Original subtitles

The events and characters in this show have been fictionalised based on history.

I, the Armourer Chamberlain Süleyman Agha...

...have brought news to my prince from Grand Vizier Mehmet Pasha.

His Majesty, Sultan Selim Khan...

...on the night of the 22nd of September, after the isha prayer...

...walked the path of righteousness in his tent in the Çorlu encampment...

...and has ascended to heaven.

It is imperative that...

...His Majesty, Prince Süleyman....

Your Majesty, Sultan Süleyman Khan...

...the dynasty and the entire Ottoman Empire awaits you.

MAGNIFICENT CENTURY

The Black Sea September 1520

Food! Get in line!

Alexandra...

...get up and eat.

Alexandra, get up.

You haven't eaten for days. You'll get sick.

Come on.

Maria, Alexandra, come on.

Don't drink the dirty Ottoman soup.

I'd rather starve than drink it.

Come here! Get up!

Eat that soup!

Don't touch me! I'll kill you!

You'll do what?

I'll kill you, you filth!

You're dead!

You hit me! You're dead now.

You dog!

Alex!

Come here!

Tie her up. Don't even let her drink.

Effendi, we'll do what you want!

-Have mercy! -I want to die! Throw me into the sea.

It's forbidden for you to die. You are the sultan's slave.

You can't die until you reach the palace.

The sultan will kill you if he so desires.

Jesus Christ,

may the sultan die.

May his palace collapse.

May Istanbul be destroyed.

Mother.

Pray for us. May Allah keep us from disgrace.

May he destine us to show the power and justice of the Ottomans to the world.

May Allah bless you with a long life. Long may you reign.

I give you my blessing.

Inshallah Allah blesses you as well.

I prepared a kaftan.

Bring my lion's kaftan.

My Hatice.

My sister.

I am Süleyman...

...the son of Yavuz Sultan Selim Khan...

...born of Sultan Hafsa Ayşe.

I am the one who brought joy to Trabzon Palace in the fall of 1499...

...and peace and prosperity to the place of his birth.

But also the one who yearns for his brothers...

...who lost Orhan, Musa and Korkut...

...to cruel pandemics in the battle against death.

Süleyman who grew up with the grief for his brothers.

I am Süleyman.

The one who learned from Rumi Hodjas at the age of 6...

...who loves the mountains, the peaks, the stars...

...who plays with numbers...

...who entered the Enderûn at the age of 10...

...who puts knowledge on the lectern...

...who asks questions as he reads and isn't convinced of the answers...

...who makes apparent the mysteries...

...who crafted jewellery to learn patience...

...who brought together the light of ore and rock...

...who was dazzled by the light he saw...

...who can tell...

...the precious from the worthless at a single glance...

...who never forgets what he understands.

I'm Süleyman.

The one who became the crown prince and governor of Manisa at the age of 16...

...the one who strives to shoulder his father Sultan Selim's honourable inheritance...

...who promised to seek justice at every step he takes...

...the tenth sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

Thankfully, Sultan Süleyman arrived without accident.

Otherwise what would have happened to us, Piri Pasha?

Allah forbid, it would be a disaster.

Not a disaster.

Doesn't Sultan Selim have another son?

You forgot about Üveys.

Üveys, who is forbidden to come to the capital...

...the one who is exiled to the eastern provinces.

This is not the time or the place for these words, Cafer Agha.

As Yunus says:

"Some words stop wars.

Some words lose you your head."

His Excellency, Sultan Süleyman Khan!

Müftü Edem Ali Effendi!

First Vizier Mehmet Pasha!

Second Vizier Ferhat Pasha!

Grand Admiral Cafer Agha!

The Rumelian Kazasker, Ali Effendi!

Vatican Palace

Your Excellency...

...we have received important news.

The emperor of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Selim, has died.

His son Sultan Süleyman has inherited the throne.

He is a young sultan.

His father won great wars.

He ruled with blood and power.

He was the potentate of the Islamic world.

The lion of Islam has died.

The lion is gone, and the sheep has taken his place.

I love you, I missed you so much.

I missed you too.

We will marry in this church.

Your father will perform the ceremony.

