Muhteşem Yüzyıl

Muhteşem Yüzyıl
Also known as	The Magnificent Century
Written by	Meral Okay (1–2)[1] Yılmaz Şahin (2–4)
Directed by	Yagmur Taylan (1–3) Durul Taylan (1–3) Mert Baykal (4) Yağız Alp Akaydın (4)
Starring	Halit Ergenç Meryem Uzerli Vahide Perçin Nur Fettahoglu Okan Yalabik Nebahat Çehre Selma Ergeç Mehmet Günsür Berrak Tüzünataç Gürbey İleri Pelin Karahan Ozan Güven Engin Öztürk Merve Bolugur Aras Bulut Iynemli Tolga Sarıtaş Deniz Çakir Meltem Cumbul Tuncel Kurtiz Burak Özçivit Burcu Özberk Serkan Altunorak Sarp Akkaya Filiz Ahmet Selim Bayraktar
Composer(s)	Fahir Atakoğlu Aytekin Ataş Soner Akalin
Country of origin	Turkey
Original language(s)	Turkish
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	139 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer(s)	Timur Savci
Running time	90-150 min.
Production company(s)	Tims Productions
Release
Original network	Show TV (2011) Star TV (2012–2014)
Picture format	1080i (HDTV) 576i (16:9 SDTV)
Audio format	Stereo
Original release	January 5, 2011 (2011-01-05) – June 11, 2014 (2014-06-11)
Chronology
Followed by	Muhteşem Yüzyıl: Kösem
External links
Website
Production website

Muhteşem Yüzyıl (Turkish pronunciation: [muhteˈʃɛm ˈjyzjɯl], English: The Magnificent Century) is a Turkish historical fiction television series. Written by Meral Okay and Yılmaz Şahin, it is based on the life of Ottoman Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, the longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and his wife Hürrem Sultan, a slave girl who became Sultan.^[2] It was originally broadcast on Show TV and then was transferred to Star TV.

Plot

At the age of 26, when his reign began, Sultan Süleyman sought to build an empire more powerful than Alexander the Great and to render the Ottomans invincible. Throughout his 46-year reign, his fame as both the greatest warrior and ruler of his age spread both East and West. With his companion Pargalı İbrahim, Süleyman achieve great victories. Süleyman called İbrahim his brother, friend and advisor. The television series shows Süleyman's consolidation of his power: Pargalı İbrahim being grand minister of state, reinforcing the rule of law throughout the empire, meeting foreign diplomats, and preparing for military campaigns, all set against the backdrop of the tension between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire.

The series also focuses on the relationships among the members of the imperial household, especially romantic entanglements and rivalries. The animosity between Hürrem Sultan and Mahidevran Sultan, mother of the Sultan's eldest son, and the role of Hafsa Sultan, the valide sultan; Hürrem's rise as Süleyman's favorite while pregnant with his son, her fall from favor after her son's birth and her eventual return to grace; Pargalı İbrahim's entanglement with Hatice Sultan, the Sultan's sister, and many others.

Season 1

While hunting in the woods, young 26 year old Süleyman discovers his father the Sultan Selim has died in 1520, and that he must go to Istanbul to take the throne. Meanwhile, an Ukrainian girl named Alexandra gets kidnapped in a Tartar slave raid. Her parents and sister are killed.

Süleyman arrives at Constantinople with his best friend, Pargalı Ibrahim. Alexandra is taken on a ship through the Black Sea, where she is mistreated and beaten badly, for she is very rebellious and claims she'd rather die than be in the Ottoman's possession. The Ottoman pirates sell her to the Palace at Crimea, and from there she is sold to the Topkapı Palace in Istanbul. Once Alexandra arrives at the palace she is inspected, and accepted into the Sultan's harem.

Mahidevran Sultan, a senior hatun and mother of the sultan's only son, Mustafa, gets worried when she notices Süleyman is not spending time with her anymore. Meanwhile, Nigar (one of the main Harem leaders) explains to Alexandra that all of them arrived as slaves, but if she behaves herself and does as she is told, she will be summoned by the Sultan, and if she wins his heart, and has a son, she will rule the world as a Sultana.

Hatice, Suleyman's sister, hears Ibrahim as he plays his violin at night from his terrace, and secretly falls in love with him. That night, there is a big party to welcome Süleyman, and many slave girls, including Alexandra, are chosen to dance for him. Süleyman watches Alexandra dancing, and falls in love with her. She is then invited to spend a night in the sultan's room but was sent back due to a mishap with Mahidevran.

The next day as Alexandra gets ready to properly meet the sultan, she talks with Nigar Kalfa. She tells Alexandra that Thursday is a sacred day, and that the sultan only sees his favorite hatun (lady) on that day. Alexandra is discontent upon knowing this, but spends a wonderful night with him.

Mahidevran is getting ready to see the sultan per the custom on Thursday, but then she receives news that Alexandra will spend that night with the sultan as well. This devastates Mahidevran. The sultan changes Alexandra's name to Hürrem, which means "who brings joy to one's face", and she converts to Islam. One night, at a party, Mahidevran intimidates Hürrem, making her dance. She calls Hürrem Alexandra and Hürrem corrects her, which is considered an offense, and the Valide Sultan sends Hürrem to prison. Mahidevran later visits Hurrem in the dungeon, and remarks that if she wishes to be freed all she must do is kiss her dress fold, and ask for forgiveness. Hürrem refuses, though, claiming she has nothing to apologize for. Mahidevran then leaves her in the dungeon. Days afterwards, Süleyman demands to see Hürrem and removes her from prison. When the Valide Sultan finds out about this, Hürrem falls further from the Valide's grace. Hürrem is in a horrible condition, and is ill for several days.

Süleyman gives a fabulous ring he has made himself to Hürrem as a gift. When Mahidevran sees the ring she tries to pry it from Hürrem's hand, but Hürrem manages to escape with the ring. Mahidevran, screaming and crying, faints. It becomes evident that Mahidevran is pregnant. One morning, Mahidevran beats Hürrem severely, blaming Hürrem for her recent miscarriage. When the sultan finds out, he tells Mahidevran he does not love her anymore.

Süleyman parts on his first campaign. In order to get rid of Hürrem in Süleyman's absence, the Valide Sultan plans to marry Hürrem with Casim Paşa's son. Hürrem refuses to leave and lies to the Valide Sultan, telling her she can't leave because she is pregnant. The Valide Sultan believes the lie and lets Hürrem stay, but she tells Daye Hatun to take Hürrem to the doctor in secret. Hürrem asks Maria (her best friend in the harem, who was kidnapped with her in her village)to help her run away. Maria refuses, and when Daye and Nigar Kalfa come to take Hürrem to the medic, Hürrem breaks a vase and threatens to commit suicide if they come any closer. Nigar convinces Hürrem to put the glass down. They take her to the medic and Hürrem discovers she is actually pregnant.

Süleyman receives news about Hürrem's pregnancy and becomes very happy. Weeks later, he returns from his campaign. Hürrem gives birth to a boy, Şehzade Mehmed. Later she gives birth to a daughter named Mihrimah.

Victoria, a concubine in the harem, is the former fiance of a man killed in war by Süleyman and has been sent to kill the Sultan. She finds favour with Süleyman and is renamed Sadika. She becomes a favourite of everyone, especially the Valide Sultan and Hatice, and becomes a trusted servant. After many intrigues, she attempts to assassinate Süleyman, and the season ends with her holding a dagger to his throat.

Also, Leo, Hürrem's fiance during her early years in the Crimea, arrives in an attempt to find her. He is recognized as a talented painter and is commissioned by the Sultan to decorate Hatice's palace and paint two portraits: Süleyman alone and together with Hürrem. Because of the rivalry and developing hatred between Ibrahim and Hürrem, he tries to blackmail and poison her but Leo saves her by eating the poisoned candy and dies, proving his love and honor.

Season 2

Sadıka tries to kill Süleyman but he disarms her and she is sent to prison. Later she is killed by Matrakçı who is found guilty for helping her to pass messages to the enemy; killing Sadıka is his punishment. Hürrem gives birth to another boy, Şehzade Bayezid.

Spanish Princess Isabella and her servant are kidnapped by Turkish pirates and sold to Süleyman. They live in isolation in the forest in a hunting lodge. Süleyman wants to use them as an advantage when he bargains with European sovereigns. Isabella wants to escape but fails several times. Hürrem is jealous and threatens Isabella. Eventually she helps her to escape but the princess is stopped by İbrahim. Finally Isabella falls in love with Süleyman; she moves into the harem and becomes Süleyman's favorite. Hürrem with the help of Gül, Nigar and Nilüfer succeeds in sending her to Vienna, where she returns to the monastery.

Meanwhile, Bali Bey falls in love with a Jewish girl called Armin. The relationship is against the will of Armin's father and he makes her leave the city. When she returns, she is gravely ill. Bali Bey eventually marries her with the blessing of her father but the next day she dies.

Hatice gives birth to a boy but she accidentally kills him. She leaves her palace and goes to Edirne in order to recover. Meanwhile, İbrahim sleeps with Nigar once and then he sends her to Topkapı Palace. After some time, İbrahim leaves for war and Hatice calls Nigar back to her palace. Nigar is in love with İbrahim now. When İbrahim comes back, Nigar tries to commit suicide but İbrahim saves her. Hatice becomes pregnant with twins.

