THE STORIES AND CHARACTERS DEPICTED HERE WERE INSPIRED BY OUR HISTORY
NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED DURING THE FILMING OF THIS PRODUCTION
May I come in, Aslıhan Hatun?
Come in, please, Ameer Almighty.
I wanted to see you.
I hope you have time for me.
If our state's ameer wants to see the Cavdar Bey, who am I to refuse?
I came here
to see my fiancée Aslıhan,
not the Cavdar Bey Aslıhan.
Then you shouldn't have come, Ameer Almighty.
Aslıhan...
You don't care about me.
But don't you care about your father?
Don't you care about his promise to me?
We made a promise to each other.
I promised him that I would protect you,
and care for you till I die.
And he promised me
that Aslıhan was going to be my wife, God willing.
He said, "God willing."
I gave a promise to my brother, too.
I said, "I will never leave my tribe without a leader."
Then why do you refuse me?
I am the Ameer of Seljuk Empire.
Let us revive your tribe together.
Let me do my best.
We don't need anybody's help, Ameer Almighty.
Thank you very much.
All right.
Enough with the kindness.
You probably don't know how serious this is, Aslıhan.
What would happen to your tribe when you refuse me?
Did you think about that?
Bey...
you know that I would die for you a thousand times.
But I cannot do that.
It would ruin not only me,
but also the woman who will be my wife.
How can I make her happy...
with my broken heart?
You have come out alive from a lot of fights, Turgut.
You will face this great challenge, too, God willing.
But, bey...
who would accept to be my companion...
at this great challenge?
Aslıhan Hatun.
How is that possible, bey?
What about Ameer Sadettin?
Aslıhan Hatun does not want to marry Ameer Sadettin.
And we can't force her into marriage, since she is like a sister to me.
It is our duty to marry her to a decent man.
And I think you are that decent man.
Bey...
while my love for Aykiz
is still tearing my heart out,
how can I love Aslıhan Hatun?
I don't want to do her an injustice.
You will love her over time, Turgut.
You would suit each other perfectly.
Your broken hearts will be whole over time.
But, Aslıhan Hatun would never leave her tribe, bey.
She does not want to leave her tribe.
Do you want me to leave mine?
I want to unite our tribes, Turgut.
Together we win.
Divided we fall.
This marriage would be good
for the unity of our tribes.
I know, it is hard for you.
However, you will overcome these difficulties.
Thank you, bey, thank you.
For our descendants...
for our traditions...
and for the sake of our tribes' hopes...
I will put out my heart's fire
with my tears.
Whatever you wish, bey.
Thank you, Turgut.
You must keep your promise, Aslıhan Hatun.
You made a promise to me.
By breaking your promise, you are ruining not only mine,
but also your reputation.
You still don't understand this?
You are enslaved by your desire, Ameer Almighty.
You do not think about anything but pride and reputation.
There is nothing more important than pride and reputation!
And as a woman
who let down Ameer Sadettin you will not find any man
who would be brave enough to marry you.
Aslıhan, if you leave me you will wither like a lonely flower.
You would decay here. You refused everything
for your tribe.
Childless, alone,
and hopeless.
You should never forget this:
I am your destiny...
now.
I only care about my tribe.
And I'm not afraid of dying alone at all.
Hereafter, I am the Cavdar Bey Aslıhan,
not your fiancée Aslıhan!
I am breaking off...
the engagement.
My destiny is to grow old in my tribe,
and die in my tribe.
You should know that.
When...
you end up as a beautiful but lonely woman...
because of your pride...
you will regret this.
But it will be too late.
Think about this.
Think about what you just lost, and what you will...
lose.
What is it, Son? You wanted to see us.
I hope everything is all right.
Everything is all right, Mother. Sit down.
I want to marry Aslıhan Hatun to a decent man from our tribe.
That sounds good, Son.
But what will Aslıhan say about this?
Since she talked to you about Ameer Sadettin,
it means she wants our help with that.
Who do you have in mind, bey?
Turgut Alp.
Bey...
how are you going to put out the fire of love in Turgut Alp?
Will this fire ever stop burning?
Would Aslıhan Hatun agree to this, if she knew Turgut Alp's old wounds?
You can't find happiness,
without suffering first, Halime Sultan.
And both Turgut and Aslıhan can stand this suffering.
I talked with Turgut.
He accepts my offer, if Aslıhan Hatun...
says yes.
Bey, what about Ameer Sadettin?
Would he accept this?
He will be on their backs.
He won't let them live their lives.
