# Muhteşem Yüzyıl

Muhteşem Yüzyıl (Turkish pronunciation:, lit. 'Magnificent Century') is a Turkish historical drama series. Written by Meral Okay and Yılmaz Şahin, it is based on the life of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, the longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and his wife Hürrem Sultan, a slave girl who became the first Ottoman Haseki Sultan. It also sheds light on the era known as the Sultanate of Women. It was originally broadcast on Show TV and then transferred to Star TV.

## Plot

The series follows the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, the most renowned ruler of the Ottoman Empire. As his power and influence spread and grew, it impacted him and those within the imperial household: his friend and advisor, Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha; his mother, Hafsa Sultan, the first Valide sultan; his sister, Hatice Sultan; Mahidevran Sultan, the mother of Suleiman's eldest son; and Hürrem Sultan, the Haseki sultan of Suleiman.

## Spinoff

The story begins 37 years after the death of Suleiman the Magnificent. It recounts the life of Mahpeyker Kösem Sultan, a female ruler of the Ottoman Empire through her sons and grandson. Safiye Sultan, the favorite concubine of Şehzade Murad, reappears in the spinoff, now the grandmother of Ahmed I and the Valide Sultan.

## Series overview

| Season | Timeslot | Season premiere | Season finale | No. of episodes | Section range | Season's years | TV Channel |
| 1 | Wednesday 20:00 | January 5, 2011 (2011-01-05) | June 22, 2011 (2011-06-22) | 24 | 1–24 | 2011 | Show TV |
| 2 | Wednesday 20:00 | September 14, 2011 (2011-09-14) | June 6, 2012 (2012-06-06) | 39 | 25–63 | 2011–2012 | Show TV Star TV |
| 3 | Wednesday 20:00 | September 12, 2012 (2012-09-12) | June 19, 2013 (2013-06-19) | 40 | 64–103 | 2012–2013 | Star TV |
| 4 | Wednesday 20:00 | September 18, 2013 (2013-09-18) | June 11, 2014 (2014-06-11) | 36 | 104–139 | 2013–2014 | Star TV |