Our children will be baptised here.

Hush, my mother is looking.

The Tatars have come!

-Leo! -Alex!

-Leo! -Alex!

Father!

Father!

Mother!

Leo!

Murderers!

Who is the murderer?

We are the murderers? Apologise this instant.

No, not you, not the Ottomans. Tatars did it.

Apologise, Alexandra!

Stop being so stubborn, you nuisance!

Alexandra, apologise or it'll be a disaster for us.

It will be a disaster?! What more can happen to me?!

My mother, my father, my sibling...

...my Leo, all of my loved ones were murdered.

They sold me to the Crimean Palace as a slave.

As if it wasn't enough, they sold me to the Ottoman Palace.

What more can happen?!

Let them kill me, I'll be free.

I have nobody left.

It has too much pekmez and too little syrup, no!

We can't serve it to His Majesty.

Get rid of these!

Bring the quince and fig desserts now!

Allah grant me patience!

Şeker Agha, where are your dessert trays?

Why didn't you get help from the grand kitchen?

You went on about being the real kitchen of the sultan.

You wanted to serve his meal by yourself.

Do you see what happened? You couldn't manage it!

So help me Allah...

...I will put you in vinegar, not pekmez .

-Be quick! -We are ready, Sümbül Agha.

-We are ready, Sümbül Pasha. -Move!

Stop dawdling, or I'll have you hanged!

Quickly, take these, come on!

It's enough, untie her hands.

Tell her to clean up.

We can't deliver them like this.

What is this place?

Have we arrived in the Ottoman hell?

You see, İbrahim...

...we are closer to our dreams.

We are here after all the wars, the deaths and the raids.

We came to this night.

The future will be bigger, more magnificent, Your Majesty.

You will be a greater emperor than Alexander.

You are the Alexander of our time.

Only you and I believed in this dream.

What does fate have in store for us?

Come on, look!

The new girls have arrived.

They look so ragged.

Get in line. Stand upright.

Stay in line. Hold your heads upright.

These would make servants at best.

To the back.

Tell them to shut up.

Girls!

Don't make me come up there. Go to your rooms.

Who am I talking to?

To your rooms! Or I'll cut your tongues out!

See, it doesn't look like a terrifying hellhole.

We haven't seen anything yet.

Send the ones we've chosen to the hamam.

Have the lady physician examine them.

Take the rest downstairs. You'll take a look tomorrow.

Let go of me!

Let go of me, I say!

Damn your palace and damn your sultan to hell!

What's happening?

What's this commotion? Who is this crass girl?

New girls sent to our sultan as a gift from Crimea, my lady.

Bring me that insolent girl.

You are gazing at the stars again, Pargalı.

Tell me, what are they saying?

Grand Vizier Piri Mehmet Pasha wishes to appear before you, my sultan.

He may come.

As required by tradition...

...I came to return the privy seal to you, Your Majesty.

I would like you to remain my grand vizier, Piri Pasha.

You are a pasha who served Sultan Selim Khan...

...with great success and loyalty.

The crown is indebted to you.

I wish you to keep your station.

Your wish is my command.

Please accept my gratitude.

Another matter, Piri Pasha.

You know my grand falconer Pargalı İbrahim.

He is to be my concierge from now on.

Let it be known.

Kalfa Nigar!

Ayşe...

...come with me. Make sure nothing is amiss at the main chamber.

How lucky you are. You get to see the sultan's chambers.

I wish I could be there too.

The rest of you to your rooms!

Come on, Ayşe!

Let's go, kalfa Nigar.

Let's go!

Don't touch me!

Let go of me!

Shut up, stop yelling.

Keep calm.

They brought me to this Ottoman hell by force.

Please help me. Save me.

You look like a strong and rich woman.

Please tell them to release me...

...or else I'll take my own life.

You are Sultan Süleyman's property.

He decides whether you live or die.

And I.

Take her.

I'm nobody's property!

I'd rather die!

Let go!

Let go of me!

I apologise, my lady.

I'll teach her a lesson.

If she resists, if she refuses to bow...

...make sure to punish her.

Kalfa Nigar.

You stay.

What's your name?