Ameer Sadettin cannot do much harm to them.
And we will always stand by them.
If he tries to hurt them,
I will stand against him.
And Turgut is a strong man, he can deal with Ameer Sadettin's tricks.
I want you to go and talk to Aslıhan Hatun.
If she accepts this,
we should take care of this as soon as possible.
Marriage is a great thing, Son.
If Aslıhan Hatun accepts, too...
we would fulfill Aliyar Bey's dying wish.
We would protect both his tribe,
and his sister from any instigation.
God willing, Mother.
God willing.
With this marriage,
we will connect our tribes politically, too.
This is very important for our tribes' future.
The Emperor wants us to make an agreement with the Turks.
He says, raise the taxes and give them what they want.
And he sent Commander Ares to conduct the negotiations.
Commander Ares...
The Emperor made the right decision
by sending a great commander like him.
We could have fought, we could have won.
Most of our soldiers are dead.
If we summoned new troops, Ertuğrul would have killed them, too.
We could have lost.
We would have died with honor. As Vasilius did.
Vasilius died for nothing, because of his temper and greed.
Remember, we will have our honor, as long as we have this castle standing.
So, you have a voice in the castle, now, Ekaterina.
You have managed to convince the Emperor, too.
Justice is served now, thank God.
The Emperor does nothing for our state,
and now he gives a woman so much authority.
You are underestimating a woman like me, Nikolas.
You should know that, if you stand against me one day,
no one can protect you from me.
Who do you think you are to threaten me?
May I come in, sir?
Come in!
Sir, there's a Turk here.
He says he is a messenger for Sultan.
Let him come in.
Soldiers!
They're starting to come at us like vultures.
Come to your senses. Choose your side right.
Or you will pay for it.
Seeing you in our nomad tent and hosting you here is a great honor.
Thank you, my dear.
We are here
as the messengers for Ertuğrul Bey.
We have something to say.
I hope nothing is wrong.
You are like a daughter to me, my dear.
And like a sister to Ertuğrul Bey.
Your trouble is our trouble.
We cannot close our eyes to you being forced into a marriage.
May God bless you for that.
However, Ameer Sadettin will not leave me alone.
I could not talk him out of it.
I broke off the engagement, I told him to his face this isn't going to happen...
but he doesn't look like he will give up.
Men have pride.
They cannot accept defeat.
They would fight for their love.
However, if one of the sides is not happy about it,
life would be miserable.
It is, Mother.
Life is miserable for me already.
Everyday feels like a nightmare.
Then, my dear, there is only one way out of this.
Ameer Sadettin finds you alone.
He finds you hopeless.
He does not care about anybody, Mother.
A jackal only fears a lion, my dear.
I know how you can save yourself from him.
You need a lion
that will love you, protect you,
look out for you, and stand against Ameer Sadettin,
and say, "Aslıhan is my wife now. You will stay away from her."
So, my dear,
Ertuğrul Bey thinks that the only way to save you from Ameer Sadettin
would be marrying you to someone else.
Mother Hayme,
who would dare to marry me after Ameer Sadettin?
Someone who will protect you,
someone who will devote his life to you, and that brave man is...
Turgut Alp, my dear.
Ertuğrul Bey thinks that you would suit each other perfectly.
Of course, you need to give your consent, too.
Artuk Bey...
what do you want?
I want to talk with the commander of the castle.
We're listening to you.
I am not going to talk to you, Çolpan Hatun.
My name is Ekaterina.
And you will talk with Commander Nikolas and I.
You have heard her. Now talk, Turk.
Sultan of the Seljuk Sultanate, Alaeddin Kayqubad, commands that...
hereafter, Karacahisar Castle
will be home of justice, not cruelty.
If you turn the castle over to us, your lives will be spared,
and we will let your soldiers go back to Nicaea safe and sound.
Otherwise,
we will level the castle to the ground,
and kill each and every one of you!
The ones who resist will suffer the rage of our Sultan and his army.
This is our first and last call.
It is up to you to obey the call.
Or you will face the consequences.
Sultan, I have some important news from Konya.
What is it, Aziz?
The Ayyubid army.
They are heading towards our borders, Sultan.
They're taking advantage of Mongol attacks,
and want to subvert my state.
Bring Ameer Sadettin and Ertuğrul Bey to me.
Yes, Sultan.
Tell your sultan,
we are ready for an agreement.
Our Emperor will send Commander Ares to conduct the negotiations.
We believe we can solve our problems in peace.
Sultan's commands are clear.
He will decide whether he will make an agreement with you.
