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The Tartars (1961) movie poster

Timeline

The Tartars (1961) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1961 · 83 mins · Italian
Directed by
Richard Thorpe
Starring
Orson Welles, Victor Mature, Renato Terra, Arnoldo Foà, Pietro Ceccarelli, Folco Lulli

The Tartars and the Vikings hold a fragile peace on the harsh Russian steppe. When Viking leader Oleg refuses to aid the Tartars against the Slavs, violence erupts. Oleg kills the Tartar chief and kidnaps his daughter, prompting the chief’s brother Burandai to seize Oleg’s wife Helga as a hostage. The deadlock can be settled only on the battlefield.

Drama Action Adventure Cast, crew & box office
On this page (4)
  1. 1 Events in order (11)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Every angle

11 events in order · contains spoilers

The Tartars Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Tartars (1961) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Peaceful Viking settlement in Russia

    In what is now Russia, a Viking settlement lives in harmony with Tatars and Slavs. A fragile peace sets the stage for everyday life until tensions later threaten it. The alliance is central to the story's backdrop.

    Where
    Viking settlement in Russia

  2. Togrul seeks war against the Slavs

    Togrul, a Tatar chief, seeks Oleg's help to attack the Slavs. Oleg, leader of the Vikings, refuses and a confrontation follows. Oleg kills Togrul and abducts Togrul's daughter Samia as a hostage.

    Where
    Viking settlement outskirts

  3. Burundai proclaims himself Khan

    Burundai, Togrul's brother, erupts in fury and proclaims 'I am your Khan' to his troops. The high priest Ciu Lang cautions that Samia's promised status gives the Tatars leverage and urges restraint. The threat to the Vikings escalates as Burundai eyes revenge.

    Where
    Tatar camp

  4. Hostage exchange begins with Helga captured

    A Viking longship is attacked, and Oleg’s wife Helga is captured along with her handmaidens. Burundai promises to treat Helga well for the exchange but tortures the maids to test Viking strength. He rapes Helga and hands her over to his men before exchanging for Samia.

    Where
    Coastal waters and Tatars' fortress

  5. Samia falls for Eric

    While Samia is held hostage, she falls in love with Eric, Oleg's brother. The relationship adds a personal dimension to the looming exchange. Oleg remains determined to protect Samia and his people.

    Where
    Tatar fortress

  6. Helga's fate; failed exchange

    Oleg travels to exchange Samia for Helga. Ciu Lang leads Helga out to the battlements; she leaps down and is fatally injured. Oleg retrieves Helga and Samia to the Viking settlement, where Helga dies after asking him to kiss her.

    Where
    Tatar fortress battlements

  7. Eric and Samia face trial

    Grief-stricken Oleg contemplates vengeance against Samia. Eric reveals that Samia is pregnant with his child and wishes to marry her. Oleg orders Eric and Samia to stand trial for their actions before the tribal elders.

    Where
    Viking settlement council

  8. Burundai murders the priest and plans conquest

    Ciu Lang urges peaceful retrieval of Samia, but Burundai rejects restraint and murders the priest. He leads the Tatars toward wiping out the Vikings, driven by megalomaniac dreams of conquest. The internal leadership fractures deepen as the threat grows.

    Where
    Tatars' fortress

  9. Trial ends in stalemate; Burundai attacks

    In the elders' trial, the votes are split between acquittal and death, leaving Oleg to cast the deciding vote. Word arrives that Burundai is attacking; Oleg orders the women and children to flee to the mountains. He and Eric organize the defense of the settlement with the remaining men.

    Where
    Viking settlement and surrounding mountains

  10. Defense and escape to the sea

    The Tatars overwhelm the defenses; Oleg commands the defense and instructs Eric to take Samia to safety. Eric rescues Samia and guides her to a longship, while Oleg fights to hold the line. The longship departs as the siege intensifies and the settlement burns in the background.