Ayşe, Your Majesty.

Let go of me, woman! We are not animals!

-Let go of me! -Come here!

-Sit down. -No!

-Sit down here now! -No, remove your hands!

-Let go of me! -Sit here now!

-What was this insolent girl's name? -Alexandra.

She is Ruthenian.

You may leave.

I'm afraid, Father.

I'm afraid of being drenched in blood, of being a tyrant.

What if the power of the throne, its rumble...

...deafens the voice of my conscience?

May you always watch over me.

My Allah, never let me be ashamed of looking at myself.

İbrahim, son of Manolis, the fisherman of Pargalı...

...and born to Sofia of Venice, who converted at the age of 10.

What was my name?

What did it mean in which language?

I don't remember.

Forgetting is freedom.

Or else...

...the language of your name, the earth...

...on which you learned to walk, never lets go of your heart.

Your Majesty.

I thought you were resting.

I couldn't sleep without breathing in the Bosporus air.

Are you distressed?

Tell me if you have a wish.

What wish would I have, Your Majesty?

Your Greatness has bestowed upon me a great honour today.

-To be worthy-- -But I have a wish of you.

Your wish is my command.

The time has come for you to start a family.

It's high time.

I have a family.

Did you start one unbeknownst to me?

You called me your brother.

Or am I not anymore?

If I had the chance to choose a brother, I'd choose you.

Come on, girls, be quick!

Stop dilly-dallying!

Come on, come on, come on!

Have them undress out there.

Quickly!

Come on, go inside!

Stop dawdling.

Wear your nightgowns and go to bed.

You'll be given new clothes tomorrow.

Go on!

Alex or Alexandra, whatever your name is...

...don't make me break your bones!

Pick that nightgown up.

Listen, all of you.

Know that I won't show mercy to any of you.

This is the Topkapı Palace.

The home of the Ottoman Dynasty.

All of you are Sultan Süleyman's property.

The one who spoke Russian with you...

...is our valide sultan.

She is the mother of our padishah.

How does she know our language?

She is the daughter of Giray, khan of Crimea.

She didn't come here as a slave like you.

She came as a sultan.

Come on, girls, tidy up!

Go on.

We all came here as slaves.

If you come to your senses, maybe you won't stay a slave.

Receive your education, shut up and behave.

All of the girls here are prepared for the sultan.

If you are chosen and make the sultan happy...

...and if you give birth to a boy, you become the haseki sultan.

You rule the world.

Come on!

What did she tell you, Alex?

She didn't tell me anything.

Let's go to bed.

Mother?

Your wounds are healed.

I want to die too.

Please, Mother.

There is too much pain and evil here.

Don't leave me.

You can't come with us, Alexandra.

You have to stay and avenge us.

You have to live.

You have to get strong.

There are things you must do.

If you become stronger...

...we will have peace.

Where is Leo?

Why isn't he with you?

Leo isn't here.

Leopold didn't come with us. He's missing.

I lost all of you.

Don't leave me alone.

I can't make it.

You can.

My daughter will.

She can stop our blood from flowing.

Jesus Christ will protect you.

Alex! Alex, wake up!

Wake up, Alex. It's over.

Jesus Christ...

...you came to help.

You heard me.

I'm İbrahim...

...who was taken from Parga and was turned at the age of 10.

What is it to be turned?

Where does one turn to?

Where is that place?

Is it possible to turn back...

...or does destiny only point forward?

Does the place you came from wait for you?

Would you be able to see it?

Would your heart be your compass?

Would it be possible...

...to go back home by following your trails backwards?

Or is one still seen only as a convert...

...in every place one has come from converted and changed...

...in every language and in every religion?

Is conversion not an ability...

...but a necessity, İbrahim?

Let's visit Mother first and receive her blessings.

Everyone shut your mouths!

You are no longer children.

As of today, you will be trained.

You will attend school everyday...

...and train to become beautiful, learned and mannered concubines.

If you listen and learn everything...

...and do everything as told, this palace will become heaven for you.

If you don't, it will be your hell.

Let it be known.

Now, get in line.

Well done, bow your heads down.

Bow your head down.

Did you understand what was said?