I am sure your Sultan will not refuse a profitable agreement like this.
We will live in peace, without losing anybody anymore.
Otherwise, he will level the castle to the ground.
And everybody would find peace then.
We do not fear you. This is not over yet.
We will speak the language that you understand.
Mother Hayme,
before anything else,
I broke up with Ameer Sadettin, because I don't want to leave my tribe.
He is a bad-tempered man, but if it wasn't for my tribe,
I would have hidden the distress and accept my destiny.
What about Turgut Alp, would he agree to come to my tribe?
Ertuğrul Bey has talked with Turgut.
He is a self-sacrificing person like you, who considers what's best for his tribe.
And he agreed to live here in Cavdar Tribe.
God bless him for that.
Not every man would make such a sacrifice.
That's why Ertuğrul Bey thinks that you would suit each other perfectly.
You both live for the same cause,
and you only care about your tribes.
Look, my dear...
you will need someone like him on this sacred road.
Marriage is based upon self-sacrifice.
If you combine your love with self-sacrifice,
you will have peace in your lives.
I only seek peace, Mother.
Turgut Alp is a brave, chivalrous man. He fought together with my brother.
Ertuğrul Bey's companion cannot be a bad man.
That's why we are asking you to think about this, Aslıhan Hatun.
If you give your consent, we will make this happen.
There is no time for thinking, Halime. I am having nightmares every night.
Ertuğrul Bey must have thought carefully.
If Turgut Alp will be staying at my tribe, I give my consent for this marriage.
Then we will come to visit you tonight, if it is okay with you, my dear.
We do it properly.
We do it in accordance with our traditions and our religion.
You are welcome, Mother. You would honor my nomad tent.
We will send Abdur Rahman to the khan
to give Ertuğrul Bey the good news.
We need to go now.
Mother...
-Good luck with it. -God willing.
Sultan will send Ameer Sadettin for the negotiations.
And Ertuğrul.
What is on your mind, Nikolas?
They will not come out alive from here.
Do you hear what you are saying?
We cannot have Ertuğrul vulnerable again.
You cannot do that.
I want Ertuğrul and Ameer Sadettin dead, more than you do.
But, no. Not like this.
If you do this, Sultan will level the castle to the ground.
Do you think I care?
What are you going to do when Ares comes?
He would never let you do that.
I will kill him too, if necessary. I am the commander of this castle.
May I come in, sir?
Commander Ares is entering the castle with his soldiers, sir.
Let's not keep the great commander of the Emperor waiting.
Bey, I brought you a message from Mother Hayme.
Tell me, Abdur Rahman.
Mother Hayme said everything is fine, and you will go to visit tonight.
Thank you, Abdur Rahman.
Bey, what visit is this?
It is an auspicious visit, Bamsi.
Oh. An auspicious visit.
Good. Who is getting married, bey?
Turgut.
My God! My brother Turgut?
Bey, tell me more. How did this happen? Who is the girl?
Bamsi, come with me. I will tell you everything.
Okay, brother.
You are responsible for my suffering.
You have poisoned Aslıhan.
She broke her father's promise to me.
Aslıhan Hatun made a decision,
and everybody needs to respect her decision.
What about Candar Bey's decision?
Why are you not following an elder's order?
Why are you not following my decision?
Why are you creating difficulties for this marriage, Ertuğrul?
Ameer Almighty, if we are going to call each other to account
for the things that have happened to us...
you'll take the blame for that.
You are wrong on this, Ertuğrul.
You have involved with this personally. You got inside Aslıhan's head purposely.
What is essential is getting inside your lover's heart.
Come on, brother, tell me. What is this all about?
Who is this girl? Is she from our tribe?
Or from another tribe? From a near tribe, or a far one?
Tell me. Tell me, brother, Go on.
You won't let me get a word in, Bamsi.
Oh. Brother, I'm just excited because of all this joy.
Oh, dear.
Brother, tell me. Who is this girl? Go on.
The women Ertuğrul Bey wants me to marry with...
Yes, brother?
...is Aslıhan Hatun.
Bamsi?
Bamsi, recover yourself!
Brother, did I hear right?
Did you say Aslıhan Hatun?
Yes. I said Aslıhan Hatun.
Brother, isn't Aslıhan Hatun engaged to Ameer Sadettin?
Aslıhan doesn't want him.
She said she would never leave her tribe.
She made a promise to the deceased Aliyar Bey.
Right. Ameer Sadettin will take her away from her tribe, for sure.
And Aslıhan Hatun doesn't want that.
Her tribe would be without a leader then.
