Muhteşem Yüzyıl: Kösem

*Muhteşem Yüzyıl: Kösem*
Muhteşem Yüzyıl: Kösem
	File:Muhteşem Yüzyıl-Kösem.jpg
Written by	Yılmaz Şahin (1-30); Nüket Bıçakçı (1-21); Sevgi Yılmaz (2-3);
Directed by	Mert Baykal (1-30) Yağız Alp Akaydın (1-30); Zeynep Günay Tan (1); Deniz Koloş (1);
Starring	Beren Saat; Anastasia Tsilimpiou; Ekin Koç; Metin Akdülger; Hülya Avşar;
Composer	Aytekin Ataş
Country of origin	Turkey
Original language	Turkish
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	30
Production
Producer	Timur Savci
Running time	120-155 min.
Production company	Tims Productions
Original release
Network	Star TV
Release	November 12, 2015 –; present

Muhteşem Yüzyıl: Kösem (Turkish pronunciation: [muhteˈʃɛm ˈjyzjɯl cøˈsem], Template:Lang-en) is a Turkish television sequel to the 2011 Turkish television period drama Muhteşem Yüzyıl. Written by Yılmaz Şahin, Nüket Bıçakçı and Sevgi Yılmaz, it recounts the life of Kösem Sultan, a slave girl who became one of the most powerful women in Ottoman history after she was captured and sent to the harem of Sultan Ahmed I.^[1]

The first episodes of the series were filmed in Chios, Greece.^[2] An excerpt of the show was screened in Cannes, France at the annual international television festival MIPCOM about a month before its official premiere on Star TV on November 12, 2015.^[3]^[4]