Mahidevran gives the Valide Sultan Leo's diary about Hürrem, which Gülşah picked up after Hürrem threw it out of window in a desperate attempt to get rid of it. The Valide calls Hürrem to her chambers, but then she faints. Hürrem calls for help and then she attempts to take the diary. Daye notices it and takes it before Hürrem can. She later gives it to the Valide Sultan and she uses it to make Hürrem Sultan leave. To save herself, Hürrem offers an estate to Daye which she eventually accepts and in exchange Daye gives the diary to Hürrem. When the Valide comes to Hürrem's chambers, she throws the diary into fire, destroying the only evidence of her and Leo's possible affair.

Hürrem tells Süleyman that she cannot practice charity because she is a slave. Süleyman frees her and when he goes to her room for the night, she tells him that she cannot share a bed with him because she is a free woman and her religion forbids her from sharing a bed with a man if she is not married to hi,. Süleyman thinks that she has concocted the drama about charity because she wanted to marry him. She is sent to another palace under the orders of the Sultan and the Valide Sultan sets a trap for her. She sends some attackers to kill Hürrem but Balı Bey saves her. She is found and returned to Topkapı Palace by Süleyman and he decides to marry her.

After marrying Hürrem Sultan, Sultan Süleyman comes to give the Valide Sultan the news, but when Hürrem tries to kiss her hand she stands up and shows displeasure with his marriage which she considers unacceptable. The Valide faints in the Sultan's arms and they take her to her chambers to rest. Meanwhile, İbrahim is shot during the ceremony with an arrow and it turns out that it was poisoned. Hürrem is afraid that they would blame her for this because she had sent an archer to kill İbrahim, but she called off the attack at the last minute when she saw Hatice's sadness. İbrahim's attacker was another archer sent by one of the viziers to kill him. The arrow is poisoned and İbrahim becomes seriously ill. Nigar, Matrakçı and Sümbül travel to heal İbrahim in one of the hot springs. Hatice is worried because she thinks that İbrahim will die.

Furious, Mahidevran comes to Süleyman's chambers and asks his guardian to let her in, but Süleyman refuses to receive her saying that he is busy. She requests her freedom, to spend her life as a free woman, which Süleyman denies. She then asks him to send her to exile with her son as it happens when princes come of age, but he tells her she can leave, but his son stays with him. Mustafa convinces his father to send them both to Edirne Palace.

At the Valide Sultan's initiative, her niece Aybige comes to Topkapı Palace from the Crimea, to be protected from the succession fighting between the Valide's brothers upon the death of their father, the Crimean ruler. They tell Aybige to stay away from Hürrem because she could be a bad influence on her, but she is stubborn and Hürrem is known all the way to her homeland so she decides to be friends with her. She falls in love with Balı Bey during her time at the palace as he is the one in charge of security of the entire royal family.

İbrahim falls in love with Nigar because she took care of him during his illness. Nigar is later married to Matrakçı Nasuh Efendi on the initiative of Hatice and the Valide Sultan. She is not pleased by her wedding because in reality she is in love with İbrahim, the Grand Vizier. On her first night in her new house, she is surprised to see İbrahim entering and he tells her that he and Matrakçı had a deal and that he is the one she will be with from now on. Meanwhile, Hatice gives birth to twins, one boy and one girl (Osman and Huricihan). Nigar is not pleased by this.

Time passes and at the age of 17, Mustafa comes back to Topkapı to be with his father.

While the Sultan goes to war, the Valide Sultan and Mahidevran conspire against Hürrem. The Valide places a spy and pretends to let Hürrem lead the harem for a while. During the rebellion provoked by the Valide's spy, Fatma, one of the slaves is accused of stealing gold and the innocent girl burns herself. The slaves take torches and march towards Hürrem's chambers and try to burn her, but Daye and the guardians save her. Daye gets fired for this.

When the Sultan comes back and finds out what has happened, he tells his mother that she is not capable of leading the harem and he is tired of all the fights. He is also angry with İbrahim because he didn't give him Hürrem's letter to him while they were away at war, but İbrahim says that he didn't want to worry him and that he had given orders to Daye and Nigar to protect Hürrem ever since the Sultan made him responsible for her life. The Sultan gives Daye back her post.

Hürrem and Mahidevran fight after Gülşah gets Daye's position and Mahidevran tries to slap her. Süleyman arrives and makes her apologize after which she goes crying to her chambers. Mustafa barges into Hürrem's chambers to talk to his father and they have a discussion about the way Hürrem manipulates him which makes Süleyman very angry. Later he tries to invite Mustafa to his chambers but he refuses. Mustafa almost looses his father's support when he decides not to accompany Süleyman to Hagia Sofia, but İbrahim manages to take him to his father.

Hürrem argues with Mustafa, and Süleyman makes her apologize for it. Hürrem is displeased so they have an argument.

Mustafa falls in love with a concubine named Nora (later Efsun) and she gets pregnant. He doesn't know that Efsun works for Hürrem Sultan and she has orders to poison him. She puts poison in his meal, but at the last moment she regrets and overturns the food. Mustafa gets sick, and Mahidevran concludes that it was all Hürrem's doing even though Mustafa didn't eat the poison. Fatma Hatun blames Efsun for working for Hürrem so Mahidevran asks her to tell a secret about Hürrem Sultan. Efsun asks Hürrem if she has another plan; Hürrem orders Efsun to tell Mahidevran about Aybige and Balı Bey's affair so that Mustafa and Mahidevran get hurt. When Aybige leaves the palace to go back to her homeland with Balı Bey, Hürrem sends another message using Efsun that both of them are running away and they shall never come back. Mahidevran tells Süleyman about them who sends ships after them to bring them back.

Cihangir, Hürrem's youngest son gets sick, and she doesn't tell Süleyman which infiuriates him, but after seeing his son so sick, he and Hürrem unite and he calls a doctor. Cihangir is developing a hump and they try to fix it while he is still a baby with physiotherapy. Cihangir gets better even though he can't recover fully and Süleyman has a heart attack. Mahidevran is conscious that when Süleyman dies, her son will be the Sultan so she tries to convince Mustafa that he needs to take precautions with his brothers but he refuses. She then talks to İbrahim. The Valide Sultan hears this and sends Hürrem and her children to Hatice's palace in order to protect them. When Süleyman wakes up Mahidevran falls even more from grace.

Meanwhile, Balı Bey and Aybige are brought back and Balı Bey tells the truth to Süleyman in front of Mustafa and İbrahim. Süleyman asks Mustafa to decide about Balı Bey's fate. First Mustafa sentences Balı to death but on the day of punishment he forgives him. Balı Bey resigns and returns to his homeland. Aybige also returns to Crimea.

Mahidevran finds out that Efsun is pregnant and wants to make her abort, but Mustafa stops her and sends Efsun to his chambers. Hürrem tells the Valide about Efsun's pregnancy and she sends Daye to get rid of the baby. Mustafa doesn't manage to save her this time, and both the baby and Efsun die. But before her death she warns Mustafa to stay away from Hürrem as she had tried to make her poison him. Mahidevran tells this to Süleyman who gives poison to Hürrem. As Hürrem shows no reluctance in drinking the poison, Süleyman believes that she is innocent. She survives as Süleyman was just testing her with a medicine.

Nigar gets pregnant with İbrahim's baby. Gülşah intrigues against Daye which causes Daye to kill a healer by accident so they fire her and threw her out of harem. Mahidevran is happy because she thinks Gülşah will get the post again, but is surprised to hear the Valide is giving the post to Nigar. Then Valide finds out about İbrahim's affair with Nigar Hatun, because her servant had followed İbrahim Pasha and he tells the Valide Sultan about the relations between İbrahim and Nigar, so she decides to fire her. The Valide comes to Süleyman's chambers to inform him, but suffers a stroke before saying anything. She becomes paralysed and eventually dies when she suffers another stroke after Hürrem tells her that she is going to inform Hatice about Ibrahim's affair. Now Mahidevran rules the harem, which she immediately uses in her favor to try to get the Valide's chambers, which Süleyman doesn't allow. She also buys many unnecessary things and exceeds the budget which makes her take a loan from a Jewish loan shark. Gülfem is appointed to Daye's former post.

Hürrem wants to get rid of Mahidevran and Mustafa. Mustafa is expected to leave for the province of Manisa but İbrahim convinces Süleyman to let Mahidevran stay in the harem. Hürrem, with Gül's help, makes a plan that would convict Mahidevran of trying to murder the Valide. However Nigar witnesses Gül's action and informs İbrahim. Gül is fired for it and leaves the palace.

Gülşah tries to get rid of Mahidevran's maid Fatma but it all turns against her. She is fired and Mahidevran orderss her to marry. Desperate, Gülşah wants to be Hürrem's servant but Hürrem also sends her away and tells her that she would have no profit from Gülşah being her maid. Gülşah later overhears a conversation between İbrahim and Nigar about Nigar's pregnancy. She accidentally breaks a vase and İbrahim and Nigar realize that someone has heard them. Gülşah wants to tell Hürrem what she has found out but Hürrem isn't in her chambers and Gülşah is driven out of the palace before Hürrem's return. Nigar later realizes that it was Gülşah who overheard her and she tells İbrahim. He orders Gülşah to be executed and she is stabbed several times and left in the wilderness to die. However, she survives and tells Hürrem about Nigar's pregnancy and eventually becomes her maid.

After the Valide's death, Daye leaves the palace. She gives all her property to charity and works as a servant of a wealthy woman. Hürrem wants to help her but Daye refuses. Eventually Daye commits suicide.

