TURKEY
MUHTEŞEM YÜZYIL
BY NIDA
Muhteşem Yüzyıl is a prime time historical Turkish soap opera television series. It was originally broadcast on Show TV and then transferred to Star TV. It is based on the life of Suleiman the Magnificent, the longest reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and his wife Hürrem Sultan, a slave girl who became Sultana. At age of 26, when his reign began, Sultan Süleyman sought to build an empire more powerful and more extensive 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 Ibrahim, Suleyman achieve great victories. Suleiman called Ibrahim his brother, friend and advisor. The television series shows Süleyman’s consolidation of his power: Pargalı Ibrahim being vazir 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. Another main focus in the series, is the life of Süleyman’s wife, Hürrem Sultan. A rebellious harem girl named Alexandra, destined to captivate the Sultan, rising from a slave to his favorite, and eventually the only legal wife. She will bear his children and rule the empire with him through bloodshed and intrigue, becoming famous throughout 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 and Mahidevran, mother of the Sultan’s eldest son and the role of Ayşe Hafsa Sultan, the valide sultan; Hürrem’s rise as Süleyman’s favourite 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 the Sultan’s sister and many others.