the ass...

...ridden on by the Holy Family on their flight into Egypt

I have a feather from archangel Gabriel's wing...

...which he lost during the Annunciation

I have some of the oil in which the pagans boiled St. John

I have a rung of the ladder Jacob saw in his dreams...

...and a phial containing wind, which was blowing in the Bethlehem stable

Is the storm over?

Why, no, I suppose we will have to spend Christmas Eve here

Saddle the horses. Let's go

It's very dangerous now, my Lord, the roads are buried in snow

I have to reach the Duke of Mazovia before Christmas Eve

They will wait, my Lord, and here we may lose our way and perish

You can stay here, you drunkard

I can't. Who will defend my holy goods? Don't go, my Lord

- We rode off the highway - I warned you

- Let's go - The horses will not go on

Everything is going wrong, my Lord. One can't see the highway any more

There is a man under the snow

It will snow us over too, my Lord

It will snow us over too, it will snow us over

My Lord! My Lord!

My Lord! My Lord!

It will snow us over!

Some men... light... There are some men there

- Hey! - You there! Hey!

Hey! Is anybody there?

Who are you?

The Duke of Mazovia's men. We have been sent to help travellers

Follow me, there are some people buried there

It is Jurand

Give me a torch

Rub him with snow

Gracious Lord. Jurand of Spychow has been found under the snow

You found him? Bring him here

Danusia?

We tried to find her. Have you left her back at Spychow?

I was going to her, to Ciechanow...

Why, you have sent men with a letter for her. Wake up!

By God's mercy, where is my child?

Listen. There came an armed troop with a letter from you...

...saying that you were injured during a fire

Woe to me. They have seized my child and they will destroy her

Who?

The Teutonic Knights... de Lowe...

...Godfryd... Rotgier...

- Was it you who dug me out? - With the others

- Are you going to help me now? - Your daughter saved me from death

- Do you love her? - I belong to her forever...

Even if I have to bite Prussian castles with my teeth, I'll get her

Do you know what the vengeance of the brothers of the Order is?

And now to Spychow

My Lord. Some monks are waiting for you here

They were bustling about Spychow. They want to speak with you

- Who are you? - Pilgrims

- Where from? - From Szczytno

Where is my child?

He who sent us ordered us not to speak with you in the presence of witnesses

I have no secrets before these men

But we have. If you bid them to stay we will have to depart

Since it has to be so, you remain alone

Your daughter was kidnapped by robbers

With crosses on their cloaks?

No. But God blessed the brethren, they rescued her and now she is with them

Where?

Under the protection of the pious brother Szomberg

Szomberg. The one who strangled Witold's children

He takes good care of her and she will not be harmed

What have I to do to get her back?

- Humble yourself before the Order - Silence!

- Have you a letter? - No

We say what we have to say

Nothing evil will happen to your daughter.

The brethren will repay you good for evil if you satisfy their just demands

- What do they want? - Brother de Bergow released

I will release him

And all the other prisoners you still have at Spychow

I will not bargain for my child

But that is not all

To protect the good name of the Order, the brethren add another condition

You will declare to the Duke and to the whole knighthood...

...that it was robbers who kidnapped your daughter...

...and that you had to pay a ransom to get her back

It is true that robbers kidnapped my child...

...and that I must pay a ransom to them to get her back

You will say that you took a ransom from de Bergow to pay the robbers

I have never taken a ransom

For it was never a question of your child

Or do something else

You may come to Szczytno yourself for your daughter

I? To Szczytno?

For robbers may again kidnap her on the way...

...and the suspicion will fall on the pious brethren

Who will guarantee my return from Szczytno?

The virtue of the brethren, their justice and piety

I will come to Szczytno. But both of you will stay here until my return...

...and then you will go with Bergow and the prisoners

You don't want to trust the monks so why should they trust you?