Nigar is ordered by İbrahim to leave the palace and go to his brother. Hürrem kidnaps her during the journey and hides her. Gülşah takes care of Nigar. Hürrem sends a message to Hatice that İbrahim is unfaithful and reveals the whereabouts of Nigar. Nigar successfully escapes but Hatice arrives and stops her. She arrests her but Nigar says that the father of her baby is Matrakçı. Matrakçı confirms it. Hatice confronts Hürrem who sends for Gülsah who had witnessed Nigar and İbrahim. Hatice later confronts İbrahim who admits cheating and being the father of Nigar's baby.

Hürrem intrigues against Mahidevran by making her appear to be the person who had ordered a servant to strangle Gülfem. Süleyman gives Hürrem the leadership of the harem.

Season 3

Once Hatice discovers Ibrahim's adultery, she immediately sends Nigar to prison. She then confronts Ibrahim, and assures him she knows Nigar is pregnant with his child, because Nasuh confessed everything after Hatice confronted him. Hatice tells Ibrahim she will divorce him and expulses Ibrahim from their palace. The next morning Hatice arrives at Topkapi and accuses Hürrem of trying to ruin her life, but Hürrem states she had nothing to do with it, and that she did not know anything before Gülsah told her. Hatice then meets with Süleyman and notifies him of Ibrahim's affair with Nigar. Süleyman then bestows Hatice the authority to make the decisions referring to that, and disowns Ibrahim himself. Gülfem talks to Hatice and convinces her not to divorce Ibrahim because it would please Hürrem. Ibrahim goes to war with Safavid dynasty and Hatice secludes herself in depression.

Hürrem is furious once she is informed that Hatice and Ibrahim will not divorce, and quickly begins to devise another plan. She captures the chambers of Valide Sultan which makes Hatice extremely angry and the two women have an arguments. Hatice informs Süleyman and he orders Hürrem to leave them room immediately but Mihrimah had fallen from a horse and now resides in her mother's previous chambers convinces her father to give the chambers of Valide to Hürrem so she could stay in Hürrem's previous chambers. Süleyman accepts it.

Hızır Reis finds a girl amongst a ship wreck and sells her to Topkapi. Hatice suffers a stroke in the Topkapi after seeing Hürrem mock her from the terrace. The girl heals her. Gülfem witnesses this and asks the girl's name. Her name is Firuze. Once Hatice recovers, she thanks Firuze for saving her life. Then Süleyman arrives, and Firuze has a strange vision of him. The rumor of Firuze's healing talent spreads through the harem. Afife Hatun chooses her as a concubine for the Sultan and unbeknownst to Hürrem sends her to Süleyman's chambers and he falls in love with her. Meanwhile, Nigar gives birth to a girl, but Hatice hides her from Nigar, leaving her to think Hatice killed it.

Hürrem orders her servants to search for the girl but Hatice and Mahidevran pretend it was Firuze's friend and not her that had been sent to Süleyman's chambers. Hürrem executes the girl and takes her revenge on Hatice by bringing Nigar back to the palace and threatening that she would inform everyone about Ibrahim and Nigar's relationship. Hatice allows Nigar to remain. She later sends the letter that Süleyman had written for Firuze to Hürrems chambers in order to make her angry. Hatice later puts Gülsah in prison as she had overheared her conversation with Afife about Firuze. Hürrem helps Gülsah escape and orders her to kill Hatice at midnight but Nigar saves her life and kills Gülsah.

Ibrahim is later joined on the campaign by Süleyman who is angry with him as Iskender Celebi had informed the Sultan that Ibrahim had started to refer to himself as a sultan on his official letters. Iskender later becomes accused of insulting the Grand Vizier and is executed by Ibrahim's order. After seeing a nightmare, Süleyman wishes Ibrahim die soon.

Years go by, and Ibrahim returns from the war, and realizes that although Hatice did not divorce him, she is still shunning his affection. He tries to maintain his relationship with her, but she refuses to listen to him. Hürrem is upset about Ibrahim's return, but is happy after being told that Hatice has not spoken with him. Although, one night, he finally managed to reconcile with her. Hatice and Ibrahim both plot against Hürrem.

Mihrimah Sultan who has grown up is in love with Yahya, Şehzade Mustafa's closest friend who has come to the capital to carry a message to Ibrahim. She starts to send him letters. Mustafa continues to serve as a Sancak Beyi in Manisa. Hürrem finally discovers Firuze's secret as she had sent her as a concubine to Mehmed per a suggestion by Nigar, who already knew the truth, but as Firuze was the Sultan's concubine it was forbidden for her to be in a relationship with a prince thus Hürrem finds out that she had lied to her for many years. Hürrem threatens Afife that she would kill Firuze. Süleyman decides to go on a hunting trip with his family but Mihrimah doesn't agree to accompany them because Firuze has been chosen to be by the Sultan's side not her mother.

A few years later Hürrem finally finds Kadar, the daughter of Nigar and İbrahim. She notifies İbrahim and threatens that she may kill her but finally gives the child to him. İbrahim also later makes Hürrem think that he has killed Mehmed as a revenge for what she did to her daughter.

Fatma Hatun gives birth to a boy. Süleyman goes to Manisa in order to see Mustafa's son and names the boy Süleyman. Hürrem, Mehmed and Mihrimah also accompany him. Seeing Süleyman's closeness to Mehmed, Mustafa starts feeling threatened by Mehmed but later he saves Mustafa's life by not letting an archer to kill him and instead he gets shot. Meanwhile, Mustafa has fallen in love with a girl named Helena. On a secret meeting with İbrahim, the Grand Vizier manages to persuade the prince to send Helena away. Hürrem finds out about the meeting and informs Süleyman and makes him think that Mustafa and Ibrahim are plotting against him.

While trying to kill Firuze on Hürrem's command, Rüstem finds out that the tattoo on her neck is connected to the Safavid dynasty. He notifies Hürrem, who informs Süleyman and the Sultan decides to send her away. On her way, the Persian soldiers find Firuze and escort her back to Persia telling her that the royal family had missed her very much. Mihrimah meets with Taslicali secretly but is spotted by her mother in the gardens who furiously sends her away and forbids it for her to meet Taslicali again.

Hürrem and İbrahim continue to plot against each other. She later summons İbrahim to a place outside the city in order to kill him but her men don't succeed and he survives. Meanwhile Hürrem sends a spy to Manisa to kill Mustafa but and she doesn't succeed and confesses in front of Mustafa that it was Hürrem who had sent her to assassinate him. Mustafa informs Ibrahim who brings the girl to Süleyman but instead of accusing Hürrem she accuses Ibrahim telling the Sultan that Ibrahim Pasha had asked her to accuse Hürrem Sultan of trying to kill Mustafa. Then she immediately commits suicide. Süleyman grows suspicious about İbrahim as a result of Hürrem's intrigues. Hürrem Sultan and Ayas Pasha gather the governmental documents which shows that Ibrahim had overused the power that was given to him by the Sultan. Meanwhile Şah Sultan and her family arrive to the palace at Hatice's invitation and she pretends that she doesn't want to stand against Hürrem.

Süleyman finally executes İbrahim after inviting him for a dinner and then sends the corpse to İbrahim's palace. Hatice becomes very sad at the death of her beloved and disowns her brother Süleyman. Together Hatice and Mahidevran plan on killing Hürrem by sending Diana, Mahidevran's servant, to murder Hürrem as a revenge, since they see her responsible for the execution of İbrahim but the girl doesn't succeed as the guards arrive but she pretends that it was another servant who wanted to kill Hürrem Sultan. Hatice gets banished to Manisa after Süleyman after he finds out that it was her plan to assassinate Hürrem. Finally, Şah decides to stand against Hürrem for her self-interests. Nasuh sends Kadar, who now had been named Esma by her father İbrahim, to her paternal family as Nigar, her mother, is now married to Rüstem.

Diana who hadn't succeed in killing Hürrem is now serving her loyally. Şah makes Hürrem think that Mustafa is coming to usurp the throne from his father while Süleyman is on a campaign and that Süleyman and her sons are wounded and trapped. Hürrem decids to take her sons, Bayezid and Cihangir (who had remained at the Palace) away from Mustafa but Şah takes Hürrem's sons to an old farm. Hürrem finds out and goes there personally to save her sons. Şah is waiting for her there and tells Hürrem that all of this was only a game. Hürrem then decides to finish Şah. Mihrimah is warned by her mother not to trust anyone except her.

Hatice returns to the capital unbeknownst to Süleyman decides to finish Hürrem herself because she thinks Şah is doing nothing. Hürrem secretly sends Şah's old love letter for Ibrahim to Hatice and she asks Şah to leave her palace immediately. She finally convinces Hatice that it would only please Hürrem if she sends her away so she let her remain and goes to the Topkapi herself.

Hatice sends someone to tell Hürrem that Mihrimah was in the Marble Palace but in reality, Mihrimah was still in the Palace. When Hürrem gets there, Hatice orders a woman, who practices black magic to put a hanker chief with witch craft in Hürrem's mouth. Hürrem is found unconscious by Sümbül, her most loyal servant, and she is taken back to the palace. After sometimes, Hürrem discovers that she's being witched and she warns Hatice not to play with her. She later beats Hatice on her way to Süleyman's chambers and orders her servants to throw her body in the woods. She is later found and brought back to the palace but Hürrem convinces Süleyman that her sister is mad and she had done this to herself so she could accuse Hürrem. Süleyman believes Hürrem and sends Hatice to stay with Şah.

