Muhteşem Yüzyıl (, ) is a Turkish historical drama series. Written by Meral Okay and Yılmaz Şahin, it is based on the life of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, the longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and Hürrem Sultan, a slave girl who became his wife. It also sheds light on the era known as the Sultanate of Women. It was originally broadcast on Show TV and then transferred to Star TV.
Plot The series follows the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, the most renowned ruler of the Ottoman Empire. As his power and influence spread and grew, it impacted him and those within the imperial household: his friend and advisor, Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha; his mother, Hafsa Sultan, the first Valide sultan; his sister, Hatice Sultan; Mahidevran Sultan, the mother of Suleiman's eldest son; and Hürrem Sultan, the Haseki sultan of Suleiman.
Production The series was directed by The Taylan Brothers and produced by Timur Savcı, Turkish cinema, TV series and film producer. The series cost a total of 130 million Turkish liras, making it the most expensive project on Turkish television.
A 2,100 square-meter plateau was created for the production work that began 5 months before the first broadcast date, and a group of 30 sculptors and painters built exact replicas of the structures there.
Series overview
Characters The Imperial Family Actor name Role name Explanation Character status Halit Ergenç Suleiman the Magnificent The 10th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, son of Selim I and Hafsa sultan Major Meryem Uzerli Hürrem Sultan Haseki Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and legal wife of Sultan Suleiman, mother of the Sultan's five younger children Major Vahide Perçin Nebahat Çehre Hafsa Sultan Valide Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and mother of Sultan Suleiman, head of the Ottoman Imperial Harem Major Okan Yalabık Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Suleiman's best friend, Hatice Sultan's husband Major Voice only Nur Fettahoğlu Mahidevran Sultan Sultan Suleiman's consort and the mother of Şehzade Mustafa Major Selma Ergeç Hatice Sultan Sultan Suleiman's sister, daughter of Sultan Selim I, wife of Ibrahim Pasha and mother of his children. Major Yusuf Berkan Demirbağ Şehzade Mustafa Son of Sultan Suleiman and Mahidevran Sultan, first heir to the throne Supporting Tunç Oral Mehmet Günsür Major Ayda Acar Mihrimah Sultan Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's only daughter and second child, wife of Rüstem Pasha Supporting Melis Mutluç Pelin Karahan Major Arda Anarat Şehzade Mehmed Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's oldest child Supporting Gürbey İleri Major Ozan Güven Rüstem Pasha Mihrimah Sultan's husband and Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire Major Yiğit Üst Şehzade Selim Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's third child and the 11th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, father of Şehzade Murad Supporting Engin Öztürk Major Merve Boluğur Nurbanu Sultan Şehzade Selim's concubine, mother of Şehzade Murad Major Erhan Can Kartal Şehzade Bayezid Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's fourth child Supporting Aras Bulut İynemli Major Mina Tuana Güneş Huricihan Sultan Hatice Sultan and Ibrahim Pasha's daughter, Bayezid's cousin and legal wife Supporting Burcu Özberk Major Aybars Kartal Özson Şehzade Cihangir Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's fifth and last child Supporting Tolga Sarıtaş Major Berrak Tüzünataç Mihrünnisa Sultan Şehzade Mustafa's legal wife and mother of his son Şehzade Mehmed, daughter of Hizir Hayreddin Pasha Major Deniz Çakır Şah Sultan Sultan Suleiman's sister, Lütfi Pasha's wife, Esmahan Sultan's mother MajorMehmet ÖzgürLütfi PashaHusband of Şah