Season 1

Ahmed is an Ottoman prince, son of Sultan Mehmed III and Handan Sultan. Ahmed laments the loss of his elder brother Mahmud, who was executed on the order of Sultan Mehmed III, after a seer predicted his ascension to the throne. His father, fearing a coup d'etat to dethrone him, executed Mahmud. The intrigues of Safiye Sultan were also a possible reason for Mahmud's death, as Mahmud's intimacy for his mother Halime Sultan proved a threat to Safiye's status as Valide Sultan. Unforeseen, Sultan Mehmed III also dies, clearing the way for Ahmed to ascend to the Ottoman throne. Meanwhile, in Tinos ( modern day Greece ) Anastasia (also referred as Nasia), is a 13-year old Greek girl who lives an idyllic life with her father Enzo, her mother, and her young sister. Previously, she was painted with a lamb in her hands. This portrait is delivered to Safiye Sultan, who presents it as a gift to her grandson Sultan Ahmed I. Due to the impression made on him, Safiye Sultan orderes the girl to be brought to Topkapi Palace. On the road to Istanbul, Anastasia spots Iskander, a young trainee in the Janissary cadet, who vows to Anastasia that he will return her to her family and her homeland. Once they arrive at Topkapi, Cennet Hatun begins lecturing Anastasia on palace etiquette and courtesy. But Anastasia swore she would return to her homeland at all costs. While discovering the palace, she finds a mysterious passageway leading to a secret garden, and there she first sees Sultan Ahmed. Ahmed introduces himself with a different name, and soon Anastasia starts having feelings for Ahmed. The other harem concubines, envious of Anastasia's beauty, start telling false tales to Anastasia, who later believes the sultan eats young girls' hearts! Anyhow, Anastasia is later taken to the sultan, who is bitten in his fist by Anastasia. But as soon as she looks up and discovers who he is, she is no longer afraid anymore. Believing Safiye Sultan is behind a conspiracy to replace him with his brother Mustafa as sultan, Ahmed decides to banish Safiye Sultan from the palace, and to deprive her off her wealth and authority. Fahriye Sultan's relationship with Mehmed Giray is exposed to the audience, with Sahin Giray revealing his intentions of ending the Ottoman line and becoming the sole sultan. Safiye Sultan suggests a marriage between Dervish Pasha and Fahriye Sultan to Ahmed. After Mehmed Giray and Fahriye Sultan's relationship becomes known to the sultan, Mehmed Giray is sentenced to death, but the sultan spares him after he hears Sahin Giray's plead. Not long after, Sahin Giray instructs Fahriye Sultan to poison her nephews Ahmed and Mustafa. Fahriye agrees, doing it in order to preserve her affair with Mehmed Giray. Bulbul agha discovers that Sultan Ahmed's malady isn't poison, but pox. Riots take place when the locals discover what is happening behind their backs ... Safiye Sultan, fearing the end of the three century old Ottoman dynasty,encourages the rest to leave the palace with her. Anastasia, willing to stay with Ahmed, is reluctant. Anastasia stands in front of the rebels and admonishes them for abandoning their sultan in the times when he most needs them. They reply by calling her a witch then shooting her with a rifle. The bullet does not harm her, but lands on her locket.Later, Anastasia visits a sorceress, who gives her a cure to Ahmed's pox. In return, Anastasia will walk a road filled with blood, she will see all the people she loves and all the people she will love die before her very eyes. Halime Sultan also applies sorcery to cure Mustafa's malady. Everything returns back to normal, except Anastasia's name is changed to Kosem which means pioneer. She then converts to Islam from her former Christian religion. Safiye Sultan asks Kosem to convince Ahmed to let her remain in the palace, but Kosem rejects, saying that she should have stood by Sultan Ahmed when he needed them. This marks the beginning of Kosem and Safiye's animosity. Handan Valide Sultan orders her guards to execute Sehzade Mustafa. Kosem, who coincidentally happens to be with the Sehzade, prevents them from killing him. She doesn't, however, tell the Sultan about Handan's crime due to Handan's position as Kosem's ally against Safiye Sultan. Enzo, Kosem's father is kidnapped and taken hostage by Safiye Sultan's guards. Safiye uses this to force Kosem to tell the Sultan about Handan's crime, in addition to convincing him to keep her in Topkapi. Sultan Ahmed banishes his mother to the Old Palace ( also known as Eski Saray or the Palace of Tears ). Safiye and Ahmed's relationship eventually starts recovering. Safiye Sultan, however, does not keep her promise and kills Enzo. Kosem is enraged and vows for revenge. Cennet Hatun's love affair with one of the palace guards becomes known to the sultan, who orders that she be killed. While Cennet is in her prison cell, Kosem asks Cennet about Safiye Sultan's secret, vowing to release her if she tells her what it is. Cennet is silent in the hope that Safiye Sultan will come and rescue her. All Cennet utters is that the secret is about Fahriye Sultan before Bulbul agha arrives, demanding her release by Safiye Sultan. As Kosem probes into Safiye Sultan's secret, she is aided by Halime Sultan who informs Kosem that the people who burnt Cennet Hatun's face were loyal to Safiye. Kosem takes advantage of this point to make Cennet tell her Safiye's secret and to change her allegiance. Kosem warns Safiye that she has only one day to pack all her belongings and leave for the Eski Saray, or else Kosem will inform the sultan everything. Safiye