Şah gets angry of Hatice. She has another plan to get rid of Hürrem Sultan. Hürrem later speaks with a priest and she recites the Quran to feel well. Hatice shows a great amount of gold underneath her palace and tells Şah to use it against Hürrem. Meanwhile Hürrem who has been informed of Ibrahim's hidden treasure tells Süleyman that his sisters had kept a huge amount of money hidden instead of paying it to the government after Ibrahim's death but Bali Bey saves the Sultanas by telling that they didn't know anything about this treasure. Hatice later meets Ebusuud tells him to help her clean herself from her sins.

Mihrimah invites Bali Bey and her mother to the Marble Palace at the same time in order to convince her mother let them marry but she refuses. Selim and Bayezid continue to struggle with each other with Bayezid being the one who is always punished by their parents. Süleyman again goes to war and Bayezid is left behind in the Palace. Feeling angry, Bayezid escapes the Palace and goes to the campaign without telling anyone but Cihangir who later informs his mother. But, Selim saw him and Bayezid is returned to the Palace by his father who was extremely angry because of his actions.

Hürrem decides to rent money from Rakilah, a loaner, but the money gets stolen by Şah. Hürrem is forced to rent money from another woman, named Portia, before the Harem's girls start to make problems. Rakilah took orders from Şah to tell Hürrem that Portia could perhaps help Hürrem. Portia is a Venetian woman and the Sultan was at war with Venice at that time. Hürrem took the money from Portia and then gives her the gold she had received by selling one of her properties. Mihrimah and her cousin Esmehan have an argument during which Mihrimah slaps her and she falls down. She later recovers but doesn't tell anyone that it was Mihrimah who did this to her as Mihrimah had threatened her.

The Sultan returns from the campaign and arrives in Edirne. Şah has taken the papers of Hürrem and Portia's trait and departs for Edirne to explain everything to Süleyman but Hürrem sends soldiers to attack her. Şah gives them a fake paper and gives the real one to Süleyman. He decides to banish Hürrem to Edirne and then returns to Topkapı Palace. Şah orders Rüstem Pasha to kill Hürrem Sultan while she's in Edirne but he refuses and decideds to stay loyal to Hürrem and demands a marriage to Mihrimah Sultan, which would make his closer to Süleyman and he will be able to enter the Diwan. Hürrem accepts but Mihrimah refuses after meeting her mother in Edirne.

Süleyman decides to make Hatice marry Hüsrev Pasha. She is obliged to accept but she continues to live in her old Palace. When Süleyman realizes this, he sends Hatice to Hüsrev's palace.

A Black Death epidemic breaks out and Ayas Mehmed Pasha and Mustafa Pasha die from the epidemic. Then, Lütfi Pasha becomes Grand Vizier and Şah becomes more powerful. A doctor saves Hürrem by telling the Sultan that the illness is spreading in Edirne. Hürrem returns to Topkapı by Süleyman's orders. Mihrimah accepts to marry Rüstem.

Mustafa falls from grace in his father's eyes because he had taken actions without informing his father.

Hürrem informs Mihirmah of her decision to marry her to Rüstem that makes her upset. Mihrimah continues to attract Bali Bey toward herself and secretly threatens the girl that he is in love with. In order to convince her, Hürrem meets Bali Bey at the Marble Palace with Mihrimah hiding in the next-door room. She overhears Bali when he says that he thinks Mihrimah Sultan is still a child. It makes her sad but she decides to forget him. Hatice, Lütfi and Şah plot to get rid of Rüstem so he cannot marry Mihrimah. Mahidevran suggests not to kill Rüstem but to create rumors that he is leper. Süleyman sends a doctor to confirm Rüstem's illness. The doctor finds a louse on Rüstem's head and takes it to Istanbul as a sign that Rüstem is healthy. Although he gets attacked by Lütfi's men on his way, he finally arrives in Istanbul to marry Mihrimah.

A few years later Mihrimah gives birth to a girl named Humaşah. Şah sends Mihrimah a girl to breastfeed Humaşah. Lütfi proposes to Süleyman to send Mehmed, Selim and Beyazid to govern different cities according to the traditions.

Nigar returns to Istanbul. She meets Şah and she is eager to take revenge. Hatice and Şah accept her request. They help Nigar enter the Palace of Rüstem and Mihrimah. She is told to kill Rüstem and Hürrem at night but when she sees Mihrimah's daughter, she remembers her own daughter and takes the child away. Rüstem's soldiers start to look for her and find her in the woods. She finally passes the baby back to Rüstem while a soldier aims to kill her on the order of Şah Sultan but she commits suicide herself.

Lütfi Pasha continues his crusade against prostitution. When one of the convicts makes fun of him he gets angry and punishes her without the permission of the judge. Şah discovers this and argues with Lütfi. He beats and slaps Şah. Süleyman send him to prison at first and later Sah divorces him, and he looses his position and is banished.

Mustafa meets the Austrian ambassador. This leads to a conflict between him and Süleyman. He punishes Mustafa by not allowing him to join the upcoming campaign and after the war is finished, Mustafa will not return to Manisa, instead he will be sent to govern Amasya. This leads to arguments between Mehmed and Mustafa. Süleyman leaves to palace in order to go to a war campaign. Mihrimah warns Mahidevran and her aunts not to plot against her mother. Şah tells Mahidevran and Hatice not to make trouble again but they start to plot against Hürrem.

A fake letter is sent to Hürrem informing her that Selim is seriously ill. Hürrem decides to go to Konya in order to see her son but in reality, he is pretty well and Hürrem becomes captured on her way and is prisoned in a secret place. Mihrimah accuses Şah, Hatice and Mahidevran for this but they don't accept their guilt. Süleyman gets very upset and starts to search for Hürrem but doesn't find her.

Hatice reconciles with his brother but then commits suicide fearing from the sultan's decision as he had realized that she was responsible for Hürrem's disappearance. She died thinking that she took vengeance on her husband's death.

Süleyman decides to go to war against Charles V, and he achieves a victory, while on the other hands Malkoçoğlu Balı Bey finds a lead on Ali Ağa (who was Hatice's servant and is responsible for abducting Hürrem) and he goes to follow this lead without informing Sultan Süleyman in order to find Hürrem.

Mihrimah discovers that her aunt Şah has sent a spy in the Harem and confronts her and threatens her to inform her father if she doesn't leave the city and gives away her money to Hürrem's charity institute. Meanwhile, Süleyman and Hürrem's son, Mehmed, gets murdered by his closest Şahin Bey (Ilyas who works for Mahidevran) by wounding him and transferring a contiguous disease into his body. The news reaches Süleyman who falls in deep sorrows and feels that everything is falling apart. Balı Bey succeeds in finding and rescuing Hürrem and brings her back to the palace.

Season 4

A soothesayer tells Hürrem Sultan that one of her children will become the next sultan but the Empire will be filled with blood. She is reluctant to this and sends the witch away. Meanwhile, Süleyman blames himself for the death of Mehmed and struggles to recover from the loss. Upon the death of Mehmed, the princes are called from their assigned provinces to the capital so that Süleyman can choose the next governor of Manisa.

Selim arrives to the capital first and gains the approval of most of the people in the palace. He is then greeted by his mother and sister. Mustafa is intercepted while on his way to the capital by an army of janissaries. They wish to accompany him to the capital as a sign of respect and reverence to him. Mustafa feels obligated to accept, but he is concerned about what his father will think of him. Bayezid is second to arrive to the capital, but his tardiness concerns his mother. He gives her mother a jeweled pin and his sister a horse from a jewish merchant. Mustafa is the last to arrive to the palace, but as expected, Süleyman is outraged because a horde of janissaries escorted him to the capital, which he considered a threat.

Cihangir prepares for his accolade ceremony. During the ceremony, Cihangir forgets the pledge and embarrasses himself and Süleyman in front of everyone. He is mocked from the balcony by Mahidevran, but she is immediately stopped by Hürrem, who indirectly accused her of killing Mehmed. Cihangir feels he has made everybody ashamed.

Hürrem and Rüstem become concerned when they realize how much the people and the janissaries love Mustafa, so they begin to conjure a plot against him.

A new group of slaves are brought to the palace, bringing along the rebellious Cecilia Bafo, the daughter of a Venetian prestigious nobleman. At night, Cecilia attempts to slit her vein with a mirror shard, but the commotion in the harem managed to attract Selim in time to save her. She is determined to become powerful by making him fall for her.

Süleyman is having trouble choosing a suitable governor for Manisa, so he asks Hürrem's opinion. She suggests Selim. Hürrem has a secret salon where she can listen secretly to the meeting at the Imperial Council. Süleyman announces his decision. Selim is chosen as the new governor of Manisa. Hürrem hears this news from the secret salon, and is relieved. Bayezid lashes out in anger because he thinks he deserves the position more than Selim. He blames his mother because he believes she must have influenced the decision. Mihrimah is upset about her father's decision, so she consults her mother and asks her if she had anything to do with it. Hürrem confesses she did recommend Selim, but that the only reason she did was to protect Bayezid.

Hürrem orders Sümbül to look for strong and beautiful concubines to be chosen for Selim's harem. Cecilia is out at night looking at the stars while she gets captured by guards. She is brought to Hürrem's chambers and tells her that she saw that the stars showing her that she would be chosen by Hürrem Sultan to be with Selim. Hürrem considers this ridiculous, and she tells Cecilia that she will lose her head if she asks this again. Cecilia attempts to bribe Sümbül to let her join Selim by offering him a very expensive Venetian necklace. He agrees. In the middle of the night, Valeria, Cecilia's former maid, finds out about the deal, and she hands Sümbül the necklace on account of her going with Selim. Valeria is chosen instead of Cecilia, much to Cecilia's surprise. At the last moment, Cecilia throws herself at Hürrem's feet and begs her one last time. Hürrem finally accepts, and she makes Cecilia vow loyalty to her. She changes Cecilia's name to Nurbanu. Nurbanu warns Hürrem that Valeria is unsuitable for Selim, so Hürrem expulses Valeria from the journey.

