Diriliş: Ertuğrul, translated as 'Resurrection: Ertuğrul' , is a Turkish historical drama television series inspired by the life of Ertuğrul Bey, the father of Osman I, founder of the Ottoman Empire. Created and produced by Mehmet Bozdağ under Bozdağ Films, the series originally aired on TRT 1 from 2014 to 2019. It portrays Ertuğrul’s leadership of the Kayı tribe amid political conflicts, warfare, and shifting alliances in 13th-century Anatolia. The series is the first installment in Bozdağ Film’s Ottoman saga, which continues with Kuruluş: Osman and Kuruluş: Orhan.
The series was filmed in Riva, a village in the Beykoz district of Istanbul, Turkey, and premiered on TRT 1 in Turkey on 10 December 2014. The show aired for five seasons until 29 May 2019. It was written by Mehmet Bozdağ and directed by Metin Günay.
Netflix streamed the show internationally from 2016-17 through 2023.
The show has been well received in Turkey and other countries such as Pakistan and Azerbaijan, although several countries in the Arab world have banned the show and fatwas have been issued against it. The show has also been criticised for furthering a perceived political agenda for the government of Turkey.
Plot Ertrugrul was a 13th-century Turkic Muslim nomad warrior from Central Asia. Surrounded by the Mongols to the east and the Crusaders and Byzantines to the west; like other Turkic tribes, Ertrugrul's tribe too was pushed west by the Mongols. The Ertrugrul's Turkmen did fight for a homeland, which was established by Ertrugrul's son Osman as the Ottoman Empire. Ertrugrul TV serial attempts to present a vivid imagining of a 13th-century Turkic Asian community and Muslim culture.
Season 1
Süleyman Şah, Bey of the Kayı sends his son, Ertuğrul, to ask for land from the Emir of Aleppo. This is made almost impossible when the Kayı are put in a series of problems with the Templars after saving Şehzade Numan, Halime Sultan, and Şehzade Yiğit because of the traitor in the Emir's palace, Nasir, who works for the Templars but is later killed by Ertuğrul and the truth is shown to the Emir. A problem also arises with Kurdoğlu Bey, Süleyman Şah's adoptive brother, who seeks his brother's Beylik with the help of Selcan Hatun, Ertuğrul's adopted sister and sister-in-law, who wants revenge from Süleyman Şah as he killed her treacherous father, Alptekin Bey. Ertuğrul, who loves Halime, marries her after much difficulty. Selcan's husband, Gündoğdu, grows angry regarding Ertuğrul's actions but eventually calms down and supports his brother. Towards the end of the season, Kurdoğlu is beheaded, Ertuğrul successfully defeats the Templars and captures their castle, and Selcan repents. This is followed by Süleyman Şah's death and the tribe's migration to Erzurum as part of Süleyman Şah's will before he died.
Season 2
The Kayı, settled in Erzurum, seek refuge with the Dodurga after the Mongols, led by Baycu Noyan, massacre half their tribe. This leads to Ertuğrul facing Tuğtekin, his cousin, who is jealous of him along with Gündoğdu again who is misled by the big threat within the Dodurga; Aytolun and her brother Gümüştekin. Aytolun married Tuğtekin's father, Korkut Bey, so that she could help Gümüştekin become the margrave of all the Turkmen tribes with the help of Emir Sadettin after killing Korkut. Only Selcan is aware of this threat and constantly attempts to warn Gündoğdu, who ignores her for her misdeeds in the past. Along with these schemes, Kocabaş, Tuğtekin's alp who works for Baycu Noyan, turns Tuğtekin against Ertuğrul making their relationship worse but is later killed by Ertuğrul, and his relations with Tuğtekin gradually improves. Aytolun and Gümüştekin are killed after their treachery is caught when Selcan's words are listened to and Korkut is killed. Noyan is supposedly killed by Ertuğrul after the death of Tuğtekin and the tribe is split between 1000 migrating to Ahlat with Gündoğdu and 400 migrating to Western Anatolia with Ertuğrul.
Season 3
The poor Kayı newcomers face Ural of the rich Çavdar trade-veterans. Although Ural isn't the Bey of his tribe, he seeks more and more power, becoming jealous of the Kayı whenever something good happens to the small tribe. Meanwhile, the Templars who have infiltrated Hanlı Pazar, led by Hancı Simon, seek to kill Ertuğrul as he did to the Templars years back. Ertuğrul defeats Hancı Simon and conquers Hanlı Pazar, leaving Ural more jealous than ever. When Ural is accused of killing the Tekfur of Karacahisar, Andros, and causing problems for the Kayı, Ural is sentenced to death, however, he is saved by the devious Emir Sadettin. After the death of Candar, the Çavdar Bey, and Ural's father, Ural seeks help from the new Tekfur of Karacahisar, Vasilius, who wants to rid the Turks of the land, but is killed by Ertuğrul in an attempt to become the Bey of the Çavdar. When Vasilius attempts to ambush the Selçuk Sultan, he fails and is killed by Ertuğrul. Because of this, the Sultan makes Ertuğrul the Uç Bey angering Emir Sadettin, who vows to end Ertuğrul. At the end of the season, Ertuğrul falls into an ambush set by the new Tekfur of Karacahisar, Ares.