And Ertuğrul Bey wants her to stay
for the future of Cavdar Tribe.
And he wants me to marry her,
so Ameer Sadettin will get off her back, and our tribes will be united.
Good.
My brother!
My dear brother!
My brother is getting married!
My dear brother.
I am feeling on top of the world now, because of you, brother!
Take it easy, Bamsi. We didn't ask for the girl's hand. She hasn't said yes yet.
What are you saying, brother? Is there a manlier man than you?
Brother, you would suit Aslıhan Hatun, and she would suit you, too.
Let's hope for the best. God willing!
Amen.
But, brother... We...
Since we will go to visit her tonight, we need to get ready. Get up!
-Get up, brother. -Stop it, Bamsi. What are you doing?
Brother, first, we need to put you in order.
And we will start by tidying your hair.
Can't you see? Your hair looks like a real mess.
I will take care of this.
Ameer Sadettin, Ertuğrul Bey. Sultan wants to see you.
Come. I have been waiting for you.
I got the news from Konya that I have been waiting for.
The Ayyubid army is heading towards our borders.
The Ayyubid's greed
will give the Mongols the opportunity they've been looking for.
Ogeday's scattered troops will take this opportunity
and attack our state's inner walls.
You were the one who faced the Mongols' advance guards
at our border, Ertuğrul Bey.
You know them well, too. And you are right.
When they get the chance their troops will come,
not to plunder, but to demolish my state.
War is inevitable, Sultan.
We have to launch a campaign against them, with our army.
It is not about war, Ameer Sadettin.
When the time comes, The Ayyubid
will taste my sword, as my many enemies have before.
It is about the situation which the Islamic world is in.
Not only Islamic states, but even the smallest emirates
are killing each other with their unabated greed.
Until we unite them,
both Mongol and the Crusader raids
will continue to strike us, Sultan.
We will never drop Islam's justice flag to the ground, Ertuğrul Bey.
With God's permission...
this flag will always be in the air.
The ones who will stop the Mongol and the Crusaders’ atrocity
are the brave men who will fight under the Islam flag.
As long as our state is enduring...
and our beys are as brave and fair as you.
It is almost done...
We are about to finish. Just wait, brother.
It is done, brother.
Now, you are ready to go.
Now you look like you are going to visit a woman, not going to war.
You look wonderful. Wonderful!
See it for yourself.
Look, brother.
-Bamsi, what did you do? -What?
What is this?
-You look excellent, brother. -You call this excellent?
It looks like a goat licked it.
Why are you getting mad, brother?
It worked for me. Hafsa Hatun liked me because of this.
It is not about your hair, brother,
it is your heart.
Hafsa Hatun likes your heart.
Good. You are right about this, brother.
You are right. Good. However...
However, brother, a real man
is the one who is heartsick, and his hair is slicked.
And brother, when Aslıhan Hatun sees you like this,
she will be thunderstruck.
Sure, she will be thunderstruck.
Good, then.
Brother, we didn't dress you yet.
Let's dress you, then.
Stop, brother. Stop.
Please stop.
I can take care of it. Okay?
Okay.
Good. You take care of it.
You do that.
No!
Not this one, brother.
Not this shirt. Drop this.
Brother, are you going to migrate to a colder place with that one?
No, brother. No.
You should wear something thinner.
Drop that, brother. Drop it.
Tell me! What should I wear?
I will show you.
Not this one. Not this one, either.
Sultan, Artuk Bey is here.
Let him come in.
Sultan, I delivered your message to Karacahisar Castle.
Emperor sent a commander with full authorization.
They invite your envoys to the castle for peace negotiations tomorrow.
You have honored our castle, Commander Ares.
Do you know what honor means for a soldier, Nikolas?
Commander Ares...
It means to live with loyalty,
and die for his commander.
I heard you left Vasilius for dead.
I could not leave the castle defenseless,
when Vasilius left it was ambushed by Ertuğrul, sir.
I live to die with honor.
If I made a mistake, I am ready to pay the price.
Vasilius paid that price with his blood, Nikolas.
I am ready to die for you, and for our Emperor.
May God forgive his sins.
A castle without a commander is like a ruin!
But a ruin with a commander...
is stronger than Byzantine's walls!
When a soldier leave his commander for dead,
it means he also hands over the castle to the enemy!
Now take this disloyal man's body here.
I don't want him to soil the memory of the soldiers who died for the Emperor.
Are you Ekaterina?
Yes, it is me.
Come with me. We need to talk.
Subtitle translation by Reşat Bir