    Where
    Viking settlement outskirts and sea

  11. Final duel and Oleg's death

    Oleg fights Burundai, throwing him into the water where he drowns. He salutes Eric and Samia on the departing longship. A Tatar spear strikes Oleg, mortally wounding him as the ship sails away and the settlement burns behind them.

    Where
    Coast as the settlement burns

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:03

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Timeline questions answered

The Tartars Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Tartars (1961): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Oleg refuse to help Togrul attack the Slavs?

Oleg refuses because he values the fragile peace between the Vikings, Tatars, and Slavs. He believes betraying the Slavs would destroy the mutual respect and shared survival that has kept all three groups stable on the harsh Russian steppe.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes establish the settlement's peaceful coexistence, showing the delicate balance Oleg is determined to protect.

  • oleg
  • togrul
  • slavs
  • peace
  • vikings
  • tatars
Q2

Why does Oleg take Samia as a hostage?

After Oleg kills Togrul during their confrontation, he takes Samia as a hostage to prevent immediate Tatar retaliation. This act turns a political dispute into a deeply personal conflict, as Samia is the daughter of the Tatar chief Oleg just killed.

Foreshadowing: The confrontation begins when Togrul demands help attacking the Slavs, making Oleg's killing of Togrul an act of both self-defense and defense of the peace treaty.

  • oleg
  • samia
  • hostage
  • togrul
  • tatar
Q3

Why does Burundai want to destroy the Viking settlement?

Burundai burns with rage after his brother Togrul is killed and his niece Samia is kidnapped. His desire for vengeance drives him to vow burning the Viking settlement to the ground, prioritizing personal revenge over the priest's counsel that Samia's safe return should take precedence.

Foreshadowing: Burundai proclaims himself Khan in front of his troops, showcasing his ambition and fury from the moment he learns of Togrul's death.

  • burundai
  • viking settlement
  • revenge
  • togrul
  • khan
Q4

Why does Helga jump from the fortress?

When Helga is led to the battlements for the exchange, she sees Oleg below and cannot bear the thought of returning to him after being brutalized by the Tatars. She chooses to leap to her death rather than face that shame and potential rejection.

Foreshadowing: The buildup to the exchange shows Helga's suffering, and the tense atmosphere at the fortress foreshadows her desperate act.

  • helga
  • fortress
  • jump
  • death
  • exchange
Q5

Why does Eric stand trial with Samia?

Eric reveals to Oleg that Samia is pregnant with his child, and they wish to marry. This forces the elders to judge them, not only for the forbidden relationship during wartime but also for the future of the tribe, as Samia carries a child of both Viking and Tatar blood.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Samia falls in love with Eric while held hostage, and their growing relationship complicates the political tensions.

  • eric
  • samia
  • trial
  • pregnancy
  • vikings
Q6

What happens to Ciu Lang the priest?

Ciu Lang, the Tatar high priest, repeatedly urges Burundai to seek Samia's return through peaceful means rather than vengeance. However, Burundai rejects this counsel and murders the priest before launching his full assault on the Vikings.

Foreshadowing: Ciu Lang warns Burundai that Samia's promised status gives the Tatars leverage and counsels restraint, but his warnings fall on deaf ears.

  • ciu lang
  • priest
  • burundai
  • murder
  • tatars
Q7

How does Oleg die at the end?

Oleg defeats Burundai in single combat, throwing him into the water where he drowns. After saluting Eric and Samia as they escape aboard a longship, a Tatar spear strikes Oleg, taking his life just as the settlement burns behind him.

Foreshadowing: The battle sees the Tatars overwhelm the defenses and breach the settlement, setting up the final confrontation between Oleg and Burundai.

  • oleg
  • death
  • spear
  • burundai
  • battle
Q8

Why does the Tatar attack happen during the trial?

The attack arrives precisely as the elders are split evenly on Eric and Samia's fate, forcing Oleg to delay his deciding vote. Burundai's timing is intentional, he launches the assault while the Vikings are distracted by their internal council, exploiting the moment of division.

Foreshadowing: The build-up shows Burundai rejecting peace and moving toward all-out war, with the priest's murder marking his final break from restraint.