Rüstem and Hürrem plan to kill Mustafa while on his way back to his province, so sending archers to shoot him but, during the night, the archers are attacked by a duo sent by Piri Pasha, who are secretly in charge of protecting Mustafa. Before Atmaca and Yavuz kill them all, one of the archers shoots straight at Mustafa, but instead of hitting Mustafa, it hits Rümeysa, his concubine, who stepped in front of him as the arrow struck. Rümeysa and the baby die. Atmaca and Yavuz kill all the archers before being discovered by Taslicali, who was sent after the archers that were found dead.

While on a camping trip, Bayezid and Selim wander off on horseback and get lost. When Selim asks for help from a few pedestrians, they end up trying to kill him. Bayezid, much to Selim's surprise, saves him. When they come back to the camp, Selim lies and tells Süleyman that Bayezid was the one who got saved. Süleyman believes Selim despite Bayezid's efforts to convince him otherwise. When Süleyman finds out about Mustafa's assassination attempt, he becomes infuriated and orders Rüstem to track down the culprit. Rüstem frames a loyal merchant in Amasya for the assassination, and the news reaches Mustafa, who decides to march over there and arrest him personally. But, before the merchant could admit he was framed, Rüstem sent a guard to poison his food, and the merchant was found dead in his cellar.

Hürrem faints at night on her balcony and the doctors discover that she cannot have children anymore. Being embarrassed, she orders them to keep it a secret from everyone except Sümbül and Fariye, who were with her.

Fatma Sultan, one of Süleyman's sisters, arrives to the capital with Hatice's daughter Huricihan. All of the girls in the palace are surprised, including Hürrem, who was not expecting any visitor. Fatma tells her handmaid Melek that Mustafa actually has sent her to get rid of Hürrem. Fatma suspects something is wrong with Hürrem, so she blackmails the doctor into telling her about Hürrem's condition. Fatma doesn't hesitate and tells everything to Süleyman which makes Hürrem embarrassed her. Süleyman tells Hürrem that she shouldn't have hidden it from him, and that no matter what, he will always love her. After alerting Süleyman, Fatma announces Hürrem's condition to the whole harem during a ceremony. Mirhimah is offended because she was not trusted with this important information but warns Fatma to behave herself. Afife, having heard of Hürrem's current situation, suggests that it was possibly time for the sultan to move on, but Hürrem refuses to accept sharing him with another woman. But, with Fatma's consent, a beautiful woman is prepared and sent to Süleyman. Sümbül finds out and tells Hürrem, who entrusts the doorman, Lokman, with the task of getting rid of the girl. Lokman completes this task, and kills her before she could reach the sultan's door.

Selim killed a man in the city who was saying bad things about him, and his anxiety makes it difficult for Nurbanu to enamor him, so she asks Canfeda, the harem leader, to drug him. Canfeda refuses, but when Nurbanu threatens she will tell Hürrem Sultan, Canfeda accepts.

Hürrem, realizing that she can no longer give Süleyman children, prepares and sends a concubine to him herself. She picks Valeria. Süleyman spends the night with her, but everyone is surprised when they hear that Hürrem actually approved it. Süleyman discovers that Hürrem had sent Valeria. He is shocked, but reassures her he did not feel anything for Valeria.

Hayreddin invites Atmaca and Yavuz, and tells them that he wants to form a secret service in order to protect Mustafa. He orders them to become actual personal guards to him, to observe him more closely. Atmaca and Yavuz present themselves to Mustafa, and Mustafa accepts to have them as his new guards. Hayreddin Pasha's daughter Mihrünnisa is staying in Amasya with Mustafa for her security, but her closeness to Mustafa worries Mahidevran.

The people and soldiers are unhappy with Rüstem's management, so he takes drastic security measures.

Mihrünnisa almost dies while trying to spy on some of Mustafa's enemies, but she is saved by Atmaca and Yavuz. They are thankful she's okay, but now she has blown their cover, and they must answer to Mustafa. Mustafa tells Mihrünnisa that she has to leave because he doesn't want her to get hurt again. She tells him that she can't leave because she is in love with him.

The janissaries invite Rüstem to their headquarters for dinner, but he believes they want to poison him. At the barracks, he disrespects them and begins a fight. Hayreddin is happy when he hears this, because the law says you can't disrespect a janissary, and he knows Süleyman will be upset. But before Hayreddin was able to get the news to Süleyman, Rüstem's men kidnap Mihrünnisa. Once Mustafa finds out, he is devastated and determined to find her at all costs.

Fatma is notices Huricihan's interest in Bayezid, so she agrees to help him fall in love with her. Fatma breaks Huricihan's violin, so Bayezid will be forced to accompany her into the city to get a new one. While in the city, Huricihan kisses Bayezid and runs away.

Though neither Taslicali nor Atmaca and Yavuz approve, Mustafa personally leads the search for Mihrünnisa. He finally saves her, and confesses that he is in love with her and wishes that she would return with him to Amasya. She refuses in order to protect him, but he escorts her to the capital for her safety.

Hürrem and Rüsetm plan to get rid of Hayreddin. Rüstem takes advantage of Hayreddin's health conditions, and sends him poisoned honey. Once Süleyman finds out that Mustafa escorted Mihrünnisa all the way to the capital, he becomes furious with Mustafa, and bans him from seeing Mihrünnisa again, because he thinks that since she is Hayreddin's daughter, they could be plotting against him. Mustafa writes a letter to Hayreddin stating he wishes to have his daughter's hand in marriage. Hayreddin accepts, and sends Mihrünnisa to Amasya, and they marry in secret.

Bayezid and Süleyman have a heart to heart talk when Bayezid confesses he thinks Süleyman doesn't love him, and Süleyman assures him that he is loved and that he will try not to underestimate him again but their chat is interrupted with the news that Hayredding has had a heart attack and died. Bayezid wants to leave the capital because he had a bad conversation with his mother and feels he has no better reason to stay. Hurichan is heartbroken because she believes he is leaving because of the kiss they shared.

Hürrem discovers that Fatma divorced her husband because she was unfaithful to him, and tells Süleyman that Fatma wishes to marry him again, but she just couldn't tell him herself. Süleyman believes it, and plans for Fatma to marry her former husband again. She accepts but only because she is forced to do it by Hürrem.

Huricihan spends a lot of time with Cihangir. He falls in love with her.

Nurbanu succeeds in entering Selim's heart because he was drunk when they sent her to his chambers. She is moved into the favorites salon, where Dilsah, Selim's favorite, is her only room mate. They do not get along. Nurbanu becomes Selim's favorite. She purchases a tub where Selim and her can bathe together. She finds a puppy and brings it to the favorites salon. She hides it under a cushion, but Dilsah sees it and kills it. Nurbanu is heartbroken and Selim tells her to ask for something, and she requests her own private chambers. Selim agrees.

Selim continues to struggle because the man he had killed has a wife who has threatened him of accusation in court. Nurbanu finds out, and tries to reason with the woman, but Selim catches her and locks her in the dungeon. After several days, she asks Gazanfer, Selim's servant, to make him remember her. The next day, Gazanfer leaves one of Nurbanu's turbans on Selim's bed. When Canfeda arrives to give Nurbanu her food, she finds out that Nurbanu is unconscious. Selim, who was on his way to see her, finds her and carries her away. She awakens next to him, and learns that she has been forgiven, and she is pregnant.

Cihangir and Huricihan travel to Kutaya to see Bayezid. Bayezid and Huricihan spend the night together and fall in love. Cihangir discovers them, and is crushed.

Fatma meets Valeria and prepares her for Süleyman again. Valeria tells her that Hürrem Sultan had told her that she could only go one time. Fatma orders Valeria to stay away from Hürrem, and promises her that she will help her become a sultana. Fatma renames Valeria Nazenin.

A few weeks later, Bayezid decides to go to the capital to see Huricihan, but his mother finds out, and scolds him. He says that he will lose her if she bans him from seeing Huricihan, so she agrees to cover for them, but only this one time but, much to their dismay, Süleyman ends up finding out, and sends Huricihan to live with Beyhan Sultan.

For a few weeks Fatma continues to send Nazenin in secret to Süleyman, though he is unaware of the secrecy. After a few weeks, Nazenin admits a secret to Fatma. She is pregnant. Fatma takes advantage of the opportunity, and announces it in front of Süleyman and Hürrem, who is shocked and furious. Hürrem tries to get rid of the baby, but she regrets it at the last moment and saves Nazenin from drinking poisoned medicine. Finally, after much struggle, Nazenin gives birth to a baby girl named Raziye.

Fatma finally gets married with her former husband. She is very upset because she doesn't love him. During their wedding night, Fatma intentionally overfeeds him, so that he gets a heart attack and dies. Fatma finds out about Hürrem's secret salon because of a trick played by Mustafa, so she tells Süleyman. He becomes heartbroken and feels that he can never trust Hürrem again.

Nurbanu is upset that Selim is spending more time with Dilsah instead of her. She gives birth to a baby boy named Murad.

Instead of taking Hürrem, Süleyman takes Nazenin with himself to Manisa to bless the baby. Hürrem orders Nurbanu to prove her loyalty by killing Nazenin. Nurbanu is hesitant, but she succeeds by making it seem like she fell from the balcony, even though the rail was rigged and she was pushed.