Season 4
It is believed that Ertuğrul is dead despite the truth being that he is actually captured by some slave traders. Meanwhile, Emir Sadettin convinces Dündar, Ertuğrul's brother and the new Kayı Bey, into selling Hanlı Pazar and moving back to Gündoğdu's tribe but is stopped upon Ertuğrul's return and is forthwith banished. After Ertuğrul's son, Gündüz, is kidnapped, Ertuğrul declares war against Karacahisar and is successful in conquering it. Following Ares' capture, Ertuğrul takes him to the Sultan and tells him to confess to the Sultan about Sadettin Köpek's misdeeds. The plan nearly works but Köpek is saved by the Sultan's wife, Mahperi, and leads to an event turning Ares, later killed by Noyan, into a Muslim. Soon after that, the Sultan is poisoned to death and Köpek's increase in power in the palace creates problems for the new Sultan, Gıyaseddin. Gıyaseddin allies with Ertuğrul and with the help of Hüsamettin Karaca, Köpek is beheaded. Halime dies in childbirth, giving birth to Ertuğrul's third and youngest son - the prophesied Osman. After this, Ertuğrul faces the return of Noyan but is successful in defeating him and his devious sister, Alangoya, who attempted to kill Osman. Noyan prepares for a battle, historically known as the Battle of Köse Dağ, and the Kayı move to Söğüt.
Season 5
After 10 years in Söğüt, in a Mongol-controlled Selçuk state, Ertuğrul faces many Mongol commanders including Alıncak and Subutai, along with the Selçuk assassin working with the Mongols, Beybolat. Beybolat is disguised with the name, Albastı, and he arrives following the death of his father, Umur Bey, Bey of the Umuroğlu tribe, who was sent to become the new tax collector of Söğüt. Umur Bey was killed by the disgraced Byzantine commander, Dragos, disguised as Söğüt Zangoç (), who seeks to take over the town. Beybolat, who becomes his father's successor, and Dragos, who takes control over Lefke Castle after killing the innocent Tekfur Yannis, cause many problems for Ertuğrul including Beybolat's control over Söğüt for a while. İlbilge, Beybolat's sister, is the only person in her family supporting justice; with her help, Ertuğrul, defeats and kills both Beybolat and Dragos. Following Beybolat's death, Ertuğrul faces Arikbuka, a feared Mongol spy and Alıncak's blood brother, along with the spy, Qiyat, who works for Hulagu against Berke, Ertuğrul's ally and the Han of the Golden Horde. The season ends with the death of Arikbuka and Qiyat along with Ertuğrul's marriage to İlbilge Hatun.
Episodes
Notes
Cast and characters
Engin Altan Düzyatan as Ertuğrul Bey: Ertuğrul Bey, based on the historical figure of the same name, is the son of Süleyman Şah and Hayme Hatun, husband of Halime Hatun and İlbilge Hatun, and the father of Gündüz Alp, Savcı Bey and Osman Bey. After the death of his father, he leads a portion of the tribe to the western borders of the Sultanate of Rum and establishes himself as the Bey of his own Kayı tribe. He frequently battles against Templars, Mongols and Byzantines. Düzyatan was initially reluctant to accept the role, fearing the show would be "ridiculous". He read 13th century works such as the Book of Dede Korkut in preparation for the part. Düzyatan called Ertuğrul "a real hero", and "smart, mature and just", praising his "vision, strength, purpose in life and all of his values", comparing him to Batman and Spider-Man.
Kaan Taşaner as Gündoğdu Bey: Gündoğdu Bey, based on the historical figure of the same name, is the eldest son of Süleyman Şah and older half-brother of Ertuğrul. He is married to Selcan Hatun and has two sons. For the first season, Taşaner "preferred Gündoğdu to behave like [himself]". By February 2019, Taşaner was in negotiations to reprise the role for the fifth season.
Hülya Darcan as Hayme Hatun: Hayme Hatun, based on the historical figure of the same name, is the widow of Süleyman Şah and mother of Ertuğrul. Darcan "found some of [Hayme's] characteristics in [herself], such as her patience, love of children, and sense of justice and self-sacrifice", with co-star Hande Subaşı describing Darcan as "like a mother" to the other actors during filming. Commentators praised Hayme's characterization, with Darcan hoping Hayme would be an example for women.
Didem Balçın as Selcan Hatun: Selcan Hatun, loosely based on the Book of Dede Korkut character Princess Saljan, is the wife of Gündoğdu, elder sister of Gökçe Hatun and sister-in-law of Ertuğrul. Balçın felt that Selcan was "a respected woman" as "she left her individuality and thought of the whole", and that her depiction was "important in terms of showing the importance given to a woman." Balçın reprised the role in the sequel, Kuruluş: Osman.
Esra Bilgiç as Halime Hatun: Halime Hatun, based on the historical figure of the same name, is the first wife of Ertuğrul, the mother of his children, and the Hanım of the Kayı tribe. Bilgiç made her acting debut in the series, calling it "an unbelievable opportunity" for her. Bilgiç described Halime as "cool-headed", with comparisons made to Hürrem Sultan; Bilgiç felt there were differences between the pair. She practiced swordfighting for the role, and said her role was ended after the fourth season as "the story of the new season [was] changed".
Cengiz Coşkun as Turgut Alp: Turgut Alp, based on the historical figure of the same name, is an alp of Ertuğrul Bey. Coşkun said he was excited "to revive such an important historical character", visiting Turgut Alp's grave during filming for the second season. Coşkun trained for one year for the role, and was considered for five different roles before being cast as Turgut, saying that he joined the series as "there was no project describing the founding period of the Ottoman Empire" at the time. He characterized Turgut as "a person who solves problems [...] with his intelligence" rather than with weapons.
Nurettin Sönmez as Bamsı Beyrek: Bamsı Beyrek, based on the Book of Dede Korkut character of the same name, is an alp of Ertuğrul Bey. Sönmez did not appear in part of the second season due to a foot injury incurred in a motorcycle accident. Sönmez said he "focused on the [...] effects of the conditions and atmosphere of the period on people", and "set [his] heart on being Bamsı Beyrek." Sönmez called Bamsı "a duty man", saying he was "like a walking heart" and "very attached to his brothers [fellow alps]". Sönmez reprised the role in Kuruluş: Osman.