Synopsis
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 the greatest warrior and ruler of his age spreads both to the East and West. With his companion Pargalı İbrahim, Süleyman achieves great victories, and makes his name known in the Muslim World. 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.
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Cast
Seasons
Season 1
24 eps · 2011-01-06
Season 1 follows Hürrem’s dramatic rise from a captured slave girl to Sultan Süleyman’s most influential consort. Brought to the palace as Alexandra (Roksolana), she quickly becomes a rival to Mahidevran, the mother of Süleyman’s heir, Şehzade Mustafa. As Hürrem gains the Sultan’s affection, palace politics intensify: alliances shift, jealousy grows, and the harem becomes a battleground for power. Meanwhile, Süleyman expands the empire through major military campaigns, supported by his loyal grand vizier İbrahim Pasha. The season ends with Hürrem firmly establishing her place beside the Sultan, setting the stage for even greater conflicts in the palace and the empire.
Season 2
39 eps · 2011-09-15
Season 2 intensifies the palace power struggle as Hürrem rises higher in Sultan Süleyman’s favor, provoking fierce rivalry with Mahidevran and deepening tensions within the harem. Grand Vizier İbrahim Pasha’s political brilliance begins to crack under the weight of his pride, secret love affair, and growing distance from Süleyman. Hatice’s marriage deteriorates, alliances shift, and the palace becomes a battlefield of ambition, jealousy, and betrayal. As Süleyman leads major military campaigns abroad, Hürrem consolidates influence at home, reshaping the harem’s hierarchy and securing her children’s future. The season ends with loyalties strained, relationships fractured, and the empire’s most powerful figures standing on the edge of irreversible conflict.
Season 3
40 eps · 2012-09-12
Season 3 plunges the palace into deeper turmoil as Hürrem’s rivalry with Mahidevran and Hatice intensifies, while Firuze’s arrival threatens Hürrem’s position beside Sultan Süleyman. İbrahim Pasha’s pride, political overreach, and secret entanglements push him into dangerous conflict with both his enemies and the Sultan himself, ultimately shattering the trust between them. Süleyman’s campaigns expand the empire, but the strain on his inner circle grows, especially as Hürrem fights to protect her children and secure her power. Meanwhile, Şehzade Mustafa’s rising popularity and strength as a future ruler create new tensions within the dynasty. The season builds toward betrayal, heartbreak, and the unraveling of once‑unbreakable bonds at the heart of the empire.
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