Sophia

The Byzantine ambassadors come to the audience with Grand Duke Ivan III. With them, the portrait of a young princess Zoe Palaeologus who the Pope offers as wife for Ivan III. Against such a union, the Metropolitan does believe that this is the Vatican's cunning plan - to unite under its leadership the Orthodox and Catholic Church. But Ivan III sees in this marriage serious prospects for strengthening the state.

The Metropolitan refuses to crown Ivan and Sophia, but he still can not stop the wedding. Sophia's closest servant, trying to save her daughter's life, is bargaining with the Catholic Church and trying to poison the princess. At the same time, Iurie Ivan's brother is facing death from the enemy's arrow.

The Veche gathered in Novgorod, under the leadership of the powerful Novgorod widow, Martha Boretskaya, kills everyone who stands in defence of Ivan III. At this time in Moscow, after the loss of her first child, Sofia does not eat and does not get out of bed until one day her lost daughter comes to her in a dream. The baby says that they can see each other in the temple, and, waking up, Sophia decides to build a temple on the site of the destroyed during the earthquake.

The Horde ambassadors come to Moscow for tribute, but Ivan refuses to pay. Returning to Khan, he reports that Moscow will no longer pay tribute and the insulted leader decides to go to war. The Metropolitan blesses the campaign, but Ivan's mother is against it and as soon the news comes to her that the other two brothers of Ivan, Andrei and Boris, have gathered an army against Moscow.

The Horde army is moving to Moscow but as winter is approaching, the Horde troops wait for the river to freeze in order to attack. A great standing on the river Ugra begins.

After the victory over Ahmat Khan, Ivan returns to Moscow, where letters from foreign monarchs soon begin to arrive offering their daughters to his son. Sophia does not like the proud and wayward girl chosen, but the Grand Duchess believes that Elena will get accustomed to the court. The young princess gradually begins to settle in the royal family, finding friends and allies with the "Novgorod heresy".

Ivan begins to suspect that his wife is cheating on him. Sophia denies treason, but the Prince decides to lock her up and forbids her to see her son. At this time, Ivan the Young learns that his wife believes in heresy, Elena and her companions in fear, and decide to poison the prince.

Having sent Sophia to exile, the Prince begins to drink. He dreams bad dreams, he can not make a final decision. At this time, Elena begins to seek an approach to Ivan, while he pushes it away. Elena believes that in her path there is only one person - Sofia, and therefore - she must be killed.