Mustafa calls Bayezid to Amasya because he has a surprise for him. When Bayezid arrives, Huricihan is there waiting for him. While there, Mustafa entrusts Bayezid with the secret that he married Mihrünnisa. Bayezid takes Huricihan back to Kutaya, and they too, marry in secret.

Süleyman decides to exile Hürrem to Kutaya. On such short notice, Bayezid has to find a place to hide Huricihan. Hürrem arrives, and Bayezid had enough time to send Huricihan to a safe place, hiding her until Hurrem leaves. Rana, Bayezid's concubine, is jealous of Huricihan, so she tells Hürrem about Huricihan and where she is hiding. Hürrem confronts Huricihan and slaps her, but Huricihan tells that her she never forgot what Hürrem did to her parents, and that she will be forced to take vengeance if she separates her from Bayezid.

After a few days, Hürrem returns without Süleyman's permission to the capital which makes him furious. He tells her that he can forgive her, but he will never be able to trust her again.

Süleyman faints in his chambers that night. Afife and Lokman find him. The medics tell them that Süleyman is ill. Later that night, Süleyman awakens and he is told that he should rest, but Süleyman refuses to stay in bed and ignores his illness. He goes off to war and leaves Selim as the protector of capital. Bayezid is infuriated by this decision.

Hürrem orders Lala to get rid of Huricihan, but in order to stay with Bayezid, Huricihan strikes a deal with Lala telling him that Mustafa and Mihrünnisa are married. Hürrem uses this to her advantage. Mustafa gets a letter from Süleyman stating that he is very disappointed in him because he lied and disobeyed his orders. Mustafa knows that the only person other thsn him who knew about his secret was Bayezid, so he sends a letter to Kutaya and blames him. Bayezid gets devastated. He immediately realizes that Lala was the one who exposed Mustafa, but Lala blames Huricihan since she striked that deal to remain in Kutaya. Bayezid is heart broken that Huricihan betrayed his brother, so he tells her that he does not love her anymore. Bayezid leaves his province and goes to the campaign.

Piri Pasha decides that they should kill Hürrem because she is threatening Mustafa's path to the throne. During Mehmed's death anniversary, Hürrem heads to her son's mosque to pray over his tomb, but she becomes the victim of an assassination attempt her way. Yavuz releases a pile of boulders hanging over them. Afife, in an attempt to protect Hürrem, gets in the way and is hit by most of the rocks. They all end up unconscious. When Hürrem wakes up, she finds out that Afife is dying. She gets up and goes to see her. On her death bed, Afife warns Hürrem that Süleyman in extremely ill. Then, she dies.

Süleyman returns from his campaign because his illness got terribly worse. Everyone says that he is dying. His illness has gotten worse. Hürrem is worried, but she clings to the hope that Süleyman will survive. Süleyman wanders the name of his oldest son Mustafa. Hürrem tells Rüstem "This may be his last wish". Hürrem has no choice but to call him. She concedes the power of Mustafa and tells Rüstem that Süleyman wants Mustafa to come.

Rüstem calls him but also he plans an assassination to kill Mustafa but he had guessed this possibility, so he disguised himself as one of the guards, and Yavuz, who was disguised as Mustafa, got shot and died. Rüstem wants to get rid of Selim as well because he supports Bayezid. He tells Selim that the janissaries are rioting because they think Süleyman is dead, and that Selim should go and convince them that Süleyman is still alive. Selim goes to the barracks to talk to the janissaries, but Rüstem knew the janissaries would try to kill him and Selim couldn't survive through that. Nurbanu finds out so she tells Hürrem to find a way to save him. Mustafa arrives to the capital, and Hürrem asks him to save Selim because she knows the janissaries will only listen to him and that he can stop and command soldiers. Mustafa saves Selim and returns to the palace with him but Hürrem fears the power and prestige of Mustafa and she wants him to be executed.

Hürrem, with the help of Rüstem and Mihirmah, sends a fake letter to the Persian Shah Tahmasp. In the letter that has been sent without Mustafa's knowledge they write about ruling the empire and getting on throne while disposing off Süleyman. The Sultan believes that Mustafa has betrayed him when he sees his son's seal on the letter.

In year 1553, in Konya Sultan Süleyman orders Mustafa's execution. As soon as Mustafa enters the Sultan's tent, executioners come and grab him, many of them attempt to kill him and Mustafa finally dies. Mustafa's only son Mehmed is also killed on the order of the Sultan. The janissaries mourn over Mustafa's body and vow to avenge his death by taking Rustem's life. The Sultan fires Rüstam of his post in order to clam down the janissaries because he is suspicious about Rüstam's involvement in a plot against Mustafa.

Süleyman mourns at the lose of his son Mustafa, and begins to question his decision of killing him. Cihangir dies of heartbreak after his brother's death. Mahidevran and Mihrünnisa arrive at Topkapı shortly. Soon after, Mustafa's wife Mihrünnisa tells Hürrem that her winter is over but hers has just begun and then commits suicide by slitting her throat in front of everyone in the harem. Mahidevran along with Nergisşah Sultan and Fidan travel to Bursa where Mahidevran spends all her allowance to build Mustafa's tomb.

Fatma Sultan's husband Kara Ahmed Pasha becomes the next grand vizier but soon after he is executed by the Sultan for intriguing against Bayezid by sending money to a group of rebels supporting the fake Mustafa. Fatma plans to kill Hürrem but the Sultan saves her at the right time and Fatma gets banished.

Huricihan and Nurbanu have a fight and Nurbanu kills Huricihan. Hürrem finds out but Nurbanu treats that she would reveal the letters that Hürrem had sent to Manisa ordering her to kill Nazenin; thus Nurbanu declares open war against Hürrem Sultan. Hürrem tries to kill Nurbanu but does not succeed. Mihrimah who has become ill with a cutaneous disease falls in love with a man named Pedro who has been sent to find a cure. He succeeds in curing her and asks her to leave with him but Mihrimah refuses.

Bayezid and Selim return to their sanjaks and a strange girl named Defne enters Bayezid's harem and catches his attention becoming his favorite hatun. Defne, on the order of Nurbanu, tries to poison Bayezid but she is caught by Atmaca and it is revealed that she is pregnant and she did all this on the order of Nurbanu as she has Defne's sister as a captive. Bayezid gets angry and in the rage of anger he writes a letter to the Sultan explaining him Selim's actions and tells him that he is going to attack Selim's palace. But the letter does not reach Süleyman. Meanwhile, Hürrem is travelling to Manisa and on her way she feels sick and it is revealed that she has an illness which has no cure and that her death is near. Beyazid and Selim declare open war against each other. Bayezid with many janissary soldiers sets out for Manisa to take Selim into the account for all what he has done. Beyazid reaches Manisa and they both just start to fight but suddenly Hürrem arrives and stops them. She says that she would prefer Beyazid to be the next sultan, with Mihrimah and Rüstem's support, but later decides that she cannot choose between her sons.

After Hürrem's arrival to Istanbul Sümbül tells the Sultan about his wife's illness. Süleyman in order to find a cure for her disease takes Hürrem to Bursa where she visits Mahidevran. They finally forgive each other. Then with the help of Sümbül, she also finds the grave of İbrahim. She thanks him for choosing and sending her to the Sultan's chamber for the first time many years ago. Hürrem later dies in the arms of her beloved husband. After her death Süleyman falls into deep depression.

Mihrimah and Rüstem begin to work to make everything ready for Beyazid's succession. Meanwhile, Selim blackmails Rüstem because he had an affair with another woman, Gracia Mendez, and Rüstem switches sides. Beyazid and Selim have a huge war and Süleyman provides Selim with 5000 Janissary soldiers and supports him. Beyazid and his children escape to Iran and take shelter at the Persian Shah's palace but the Shah hands them over to Selim who orders their execution. Defne commits suicide and kills her son so Nurbanu cannot have the satisfaction of killing her. After the deaths of Bayezid and his family, with the support of Mihrimah, Rüstem gets killed by Atmaca who also dies shortly after fulfilling his duty, but the reason of his death is kept secret as Mihrimah pretends that Rüstem has died in his sleep since he was ill.

Semiz Ali Pasha is chosen as the new Grand Vizier. Meanwhile, Selim is growing older and more depressed with guilt. Mihrimah tells Selim that she hates him and calls him a kin slayer. Mihrimah secretly plots to have Selim's son succeeding him, and becomes close to her nephew, advises him on several occasions and chooses his consort which makes Nurbanu angry. Süleyman goes to war for the last time. At the camp, Süleyman delivers a speech to the soldiers encouraging them to attack the enemy. After returning to his tent he goes unconscious and dies soon after hearing İbrahim's voice during the final moment of his life. After his death the Ottomans win the battle and Selim becomes the next sultan.

Spinoff: Magnificent Century: Kösem

Muhteşem Yüzyıl: Kösem begins 37 years after the death of Suleiman the Magnificent. It recounts the life of Mahpeyker Kösem Sultan, a female ruler of the Ottoman Empire through her sons and grandson.