Did you?

I did.

Mother...

...I couldn't start without your blessing.

My lion, my Süleyman.

My prayers are with you. May Allah protect you.

May he spare you for all Ottomans.

My mother, my precious.

When are Mahidevran and my grandson coming?

I'm having their chambers prepared.

They are on the way. They should be arriving soon.

Manisa Palace

My Mahidevran...

...let me finish this ring.

I won't.

Am I more beautiful than this emerald ring?

You are.

How long will we go, Mother? Let's stop and play.

We're almost there, my Mustafa. Our galley is waiting for us.

We will open the sails...

...and the wind will take us to our palace in Istanbul.

I miss Father, I miss İbrahim.

-Is İbrahim waiting for us there? -He is.

Your father, your grandmother Hafsa Sultan...

...your aunt Hatice Sultan, they all are waiting for us there.

Is it bigger than our palace?

It is bigger, my Mustafa. Much bigger.

Topkapı is the biggest palace in the world.

It is full of gold and diamonds.

That's the favourites' floor.

What is a favourite?

If His Majesty likes you, you stay there.

And you go to his bed through the golden way.

But only the smart, well-behaved ones can go through there.

His Excellency, Sultan Süleyman Khan. Make way!

Quickly, get in line!

Bow your heads and don't lift them up until he passes.

Sultan Süleyman!

"Süluyman."

Daye! Sümbül!

Take care of her.

Sündüz!

Your Majesty...

...aren't we going to the audience chamber?

What did I tell you?

Didn't I tell you to bow your head and not look up?

It wasn't enough that you looked, you also called his name!

And then you fainted!

You idiot.

How dare you call him by his name and a wrong one at that.

Did you decide to give him a new name, you uncouth, impudent girl?

I will punish you later.

He was so handsome, wasn't he?

That was a trick, wasn't it?

You're a lunatic, Alex.

How did you do it?

I'll show you how I did it tonight.

Come on.

His Majesty is coming with Pargalı at his side.

How could he make this convert İbrahim the concierge?

Why didn't you oppose it as the grand vizier?

It is not our place, but it would be yours to do so.

If you rise to my station one day, then you can do so, Ahmet Pasha.

Besides, you are a groom of the noble family.

You too, Ferhat Pasha. Both of you are.

That was not what we meant, Piri Pasha.

You misunderstand.

Come, Hasancan.

My father's eminent courtier, his confidant.

Let us speak alone first.

You rose faster than your falcon, Pargalı İbrahim.

From grand falconer to concierge.

You'll be carrying one of the four seals of the empire?

His Majesty wishes so, my pasha.

We are all his subjects, you know.

His wishes are the law...

...my vizier.

Converts...

...household troops will try to come to power.

Unless they are stopped.

Did he suffer much?

Yes.

But his mind never became clouded.

It was always clear.

He prepared himself...

...by asking me to pray with his last breath.

May he rest in peace.

Did he ask about me?

The last night...

...he kept calling out your name, Your Majesty.

He was having Cafer Agha prepare...

...200 galleons for the Rhodes campaign.

His Excellency, Sultan Selim Khan, said that we would have no rest...

...in the Mediterranean without securing Rhodes, and then--

Didn't he say anything about Grand Admiral Cafer Agha?

I heard about all of his infractions and unlawfulness from Manisa.

The injustice against Egyptian merchants, what he did to the villagers in Rumelia...

...not to mention Tabriz.

Tell me, Hasancan.

Is this Ottoman justice? To turn a blind eye?

Can a blind and deaf conscience rule justly?

It can't, Your Majesty.

Is that all, Hasancan?

Why is it taking so long? What is Hasancan blabbing about?

Your Majesty...

...you know best.

Of course I do, Hasancan.

I know what to do.

Twenty-eight, 29...

...30.

My agha, the Egyptians' payment was 20,000 silver coins short this month.

They said, "We have nothing more to sell.

Let Cafer Agha come and take our lives."

Go again today.

Tell them to pay the balance.

Or else, go there tonight...

...and burn the place to the ground. Destroy it.

Then go to the judge...

...and report them for setting the whole neighbourhood on fire.