Whoever you are, do not test my patience

Say what you were ordered to say

The brethren told us you have to go to Szczytno without saying a word

Did they not tell you I would break you with a wheel in Spychow?

Your daughter is in the hands of the brethren

What did they want? Tell us

Are you sick, my Lord?

What news of Danusia? With what proposal have they come?

With a ransom. For de Bergow

Where is Danusia?

She is not with the Teutonic Knights

Come closer

He is destined for my daughter...

...and thus he is to be lord here after my death

You will serve him faithfully in peace and in war

Have you heard?

Dear God. Why are you giving me Spychow already?

I am giving you Danusia

The hour of death is unknown

Where is the master?

- What are your grace's commands? - I ask you where the master is?

- He is gone - Where to?

I do not know. He went heavily armed

The highway will be on the right, beyond the woods...

...and from the knoll you'll see the castle at once

From the knoll, you say? The castle?

You are not a German, sir, are you?

They did not pay their taxes

The brethren need a lot of money for the war with Samogitis

After the war against the Samogitians is over, they will start another one

Fishing is forbidden...

...hunting too... The tax on milling if very high...

...and if they find a quern in a hut, they don't even spare children or women

- Now you will find the way yourself - I will

- God reward you, worshipful master - God be with you

- Who is there? - Jurand of Spychow

- Are you Jurand of Spychow? - I am

The pious Commander Zygfryd de Lowe bids me to say to you...

...that as long as you do not dismount the gates will not be opened

And your weapons are to be given up

Now, by Order of the Commander you have to put on this horse sack...

...to hang the scabbard of your sword from your neck by a rope...

and to wait in humility at the gate until the Commander orders it to be opened

My child

On your feet, dog. The Commander orders you to appear before him

- Are you Jurand of Spychow? - I am

The pious Commander bade me to bring you in. Follow me

- Have you no weapons on you? - I gave them all up

Beware of bursting into anger. You are under the force of the Commander

See how the power of the Order conquers malice and pride

- God grants it may always do so - You bit the Order like a dog

God has caused you to stand before us like a dog with a rope round your neck

Do not compare me with a dog, for you deprive of honour...

...those who have fought with me and perished by my hand

You still spit in pride

I am deprived of pride

By shaming my knighthood, you have shamed yourself

Do not complain that you have been shamed

Though you have been made a kennel man...

...it is better to be the Order's kennel man than one of your knights

By the Passion of the Redeemer...

...and everlasting Salvation, give me back my child as you promised

- Who promised you? - You did

Commander

The word of a Knight of the Order is to be esteemed as the word of God

How so? Will you not only let the girl go but also this mad dog to bite us anew?

I trusted Godfryd with this matter. Be calm, my son

Well, you wolf. You lapped our blood and now we pay you good for evil

I was hard on you but I was never treacherous

Here you have your child

This is not my daughter. It is not her

It is not your daughter? By St. Liborius of Paderborn...

...it means it wasn't your child we rescued from the robbers...

...for there is no other in Szczytno

There is. I heard her sing

We are all witnesses that we are giving back the girl the robbers thought

was Jurand of Spychow's daughter.

If that is not your daughter...

...it is no fault of ours but the will of our Lord

God looks upon your treachery

By the wound of the Redeemer,

by the hour of our death, ...give me back my child

If we give her back to you it will be with a bastard of mine

Spare him!

- On what are we taking counsel? - On our defeat

On what the Grand Master and the Chapter will say...

...and on the means of preventing our actions from harming our Order

- It still smells of blood here - I ordered the floor to be washed

Where is brother Godfryd's body?