Series overview

Season		Timeslot	Season premiere	Season finale	No. of episodes	Section range	Season's years	TV Channel
	1	Wednesday 20:00	January 5, 2011 (2011-01-05)	June 22, 2011 (2011-06-22)	24	1 - 24	2011	Show TV
	2	Wednesday 20:00	September 14, 2011 (2011-09-14)	June 6, 2012 (2012-06-06)	39	25 - 63	2011 - 2012	Show TV, Star TV
	3	Wednesday 20:00	September 12, 2012 (2012-09-12)	June 19, 2013 (2013-06-19)	40	64 - 103	2012 - 2013	Star TV
	4	Wednesday 20:00	September 18, 2013 (2013-09-18)	June 11, 2014 (2014-06-11)	36	104 - 139	2013 - 2014	Star TV

Characters

Main characters

Actor name	Role name	Explanation	Seasons
Halit Ergenç	Sultan Süleyman I	The 10th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire	1–4
Meryem Uzerli	Hürrem Sultan	Haseki Sultan and legal wife of Sultan Süleyman, mother of the Sultan's five younger children	1–3
Vahide Perçin			4
Nur Fettahoğlu	Mahidevran Sultan	Sultan Süleyman's consort and the mother of Şehzade Mustafa	1–4
Okan Yalabık	Pargalı İbrahim Pasha	Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Süleyman's best friend	1–3 4 (voice only)
Nebahat Çehre	Hafsa Sultan	Valide Sultan and mother of Sultan Süleyman, Sultan Selim I's widow	1–2
Selma Ergeç	Hatice Sultan	Sultan Süleyman's sister, İbrahim Pasha's wife, mother of Osman and Huricihan	1–3
Yusuf Berkan Demirbağ	Şehzade Mustafa	Sultan Süleyman's eldest and Mahidevran Sultan's only child, first heir to the throne	1
Tunç Oral			2
Mehmet Günsür			2–4
Berrak Tüzünataç	Mihrünnisa Sultan	Şehzade Mustafa's wife and mother of his son, Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha's daughter	4
Arda Aranat	Şehzade Mehmed	Sultan Süleyman and Hürrem Sultan's first child	2–3
Gürbey İleri			3
Ayda Acar	Mihrimah Sultan	Sultan Süleyman and Hürrem Sultan's only daughter, Rüstem Pasha's wife	1–2
Melis Mutluç			2–3
Pelin Karahan			3–4
Ozan Güven	Rüstem Pasha	Mihrimah Sultan's husband and Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire	3–4
Yiğit Üst	Şehzade Selim	Sultan Süleyman and Hürrem Sultan's third child and later the 11th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, father of Murad III	3
Engin Öztürk			4
Merve Boluğur	Nurbanu Sultan	Legal wife of Şehzade Selim, later Valide Sultan of Sultan Murad III	4
Erhan Can Kartal	Şehzade Bayezid	Sultan Süleyman and Hürrem Sultan's fourth child	3
Aras Bulut İynemli			4
Aybars Kartal Özson	Şehzade Cihangir	Sultan Süleyman and Hürrem Sultan's fifth and last child	3
Tolga Sarıtaş			4
Deniz Çakır	Şah Sultan	Sultan Süleyman's sister, Lütfi Pasha's wife, Esmehan Sultan's mother	3
Meltem Cumbul	Fatma Sultan	Sultan Süleyman's sister, Kara Ahmed Pasha's wife	4
Burak Özçivit	Malkoçoğlu Balı Bey	Ottoman soldier, in love with Aybige Hatun, Mihrimah's love interest	2–3
Mina Tuana Güneş	Huricihan Sultan	Hatice Sultan and Ibrahim Pasha's daughter, Bayezid's legal wife	3
Burcu Özberk			4
Tuncel Kurtiz	Ebussuud Efendi	Kadı of Istanbul, later Şeyhülislam efendi	3–4
Filiz Ahmet	Nigar Kalfa	Servant and apprentice in the harem, İbrahim's lover and confidant and mother of his daughter Esmanur	1–3
Serkan Altunorak	Taşlıcalı Yahya Bey	One of the famous poets of the era, Friend and supporter of Şehzade Mustafa	3–4
Sarp Akkaya	Atmaca	Friend and supporter of Şehzade Mustafa and then Şehzade Bayezid	4
Selim Bayraktar	Sümbül Ağa	Chief eunuch of the harem and Hürrem Sultan's closest confidant	1–4

Supporting characters

Actor name	Role name	Explanation	Seasons
Selen Öztürk	Gülfem Hatun	Sultan Süleyman's first wife, Hatice Sultan's confidant	1–4
Tolga Tekin	Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha	An admiral of the Ottoman Empire as a Commander in Chief of the Navy and the first captain pasha, Mustafa's supporter, Mihrünissa's father	3–4
Mehmet Özgür	Lütfi Pasha	Şah Sultan's husband and later Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire after the death of Ayas Pasha, Esmehan's father	3
Yetkin Dikinciler	Kara Ahmed Pasha	Fatma Sultan's husband and later Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire	4
Pınar Çağlar Gençtürk	Beyhan Sultan	Sultan Süleyman's sister, Ferhad Pasha's wife	1–3
Sabina Toziya	Afife Hatun	Chief treasurer and leading servant of the harem, Yahya Efendi's mother	3–4
Fehmi Karaarslan	Ayas Pasha	The vizier for the council, later the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire after the execution of Ibrahim Pasha	1–3
Arif Erkin Güzelbeyoğlu	Piri Mehmed Pasha	Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire before Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha	1–2
Murat Şahan	Mustafa Pasha	Chief Commander of the Navy before Barbaros, later the vizier of the council	1–3
Yasemin Allen	Defne Sultan	Şehzade Bayezid's wife and mother of his last son	4
Serdar Orçin	Sinan Pasha	An admiral of the Ottoman Empire as a Commander in Chief of the Navy, Rüstem Pasha's brother	4
Ecem Çalık	Esmehan Sultan	Şah Sultan and Lütfi Pasha's daughter	3
Fatih Al	Matrakçı Nasuh	Mathematician, historian, geographer, miniaturist, and inventor, Ibrahim's confidant	1–4
Almeda Abazi	Nazenin Hatun (Valeria)	Sultan Süleyman's concubine, Raziye Sultan's mother, Nurbanu Sultan's former servant	4
Elif Atakan	Rümeysa Sultan	Şehzade Mustafa's concubine	3
Büşra Ayaydın			4
Serenay Aktaş	Ayşe Sultan	Şehzade Mustafa's concubine and mother of his daughter Nergisşah Sultan	3
Gonca Sarıyildiz	Fatma Hatun	Valide Sultan and then Mahidevran Sultan's maid, later Şehzade Mustafa's concubine, mother of his son Şehzade Süleyman	2–3
Cansu Dere	Firuze Hatun (Hümeyra)	A Persian princess in the Ottoman harem, in love with Süleyman	3
Melike İpek Yalova	Isabella Fortuna	Princess of Castille, in love with Süleyman	2
Özge Gürel	Rana Sultan	Şehzade Bayezid's concubine and mother of the majority of his children	4
Efe Mehmet Güneş	Sultanzade Osman	Hatice Sultan and İbrahim Pasha's son	3
Hasan Küçükçetin	İskender Çelebi	Ottoman finance minister renowned for his wealth, an enemy of İbrahim Pasha	2–3
Gökhan Çelebi	Ferhad Pasha	Beyhan Sultan's husband	1
Kıvanç Kılınç
Ezgi Eyüboğlu	Aybige Hatun	Valide Sultan's niece, Crimean Princess, in love with Balı Bey	2
Alp Öyken	Pope Clement VII	Pope of the Roman Catholic Church during that time	1–2
Sema Keçik	Daye Hatun	Valide Sultan's maid	1–2
Nihan Büyükağaç	Gülşah Hatun	Mahidevran Sultan's maid, later Hürrem Sultan's maid	1–3
Burcü Güner	Fahriye Kalfa (Diana)	Mahidevran Sultan's maid, later Hürrem Sultan's maid	3–4
Saadet Aksoy	Victoria (Sadıka Hatun)	A Hungarian countess. An enemy of Sultan Süleyman	1–2
Saygın Soysal	Mercan Ağa	Şah Sultan's confidant	3
Engin Günaydın	Gül Ağa	Hürrem Sultan's confidant	2
Kübra Kip	Canfeda Hatun	Nurbanu Sultan's servant and confidant	4
Yüksel Ünal	Şeker Ağa	Main chef of the palace kitchen	1–3
Gürkan Uygun	Mimar Sinan	Chief architect of Sultan Süleyman	3–4
Yıldırım Fikret Urağ	Sokollu Mehmed Pasha	Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire after Semiz Ali Pasha	4
Dolunay Soysert	Gracia Mendes Nasi	A wealthy Jewish woman who became a prominent figure in the politics of the Ottoman Empire	4
Burcu Tuna	Gülnihal Hatun (Maria)	Hürrem Sultan's childhood friend	1
Melisa Sozen	Efsun Hatun (Nora)	Hürrem Sultan's servant, in love with Şehzade Mustafa	2
Sebahat Kumaş	Esma Hatun	Hürrem Sultan's servant	2–3
Seçkin Özdemir	Leo	Hürrem Sultan's former fiancé	1
Gamze Dar	Fidan Hatun	Hürrem Sultan's servant, later Mahidevran Sultan's maid	2–4
Müjde Uzman	Armin Hatun	Balı Bey's first love, Joşua Effendi's daughter	2
Cemre Ebuzziya	Helena	Şehzade Mustafa's concubine	3
İrem Helvacıoğlu	Nurbahar Hatun	Şehzade Mehmed's concubine	3
Tansel Öngel	Alvise Gritti	a Venetian politician influential in the Hungarian Kingdom and regent of Hungary from 1530 to 1534	1–2
Erman Saban			3
Bergüzar Korel	Monica Gritti	Alvise Gritti's sister	1