Sultan agrees, asking only that she get the manuscript proving Fahriye Sultan's treason. The next morning, all the harem is alarmed at Safiye Sultan's departure. As Safiye is on her carriage accompanied by Bulbul and Cennet, Cennet hands her the manuscript. Safiye Sultan is shocked that the manuscript is plain and contains no writing, meaning Kosem had tricked her and kept the real manuscript for herself. Cennet announces her allegiance to Kosem, and leaves the carriage feeling satisfied at taking her vengeance. Kosem discovers she is pregnant. Sultan Ahmed hands Kosem the former crown of Hurrem Sultan, showing his love and respect for her. After this, Kosem blurts out Safiye Sultan's secret to Ahmed, which infuriates him. Dervish Pasha, Fahriye Sultan's husband, offers to hide her in a religious house, whose owner prohibits any forms of violence within its walls, including that commanded by the sultan. Fahriye takes asylum in that house. Sultan Ahmed asks his mother Handan Sultan to return to the palace, which pleases her very much. When Mehmed Giray visits Fahriye, she admits to him that she hates him. As a result, Mehmed Giray begins working with Kosem to lure Fahriye out of the religious house, so the guards may take her to the Sultan's justice. They succeed in hatching this plan, and Fahriye is taken to the Sultan, who spares her for the sake of the royal family's reputation. He later exposes his true intentions when he assigns Dervish the task of punishing her. Whilst he and Fahriye are enjoying a meal and red wine, blood begins pouring down Fahriye's nose, indicating that the wine must have been poisoned. Fahriye dies in Dervish's arms. Safiye Sultan is left heartbroken, and vows to take down Sultan Ahmed from the throne. Sultan Ahmed leaves for his military campaign against Safavid Persia. During this time, Safiye buys the loyalties of the pashas and the janissaries, who storm the palace at night, and kill many, including Mahifiruze Sultan. Safiye then orders them to bring sehzade Mustafa to her and he is clothed and tidied in the morning, ready for the sword girding ceremony. But just before Mustafa is declared sultan, Ahmed arrives from campaign. He incarcerates Safiye in the Maiden's Tower, and strips her off all her power. Then, he decides as a ruler to execute his brother in order to secure his crown, but destiny spares Mustafa from that fate. Not long after, Kosem is told by Mehmed Giray the truth of Dervish Pasha and his role in the assassination of Sultan Mehmed III. Humashah Sultan, Safiye Sultan's eldest daughter, arrives from Egypt. Meanwhile, Halime Sultan exposes the truth of Handan and Dervish Pasha's love relationship, making Handan Sultan vulnerable. The secret of Dervish Pasha's involvement in Sultan Mehmed III's death is revealed to Ahmed, who kills Dervish himself. Handan Sultan later commits suicide, fearing that her secret has been told to her son. After Handan's death, Humashah Sultan is given leadership of the harem. Sultan Ahmed orders the release of Safiye Sultan from the Maiden's Tower, due to her aid in rescuing Kosem from the bandits. Humashah Sultan resignates from her role, due to Kosem Sultan's intrigues. Later, Humashah Sultan is informed that her long lost brother, the lost prince of the Ottoman dynasty, is Iskander. Safiye and Humashah conceal this truth for over 11 years, while Safiye has plans to poison Sultan Ahmed in order to clear the path for her own prince. Safiye succeeds, and Sultan Ahmed is told he has less than a fortnight to live. In a moment of haste, Humashah informs Zulfikar about Iskander's secret, and Zulfikar in return informs Kosem. Kosem, fearing for her children's fate after spouse's death, informs Sultan Ahmed, who orders Iskander's execution. Meanwhile, Halime Sultan and Menekse organising the wedding of Dilruba Sultan to the vizier and statesman Davud Pasha. Sultan Ahmed learns that his disease is progressing, and asks that he be legally married to Kosem before his death. A few days after Dilruba Sultan's marriage, Sultan Ahmed dies due to abdominal pain. Kosem then aids sehzade Mustafa in gaining the crown, however Halime and Dilruba turn against her, banishing her to the Eski Saray. After realising her mistake, Kosem plans a coup d'etat to dethrone Sultan Mustafa and replace him with her step son sehzade Osman. Kosem uses Mustafa's weak mental state in order to justify her actions. Halime Sultan, seeing Kosem's children as a threat to her authority, orders them to be executed. Kosem arrives just in time to save her children, and then orders the janissaries to throw Sultan Mustafa in the Kafes, and Halime in the Old Palace. Then, Osman ascends to the throne as Osman II, but he too betrays her trust and exiles her to the Eski Saray, as well as executing her eldest son Mehmed, who the janissaries saw as a likely heir to the throne. However, Osman's plans to replace the janissaries with a more loyal army proved to be the primary motive to his abashment and incarceration, after which he was strangled, enabling Mustafa's second reign to begin. Kosem, anguished by her son's loss, decides to annihilate all her rivals. Thus, she orders her allegiants to dispatch both Halime and Dilruba, then imprison Mustafa in the Kafes, viewing his psychologically disturbed condition not a threat to her rule. Kosem enthrones her eldest living son Murad to the Ottoman throne, inheriting the position of Valide Sultan, declaring herself the official regent to the crown, and gaining her prestige as the most formidable, influential, and powerful sultana in Ottoman history.