In the chapel. The brethren are chanting litanies

- Where are the other corpses? - In the snow to get them stiffened

- Is Jurand alive? - He is alive

The soldiers wanted to finish him off but the Chaplain did not let them

It was a fatal idea to kidnap Jurand's daughter

Nobody will accuse us if the girl disappears

Pure reason speaks through brother Rotgier's mouth

Then even the Pope or the Roman emperor can take us to court

- What shall we do with the girl? - Give her to me

No, my son. When the Order is in question, renounce pleasure

Harden your hearts

Godfryd was reached by the hand of God for he desired not only

to avenge the wrongs of the Order, but also to satisfy his own lust

The time is near when the Order will be put to severe test

That is an evil night

You, brother de Bergow, will go to the Grand Master of Malbork

You have groaned in captivity with Jurand...

...so they will more readily believe you

Say that before we entangled this madman in a net...

...he managed to kill nine men and among them brother Godfryd

- God grant him everlasting rest - Amen

And tell him that although we wanted to subdue an enemy of the Order...

...yet none here was the first to draw sword against Jurand

I shall tell everything my eyes have seen

Are you quite certain Rotgier that nobody will learn the truth...

...about Jurand's daughter?

Besides Godfryd, the both of us and the woman servant who watches her...

...nobody knows we have her here

Godfryd ordered the men who brought her here to be hanged

Good

What will you do with Jurand's daughter?

I shall do whatever the good of the Order may require

Have you courage in your heart, my son?

Can you doubt it?

I do not doubt it

For your valiancy, I love you more than anyone in the world

Go then to Duke of Mazovia's court...

...and tell him what happened here as we agreed between us

That's dangerous

It's for the good of the Order

But what if Jurand survives and regains his freedom?

Even though he regains his freedom...

...he will never utter a word of complaint against the Order

Mindful of the Divine command we did not want to slay him...

...although he slew many of our men, first of all brother Godfryd

At last we had to entangle him in a net...

...then he raised the weapon and injured himself terribly

That night people in Szczytno heard laughter and voices calling in the air...

...the enemy of the Cross, the shedder of innocent blood, our Jurand

You say you summoned Jurand to Szczytno?

Yes, gracious lady, when we rescued the crippled girl from the robbers...

...we thought it was Jurand's daughter

How could you think that...

...when you had seen Jurand's real daughter with me in Cracow?

We monks do not raise our eyes to women

Also, there were many maids with the gracious Duchess in Cracow

How did you know about the kidnapping of Jurand's daughter?

The audacity and godlessness of this deed...

...made it known also among us

It is strange you would take the idiot-girl for Jurand's daughter

Perhaps Satan changed her

But robbers could not imitate Jurand's seal...

...or the writing of his priest. Who could do that?

An evil spirit. These questions are like swords in my breast...

...for suspicion is concealed behind them

I ask you, did Jurand himself accuse us of this deed?

His letter is available

That is true, there is Jurand's letter concerning robbers

See how the light of truth vanquishes darkness

Reward our losses and our blood, my Lord. He was your subject

What do you want?

Jurand attacked you in madness. Have I to be responsible for it?

My Lord, his land and fort...

...in which he imprisoned servants of the Order, lie in your duchy

Let at least that become, henceforth, the Order's property

That payment will not bring our dead brothers to life...

...but perhaps it will appease the divine anger and wipe out the disgrace

Haven't you got enough? All these countries...

...Eastern Pommerania, Prussia, the Chelmno county...

...which belonged to us and are yours today

Jurand's daughter is still alive

For no-one has told us of her death and you want to rob her dowry

Jurand shed the blood of the brethren of the Order

You admitted the wrong, my Lord

So recompense us as your ducal conscience...

...and your spirit of justice bids you

I come here as the Knight of the Most Holy Virgin...

...ready to defend the honour of the Order with my own blood

If there is anyone, despite what Jurand said...

...who dares to suspect the Order of kidnapping his daughter...

...let him take up this knightly gage...

...and venture on the wager of God's judgement

Is there anyone who will pick up that glove?

I will

Zbyszko of Bogdaniec

I take God as my witness, you, my distinguished Lord...

...and the whole knighthood of this land...

...that I am innocent of this blood that will be shed

They were men in combat according to law and custom...

...in a knightly and proper manner