  • burundai
  • tatar attack
  • trial
  • vikings
  • settlement
Q9

What happens to Samia and Eric's baby?

Samia is pregnant with Eric's child when they escape together aboard the longship. While the movie does not show the birth, the survival of Samia and Eric suggests their child will live to continue both the Viking and Tatar bloodlines, offering a hopeful future beyond the war's destruction.

Foreshadowing: Eric reveals the pregnancy to Oleg, emphasizing that their child represents a new generation that could bridge the warring peoples.

  • samia
  • eric
  • baby
  • pregnancy
  • escape
Q10

Why do the Tatars torture Helga's handmaidens?

Burundai tortures Helga's handmaidens to test the Vikings' strength and resolve, using their suffering as a psychological tactic. This brutality reveals Burundai's darker nature and sets the tone for the brutal treatment Helga herself endures before being exchanged.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows Burundai initially promising to treat Helga well for the exchange, but his actions quickly reveal his true intent.

  • helga
  • handmaidens
  • torture
  • tatars
  • burundai

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Tartars, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Tartars tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Epic Tribal Conflict Movies like The Tartars

Stories of ancient cultures clashing over honor, pride, and survival. If you enjoyed the grim tribal warfare and high-stakes hostage drama of The Tartars, explore more movies like it. This collection features similar epic historical dramas centered on ancient cultures, violent clashes over honor, and the tragic consequences of revenge.

  • epic
  • grim
  • violent
  • tense
  • brutal
  • tragic
  • Tone: dark, grim, tense
  • Pacing: steady, epic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically follows a straightforward escalation from a single insult or refusal into an all-out war. Leaders are tested, hostages are taken, and personal vengeance becomes inseparable from tribal duty, often culminating in a tragic or bittersweet resolution that underscores the futility of the conflict.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on pre-modern tribal settings, high-intensity conflict driven by honor codes, and a dark, heavy tone that confronts the brutal realities of survival and warfare. They share a steady pacing that builds tension through a clear chain of retaliatory events.

The Warrior movie poster

The Warrior

2005
Druids movie poster

Druids

2001
The Warlords movie poster

The Warlords

2007
Pathfinder movie poster

Pathfinder

2007
Blades of Blood movie poster

Blades of Blood

2010
Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale movie poster

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale

2012
Conan the Barbarian movie poster

Conan the Barbarian

2011
Warlords movie poster

Warlords

2010

Movies with Tragic Revenge Cycles like The Tartars

Where one act of violence spirals into an inescapable tragedy for all. For viewers who appreciated the relentless escalation of revenge in The Tartars, this list features similar movies where a cycle of violence leads to tragic consequences. Discover other stories with heavy emotional weight, bittersweet endings, and themes of honor and duty fueling destruction.

  • tragic
  • tense
  • melancholic
  • grim
  • brutal
  • inevitable
  • Tone: dark, tragic, melancholic
  • Pacing: steady, inevitable
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These films follow a cause-and-effect structure where pride and the need for retribution force characters into increasingly brutal actions. The conflict becomes a deadlock, often symbolized by hostage exchanges, with the plot marching steadily toward a climax that destroys the old order, leaving room only for a bittersweet note of future hope.

Why they belong together: These movies are united by their focus on the narrative pattern of cyclical revenge, a steady and inevitable pacing toward tragedy, and a bittersweet or bleak ending feel. They share a high emotional weight and explore the destructive nature of vengeance on both a personal and communal level.

The Revengers movie poster

The Revengers

1972
Acts Of Vengeance movie poster

Acts Of Vengeance

2017
Big Girls Don't Cry movie poster

Big Girls Don't Cry

2004
Ride Beyond Vengeance movie poster

Ride Beyond Vengeance

1966
Ek Villain movie poster

Ek Villain

2014
Red Light movie poster

Red Light

1949
Rolling Thunder movie poster

Rolling Thunder

1977
Badlapur movie poster

Badlapur

2015

Every angle

The Tartars (1961) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Tartars in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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