Series overview

Season		Timeslot	Season premiere	Season finale	No. of episodes	Section range	Season's years	TV Channel
	1	Thursday 20:00	November 12, 2015 (2015-11-12)	June 9, 2016 (2016-06-09)	30	1	2015 - 2016	Star TV
	2	Thursday 20:00	October 1, 2016 (2016-10-01)	??? (???)	39	30-69	2016 - 2017	Fox TV

Characters

Actor name	Role name	Explanation	Seasons
Beren Saat	Mahpeyker Kösem Sultan	Haseki Sultan, favourite consort and later wife of Sultan Ahmed, mother of the majority of his children	1-
Anastasia Tsilimpiou	Mahpeyker Kösem Sultan		1
Hülya Avşar	Safiye Sultan	Sultan Murad III's widow, Ahmed's grandmother, mother of Sultan Mehmed III	1
Ekin Koç	Sultan Ahmed I	The 14th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, son of Sultan Mehmed III and Handan Sultan	1
Tülin Özen	Handan Sultan	Valide Sultan and mother of Sultan Ahmed, Sultan Mehmed III's widow	1
Aslıhan Gürbüz	Halime Sultan	Sultan Mehmed III's widow, mother of Şehzade Mahmud, Dilruba Sultan and Sultan Mustafa I	1
Vildan Atasever	Hümaşah Sultan	Safiye Sultan and Sultan Murad III's eldest daughter, Ahmed's aunt	1
Gülcan Arslan	Fahriye Sultan	Safiye Sultan and Sultan Murad III's daughter, Ahmed's aunt, in love with Mehmed Giray	1
Berk Cankat	İskender/Şehzade Yahya	The adopted son of an Austrian blacksmith and a trainee at the Janissary cadet school, Safiye Sultan and Sultan Murad III's son, Ahmed's uncle, in love with Kösem	1
Erkan Kolçak Köstendil	Şahin Giray Han	A Crimean lord, Mehmed Giray's brother	1
Kadir Doğulu	Mehmed III Giray	A Crimean lord, Şahin Giray's brother, later the Crimean Khan, in love with Fahriye Sultan	1
Mete Horozoğlu^[5]	Zülfikar Pasha	Commander of the Istanbul Cadet Janissary Corps, later a vizier and Hümaşah Sultan's husband	1
Mehmet Kurtuluş	Derviş Mehmed Pasha	Sultan Ahmed's mentor and first bodyguard ,later becomes a grand Vizier	1
Öykü Karayel	Dilruba Sultan	Sister of Ahmed I, daughter of Mehmed III and Halime Sultan, wife of Kara Davud Paşa	1
Melisa Ilayda Ozcanik	Dilruba Sultan		1
Boran Kuzum	Sultan Mustafa I	The 15th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, son of Sultan Mehmed III and Halime Sultan	1
Alihan Türkdemir	Sultan Mustafa I		1
Taner Ölmez	Sultan Osman II	The 16th sultan of the Ottoman Empire, son of Ahmed I and Mahfiruze Sultan, raised by Kösem.	1
Beste Kökdemir	Meleksima Sultan	Favourite consort of Sultan Osman and mother of Şehzade Ömer	1
Bahar Selvi	Akile Hanım	Legal wife of Osman II , mother of Zeynep Sultan and Şehzâde Mustafa	1
Burak Dakak	Şehzade Mehmed	Son of Ahmed I and Kösem Sultan	1
Mustafa Üstündağ	Kara Davud Pasha	Dilruba Sultan's husband	1
Cihan Ünal	Kuyucu Murad Pasha	One of the viziers of Ahmed I.Becomes Grand Vizier after the execution of Derviş Mehmed Pasha	1
Esra Dermancıoğlu	Cennet Hatun	Safiye Sultan and then Kösem Sultan's servant, chief treasurer of the harem	1
Nadir Sarıbacak	Bülbül Ağa	Safiye Sultan's servant.After Safiye Sultan death served Kosem Sultan	1-
Ahsen Eroğlu	Meleki Hatun	Kösem Sultan's servant, in love with Iskender	1-
Hakan Şahin	Hacı Ağa	Chief eunuch of the harem after Reyhan Ağa. Served Handan Sultan, and after her death, Kösem Sultan	1-
Ebru Ünlü	Eycan Hatun	Kösem Sultan's servant	1-
Eylem Yıldız	Menekşe Hatun	Halime Sultan's servant,chief treasurer of the harem	1
Şahin Sekman	Lala Ömer Efendi	Şehzade Osman's tutor	1
Dilara Aksüyek	Mahfiruze Sultan	Sultan Ahmed's consort, mother of his son Şehzade Osman	1
Ayça Kuru	Gülbahar Sultan	Sultan Ahmed's consort, mother of his son Şehzade Bayezid	1
Emre Erçil	Reyhan Ağa	Chief eunuch of the harem	1

International Broadcasts


Turkey	Muhteşem Yüzyıl: Kösem	Star TV	November 12, 2015	20:00
Pakistan	Kosem Sultan	Urdu 1	SOON	SOON
Bangladesh	মুহতেশেম:কোসেম	Deepto TV	Soon
Arab League	حريم السلطان - السلطانة قُسم Hareem-el Sultan: El Sultana Koosoom	OSN Ya hala (Pay-per-view) Dubai TV	January 1, 2016 September 4, 2016 (Dubai one)	20:00
Indonesia	Abad Kajayaan 2: Kosem	SCTV	1 January 2016	20:00^[6]
Poland	Wspaniałe stulecie: Sułtanka Kösem	TVP1	April 25, 2016	18:40
Kosovo	Shekulli Madhёshtor: Kosem	RTV21	April 11, 2016	20:00
Iran	Mah Peykar	GEM TV	August 14, 2016	23:00
Tunisia	حريم السلطان - السلطانة قُسم Hareem-el Sultan: El Sultana Koosoom	Nessma TV	September 12, 2016	20:50
Lebanon	حريم السلطان - السلطانة قُسم Hareem-el Sultan: El Sultana Koosoom	Al Jadeed	September 5, 2016
Hungary	A szultána	TV2	September 13, 2016	Tuesday 22:00 ^[7]
Georgia	დიდებული საუკუნე: ქოსემის რისხვა	Rustavi 2	September 12, 2016	19:50
Estonia	Sajandi valitejanna	Kanal 2	September 17, 2016	Saturday 21:35