The Magnificent Century
2011
Original language: Turkish
- drama
- action & adventure
The story
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.
What it’s like
Candlelit interiors in deep reds, golds and emerald silks, with tiled walls, carved wood and heavy brocade filling nearly every frame, and a camera that lives in close-ups of glances, whispers and gloved hands. Night scenes glow amber, while the battlefield sequences turn dusty and washed-out, with horses and banners moving through open land. The score leans on swelling strings and oud-tinged melodies that rise before a betrayal, and the dialogue often lands in pauses. The pace is that of a long serial: slow accumulation of rivalries punctuated by sudden, sharp turns. Its vibe is opulent, slightly feverish court drama. The intensity is high: poisonings, executions, strangulations and battlefield deaths appear regularly, with some brief sexual content and frequent scenes of cruelty and fear. A bloodless story of statecraft this is not. It suits a long weekend binge for viewers who enjoy elaborate costume, sumptuous sets and political scheming, and who can handle a steady current of menace beneath the splendour.
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