Sultan, later Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire after the death of Ayas Pasha, Esmahan Sultan's fatherMajor Meltem Cumbul Fatma Sultan Sultan Suleiman's sister, Kara Ahmed Pasha's wife Major Selen Öztürk Gülfem Hatun Sultan Suleiman's first consort and mother of his first child, Hatice Sultan's confidant, chief treasurer of the Harem Supporting Pınar Çağlar Gençtürk Beyhan Sultan Sultan Suleiman's sister, Ferhad Pasha's wife Supporting Gökhan Çelebi Ferhad Pasha Beyhan Sultan's husband, executed due to treason Supporting Kıvanç Kılınç Luran Ahmeti Divane Hüsrev Pasha Second-in-command Vizier, Hatice Sultan's third husband Supporting Gonca Sarıyildiz Fatma Hatun Maid to Valide Sultan, then Mahidevran Sultan, later Şehzade Mustafa's concubine, mother of his son Şehzade Suleiman Supporting Ecem Çalık Esmehan Sultan Şah Sultan and Lütfi Pasha's daughter Supporting Efe Mehmet Güneş Sultanzade Osman Hatice Sultan and İbrahim Pasha's son Supporting Serenay Aktaş Ayşe Hatun Şehzade Mustafa's concubine and mother of his daughter Nergisşah Sultan Supporting Yetkin Dikinciler Kara Ahmed Pasha Fatma Sultan's husband and later Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire Supporting Yasemin Allen Defne Sultan Şehzade Bayezid's consort and mother of Şehzade Mehmed Supporting Alize Gördüm Nergisşah Sultan Şehzade Mustafa's daughter Supporting Serhan Onat Şehzade Murad Şehzade Selim and Nurbanu Sultan's son Supporting Koray Efe Yazgan Şehzade Orhan Şehzade Bayezid's eldest son Supporting Özge Gürel Rana Sultan Şehzade Bayezid's concubine and mother of the majority of his children Supporting Almeda Abazi Nazenin Hatun (Valeria) Sultan Suleiman's concubine, Raziye Sultan's mother, Nurbanu Sultan's former servant. Supporting Gözde Türker Safiye Hatun Şehzade Murad's concubine, later mother of Mehmed III Guest appearance
Statesmen and palace officials Actor name Role name Explanation Depiction Character statusIn seriesIn real life person Burak Özçivit Malkoçoğlu Bali Bey An Ottoman military commander and a keeper of Sultan's privy chamber, in love with Aybige Hatun, Mihrimah's love interest Major Tuncel Kurtiz Ebussuud Efendi Kadı (judge) of Istanbul, later Şhaykh al-Islām (supreme religious leader of the Ottoman Empire) Major Tolga Tekin Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha Grand Admiral of the Ottoman Empire and the Kapudan Pasha (commander-in-chief of the Ottoman Navy), Mustafa's supporter, Mihrünnisa's father Major Yıldırım Fikret Urağ Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire after Semiz Ali Pasha. Husband of Ismihan Sultan Major Hasan Küçükçetin İskender Çelebi Ottoman finance minister renowned for his wealth, an enemy of İbrahim Pasha Major Fehmi Karaarslan Ayas Pasha The vizier for the council, later the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire after the execution of Ibrahim Pasha Supporting İbrahim Raci Öksüz Hadım Suleiman Pasha Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire after the banishment of Lütfi Pasha Supporting Fatih Dokgöz Semiz Ali Pasha Şehzade Bayezid's supporter, commander of the Janissary Corps, later a third-in-command vizier and finally the Grand Vizier following Rüstem Pasha's death Supporting Arif Erkin Güzelbeyoğlu Piri Mehmed Pasha Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire before Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha Supporting Murat Şahan Mustafa Pasha Fatma Sultan's first husband. Governor of Antakya. A heterosexual man, married Fatma Sultan twice. A homosexual man. Never remarried with Fatma. The death information of Mustafa Pasha is unknown. Supporting Serdar Orçin Sinan Pasha An admiral of the Ottoman Empire as a Commander in Chief of the Navy, Rüstem Pasha's brother Supporting Murat Tüzün Hain Ahmed Pasha An Ottoman governor and statesman, rival to Ibrahim Pasha, executed due to treason Supporting Gürkan Uygun Mimar Sinan Chief architect of Sultan Suleiman Supporting Adnan Koç Behram Pasha A vizier at the court, Ibrahim's enemy Fictional. Supporting Tansel Öngel Alvise Gritti A Venetian politician influential in the Hungarian Kingdom and regent of Hungary from 1530 to 1534 Supporting Erman Saban Ozan Dağgez Mehmet Çelebi Şehzade Mustafa's tutor, Piri Mehmed Pasha's son, Hatice Sultan's fiancé Fictional. Supporting Altan Gördüm Bekir Ağa An Ottoman official who was executed under Mustafa's order in Manisa on charges of bribery and incitement Fictional. Guest appearance