International broadcasts

Country	Local title	Network	Premiere date	Timeslot
Turkey	Muhteşem Yüzyıl	Show TV (Season 1–2) Star TV (Season 2–4)	January 1, 2011	20:00
Arab League	حريم السلطان Hareem Elsultan	OSN Ya Hala(Pay-per-view)	December 13, 2011
		Dubai TV
Afghanistan	حرم سلطان Hurrem Sultan	1TV	August 2012
Albania	Sulejmani i Madhërishëm	Albanian Screen	December 2011	20:00
Algeria	حريم السلطان (Ḥarīm as-Sulṭān)	Echourouk TV
	Muhteşem Yüzyıl	DTV	2015
Azerbaijan	Möhtəşəm Yüz İl	Lider TV	December 2011	20:10
Bangladesh	Sultan Suleiman(সুলতান সুলেমান)	Deepto TV	December 18, 2015	19:30
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Sulejman Veličanstveni	Televizija OBN	August 22, 2012	20:00
Bulgaria	Великолепният век Velikolepniyat vek	TV7 Diema Family	September 7, 2012 August 29, 2015	20:30 16:00
Chile	El Sultán	Canal 13	December 14, 2014	23:00
China		CCTV	September 2013
Croatia	Sulejman veličanstveni	RTL Televizija	August 22, 2012	19:00
Cyprus		ANT1	September 2012	21:30
Czech Republic	Velkolepé století	TV Barrandov	December 17, 2011	20:00
Egypt		Al Hayat TV	November 2011
		MBC Masr	2014
Estonia	Sajandi armastus	Kanal 2	September 1, 2013	19:35 or 20:35
France		France 2	September 2012	20:00
Greece	Σουλεϊμάν ο Μεγαλοπρεπής Souleiman o Megaloprepis	ANT1	August 28, 2012 (Season 1, 2 3a) Οctober 21, 2013 (Season 3b) June 10, 2014 (Season 4)	21:30 (Season 1,2,3) 22:15 (Season 4)
Georgia	დიდებული საუკუნე	Maestro TV	September 2013	21:45
Hungary	Szulejmán	RTL Klub	January 4, 2013	21:30
Indonesia	Abad Kejayaan/King Suleiman	antv[3]	December 22, 2014	22:00
Iran	حريم سلطان Hareem-e soltan	GEM TV	September 2012	22:00
Israel	הסולטאן HaSultan	Israel Plus	December 2013	19:00
Italy	Il secolo Magnifico	Babel TV	June 2013
Kazakhstan	Сүлеймен сұлтан	Хабар	March 15, 2012
Kyrgyzstan	Даңазалуу доор	KTRK	March 15, 2012
Kosovo	Sulltani: Shekulli Madhështor	RTV21	January 2012	20:00
Lithuania	Didingas amžius	LNK	September 7, 2013	15:00
Latvia	Lieliskais gadsimts	LNT	September 17, 2016	21:05
Macedonia	Величествениот султан	Kanal 5	December 12, 2011	21:00
Morocco		Medi 1 TV	December 2011
Montenegro	Sulejman Veličanstveni	Prva TV RTCG	March 2012 October 11, 2013	20:00 20:05
Pakistan	میرا سلطان Mera Sultan	Geo Kahani	May 10, 2013 – Jan 27, 2015	21:00
Panama	El Sultán	TVN	November 9, 2015	20:00
Perú	El Sultán	ATV	February 15, 2016	21:00
Poland	Wspaniałe stulecie	TVP1	October 6, 2014	15.45
Romania	Süleyman Magnificul	Kanal D Romania	September 5, 2012	20:00
Russia	Великолепный век	Domashny	January 9, 2012	21:00
Serbia	Сулејман Величанствени Sulejman Veličanstveni	Prva B92 Nova.rs Pink	February 9, 2012 September 1, 2013 December 17, 2013 September 19, 2014	20:20 19:05 20:00 20:00
Slovakia	Sultán	TV Doma	December 15, 2011	20:30
Slovenia	Sulejman Veličastni	Planet TV	March 5, 2013	12:50
Spain	El siglo magnífico	1+1	July 7, 2014	21:32
Tunisia	حريم السلطان Hareem Elsultan	Nessma TV	April 2013	20:45
Ukraine	Величне століття. Роксолана	1+1	October 3, 2012	17:15
USA	Suleimán - El Gran sultán	MundoFox	July 1, 2014	20:00
Vietnam	Thời đại hoàng kim - The Golden Age	HTV7	February 4, 2015	11:00

Reception and achievements

Controversy

The show generated controversy and complaints from some viewers, for what they referred to as a "disrespectful", "indecent" and "hedonistic" portrayal of the historical sultan.^[2][4] Turkey's Radio and Television Supreme Council, known as RTÜK, claimed they had received over 70,000 complaints about the show and warned Show TV to publicly apologise for wrongly exposing "the privacy of a historical person".^[2] The Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the show as "an effort to show our history in a negative light to the younger generations."^[2] An MP for the governing Justice and Development Party, Oktay Saral, went further, threatening to outlaw the “misrepresentation of historical figures” in shows such as Muhteşem Yüzyıl.^[5] Small groups of Islamists and Nationalists protested the studio but the show remains successful with consistently high ratings.^[2]

Elif Batuman wrote in the The New Yorker:

"On the surface, 'Magnificent Century' looks like a quintessential product of the Erdoğan years. Thanks to Erdoğan's economic policies, Turkey has a thriving television industry, capable of staging elaborate period dramas, and a prosperous family-oriented middle class of observant Muslims eager to watch their own values reflected in a historical imperial setting. And, much as Erdoğan's foreign policy has promoted relations with former Ottoman lands, the show has conquered large audiences in Balkan, Caucasian, and Arab countries not known for their fond memory of Ottoman rule. Broadcast to more than two hundred million viewers in fifty-two countries, "Magnificent Century" has accomplished one of Erdoğan's main goals: Making a powerful, non-secularist, globally involved version of Turkey both plausible and appealing.... And yet Erdoğan is not a fan. In late 2012, at the opening of a provincial airport he took a moment to condemn the show's depiction of Süleyman, as well as its directors and broadcasters, hinting at severe judicial repercussions."^[6]

International popularity

Muhteşem Yüzyıl is reported to have an international audience of 400 million viewers.^[7]

A Nielsen Media Research market study found out that it is the most watched TV show in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2013 and the fourth most successful show in Serbia. The show is part of an ongoing revival of Turkish culture in the Balkans through imported TV shows from Turkey, such as Öyle Bir Geçer Zaman Ki ("As time goes by", number one TV show in Macedonia), or Fatmagül'ün Suçu Ne? ("What is Fatmagül's fault"), which was top ranked TV show in Kosovo 2012. Serbian sociologist Ratko Bozovic explains the popularity by pointing at the traditional, patriarchal values of the Turkish shows, and the many cultural and linguistic similarities between Turkey and the Balkan countries: “The mentality depicted in those shows has to do with a traditional understanding of morality that people in Serbia remember at some level." According to Bozovic, all Balkan countries have seen dramatic changes in terms of family life, and the Turkish shows help them recall value systems that now seem lost.^[8]

In Greece, the series has become quite popular. It has become so popular that^[9][10] Bishop Anthimos of Thessaloniki and the Golden Dawn party condemned the show and urged Greeks not to watch it. "No one should watch Muhteşem Yüzyıl, The Magnificent Century," Anthimos said. He added, "By watching the Turkish series we are telling them we have surrendered."^[9][11]

In Republic of Macedonia, Turkish series have become so popular, that the Macedonian parliament has moved to ban Turkish soaps to reduce the Turkish impact on Macedonian society. Turkish series will gradually be removed and replaced by national programs, according to a 2012 bill.^[10][12]

In Chile where the series is called El Sultán (The Sultan) it is aired since December 14 in Canal 13 on prime time. The Spanish voice of Süleyman is the same as the one of Onur in the Turkish soap opera Las mil y una noches. The series is part of a wave of Turkish soap operas that have become popular in Chilean TV.^[13] The series debuted right after the penultimate chapter of Los 80, a popular historical family drama produced by Canal 13. Pablo Illanes, former screenwriter of Canal 13, criticized El Sultán as "not even camp". ^[14]

In Pakistan, the show was named "Mera Sultan: Dastaan-e-Jalal-o-Jamal" (My Emperor: Story of Bravery and Love) and it aired on channel Geo Kahani. Geo Kahani claims that it is the channel's most popular show^[15] and continues to receive highest ratings,^[16] along with other Turkish series like Ishq-e-Mamnu^[17] and Fatimagul: Akhir Mera Qusoor Kia?.^[18] However, Geo Kahani faced several controversies^[19] and Mera Sultan got banned many times, but still completed the show.

In Bangladesh, the show was renamed as Sultan Suleiman and it aired on the new comer channel Deepto TV which was launched in November 2015 and started its broadcasting activity by telecasting first and second episode of this serial as the channels first opening program. It was the first Turkish drama series aired in Bangladeshi television. Through this program, the channel as well as the show acquired 2nd highest TRP by the first week of January and marvelously got the 1st place in the TRP ratings of viewers by the second week among all the Bangladeshi TV channels.^[20]

References

External links

• Muhteşem Yüzyıl at the Internet Movie Database
• Muhteşem Yüzyıl – Official Website
• Muhteşem Yüzyıl Official Facebook Page
• Muhteşem Yüzyıl Official Twitter Page
• Muhteşem Yüzyıl Official YouTube channel