Palace servants and concubines The information of the servants and concubines are little known. Most of the characters are fictional. Actor name Role name Explanation Character status Selim Bayraktar Sümbül Ağa Chief eunuch of the harem and Hafsa Sultan's confidant after daye hatun and Hürrem Sultan's closest confidant, later Mihrimah Sultan's adviser Major Filiz Ahmet Nigar Kalfa Servant and apprentice in the harem later chief treasurer, first wife of Rustem Pasha, İbrahim's lover and confidant and mother of his daughter Esmanur Major Sema Keçik Daye Hatun Valide Sultan's maid and chief treasurer of the harem, Sultan Suleiman's nanny Supporting Sabina Toziya Afife Hatun Chief treasurer and leading servant of the harem, Yahya Efendi's mother and Sultan Suleiman's wet nurse Supporting Engin Günaydın Gül Ağa Eunuch that clarifies the harem prohibitions in the first episode, later Hürrem Sultan's confidant Supporting Nihan Büyükağaç Gülşah Hatun Mahidevran Sultan's maid, later Hürrem Sultan's maid Supporting Saadet Aksoy Viktoria (Sadıka Hatun) A Hungarian countess and spy for king King Lajos. An enemy of Sultan Suleiman Supporting Burcü Güner Fahriye Kalfa (Diana) Mahidevran Sultan's maid, later Hürrem Sultan's maid Supporting Gamze Dar Fidan Hatun Hürrem Sultan's servant, later Mahidevran Sultan's maid Supporting Melike İpek Yalova Isabella Fortuna Princess of Castille, in love with Suleiman. Not related to any real life person, although 2 women with similar name existed during the era: Isabel of Braganza, Duchess of Guimarães and Isabella of Portugal Supporting Cansu Dere Firuze Hatun (Hümeyra) Persian Safavid spy who poses as an Assyrian slave, Sultan Suleiman's concubine Supporting Saygın Soysal Mercan Ağa Şah Sultan's confidant Supporting Kübra Kip Canfeda Hatun Nurbanu Sultan's servant and confidant Supporting Cavit Çetin Güner Gazanfer Ağa Chief eunuch of the Manisa harem, in service of Nurbanu Sultan Supporting Yüksel Ünal Şeker Ağa Main chef of the palace kitchen Supporting Hayal Köseoğlu Nilüfer Hatun Hürrem Sultan's servant Supporting Burcu Tuna Gülnihal Hatun (Maria) Hürrem Sultan's childhood friend and servant Supporting Gökhan Tercanlı Perçem Ağa A guardian of the palace in service of Hürrem Sultan Supporting Melisa Sözen Efsun Hatun (Nora) Hürrem Sultan's servant, in love with Şehzade Mustafa Major Sebahat Kumaş Esma Hatun Hürrem Sultan's servant Supporting Seda Arslan Nazlı Hatun Hürrem Sultan's servant Supporting Kaya Akkaya Lokman Ağa A servant in Constantinople and later Kütahya harem, later a keeper of Sultan's privy chamber, in service of Hürrem Sultan Supporting Ünal Yeter Kiraz Ağa Afife Hatun's servant Supporting Suat Karausta Zal Mahmut Loyal servant of Rüstem Pasha Supporting Safak Baskaya Ferhat Ağa A keeper of Sultan's privy chamber Supporting Merve Oflaz Ayşe Hatun Sultan Suleiman's concubine, rival to Hürrem Sultan Supporting Elif Atakan Rümeysa Hatun Şehzade Mustafa's concubine Supporting Büşra Ayaydın Cemre Ebuzziya Helena Hatun Şehzade Mustafa's concubine Supporting Reyhan Taşören Dilşah Hatun Şehzade Selim's concubine, rival to Nurbanu Sultan Supporting İrem Helvacıoğlu Nurbahar Hatun (Clara) Şehzade Mehmed's concubine Supporting Patrycja Widłak Cihan Hatun Şehzade Mehmed's concubine Guest appearance
Others Most of the characters are fictional/fictionalized.