## Characters
### The Imperial Family

| Actor name | Role name | Explanation | Depiction | Depiction | Seasons | Character status |
| Actor name | Role name | Explanation | In series | In real life person | Seasons | Character status |
| Halit Ergenç | Suleiman I | The 10th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, son of Selim I and Hafsa sultan | | | 1–4 | Major |
| Meryem Uzerli | Hürrem Sultan | Haseki Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and legal wife of Sultan Suleiman, mother of the Sultan's five younger children | Has 5 children. Married Suleiman I during the circumcision ceremony of Mustafa and Mehmed. | She had 6 children. Şehzade Abdullah doesn't exist in the series. Suleiman I married Hurrem during the war of Ottoman and Safavid. | 1–3 | Major |
| Vahide Perçin | Hürrem Sultan | Haseki Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and legal wife of Sultan Suleiman, mother of the Sultan's five younger children | Has 5 children. Married Suleiman I during the circumcision ceremony of Mustafa and Mehmed. | She had 6 children. Şehzade Abdullah doesn't exist in the series. Suleiman I married Hurrem during the war of Ottoman and Safavid. | 4 | Major |
| Nebahat Çehre | Hafsa Sultan | Valide Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and mother of Sultan Suleiman, head of the Ottoman Imperial Harem | A daughter of the Crimean khan, Meñli I Giray. Flashbacks of her, where she said that she lost her 3 sons, Orhan, Musa, and Korkud. | Unknown origin, possibly a slave. Hafsa Sultan is only known to have 1 son. The mother(s) of the other princes are unknown. | 1–2 | Major |
| Okan Yalabık | Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha | Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Suleiman's best friend, Hatice Sultan's husband | Married Hatice Sultan and has 3 kids, the elder son died. Known as "Theo" and has a twin brother. | Ibrahim Pasha never married Hatice Sultan. The origin of Ibrahim Pasha is little known. | 1–3 | Major |
| Okan Yalabık | Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha | Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Suleiman's best friend, Hatice Sultan's husband | Married Hatice Sultan and has 3 kids, the elder son died. Known as "Theo" and has a twin brother. | Ibrahim Pasha never married Hatice Sultan. The origin of Ibrahim Pasha is little known. | 4 | Voice only |
| Nur Fettahoğlu | Mahidevran Sultan | Sultan Suleiman's consort and the mother of Şehzade Mustafa | Was the Haseki Sultan. | She was never Haseki or a Sultana. | 1–4 | Major |
| Selma Ergeç | Hatice Sultan | Sultan Suleiman's sister, daughter of Sultan Selim I, wife of Ibrahim Pasha and mother of his children. | Married to Ibrahim Pasha and has 3 kids. The first kid died because of suffocation. | She never married Ibrahim Pasha. | 1–3 | Major |
| Yusuf Berkan Demirbağ | Şehzade Mustafa | Sultan Suleiman's eldest and Mahidevran Sultan's only child, first heir to the throne | | | 1 | Supporting |
| Tunç Oral | Şehzade Mustafa | Sultan Suleiman's eldest and Mahidevran Sultan's only child, first heir to the throne | | | 1–2 | Supporting |
| Mehmet Günsür | Şehzade Mustafa | Sultan Suleiman's eldest and Mahidevran Sultan's only child, first heir to the throne | | | 2–4 | Major |
| Ayda Acar | Mihrimah Sultan | Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's only daughter and second child, wife of Rüstem Pasha | | | 1–2 | Supporting |
| Melis Mutluç | Mihrimah Sultan | Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's only daughter and second child, wife of Rüstem Pasha | | | 2–3 | Supporting |
| Pelin Karahan | Mihrimah Sultan | Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's only daughter and second child, wife of Rüstem Pasha | | | 3–4 | Major |
| Arda Anarat | Şehzade Mehmed | Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's oldest child | | | 2–3 | Supporting |
| Gürbey İleri | Şehzade Mehmed | Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's oldest child | | | 3 | Major |
| Ozan Güven | Rüstem Pasha | Mihrimah Sultan's husband and Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire | | | 3–4 | Major |
| Yiğit Üst | Şehzade Selim | Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's third child and the 11th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, father of Şehzade Murad | | | 3 | Supporting |
| Engin Öztürk | Şehzade Selim | Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's third child and the 11th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, father of Şehzade Murad | | | 4 | Major |
| Merve Boluğur | Nurbanu Sultan | Şehzade Selim's concubine, mother of Şehzade Murad | | | 4 | Major |
| Erhan Can Kartal | Şehzade Bayezid | Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's fourth child | | | 3 | Supporting |
| Aras Bulut İynemli | Şehzade Bayezid | Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's fourth child | | | 4 | Major |
| Mina Tuana Güneş | Huricihan Sultan | Hatice Sultan and Ibrahim Pasha's daughter, Bayezid's cousin and legal wife | | Fictional | 3 | Supporting |
| Burcu Özberk | Huricihan Sultan | Hatice Sultan and Ibrahim Pasha's daughter, Bayezid's cousin and legal wife | | Fictional | 4 | Major |
| Aybars Kartal Özson | Şehzade Cihangir | Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's fifth and last child | | | 3 | Supporting |
| Tolga Sarıtaş | Şehzade Cihangir | Sultan Suleiman and Hürrem Sultan's fifth and last child | | | 4 | Major |
| Berrak Tüzünataç | Mihrünnisa Sultan | Şehzade Mustafa's legal wife and mother of his son Şehzade Mehmed, daughter of Hizir Hayreddin Pasha | | Mustafa never married anyone. | 4 | Major |
| Deniz Çakır | Şah Sultan | Sultan Suleiman's sister, Lütfi Pasha's wife, Esmahan Sultan's mother | Daughter of Hafsa Sultan | Şah Sultan's actual mother is unknown | 3 | Major |
| Mehmet Özgür | Lütfi Pasha | Husband of Şah Sultan, later Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire after the death of Ayas Pasha, Esmahan Sultan's father | | | 3 | Major |
| Meltem Cumbul | Fatma Sultan | Sultan Suleiman's sister, Kara Ahmed Pasha's wife | | | 4 | Major |
| Selen Öztürk | Gülfem Hatun | Sultan Suleiman's first consort and mother of his first child, Hatice Sultan's confidant, chief treasurer of the Harem | Had a child with Suleiman. Close to Mahidevran and Hatice. | There's no information about the relationship between Suleiman I and Gulfem. Close to Hurrem | 1–4 | Supporting |
| Pınar Çağlar Gençtürk | Beyhan Sultan | Sultan Suleiman's sister, Ferhad Pasha's wife | | | 1–3 | Supporting |
| Gökhan Çelebi | Ferhad Pasha | Beyhan Sultan's husband, executed due to treason | | | 1 | Supporting |
| Kıvanç Kılınç | Ferhad Pasha | Beyhan Sultan's husband, executed due to treason | | | 1 | Supporting |
| Luran Ahmeti | Divane Hüsrev Pasha | Second-in-command Vizier, Hatice Sultan's third husband | | Fictional. Hatice Sultan only married twice. | 3 | Supporting |
| Gonca Sarıyildiz | Fatma Hatun | Maid to Valide Sultan, then Mahidevran Sultan, later Şehzade Mustafa's concubine, mother of his son Şehzade Suleiman | | Fictional. | 2–3 | Supporting |
| Ecem Çalık | Esmehan Sultan | Şah Sultan and Lütfi Pasha's daughter | | | 3 | Supporting |
| Efe Mehmet Güneş | Sultanzade Osman | Hatice Sultan and İbrahim Pasha's son | | Fictional. | 3 | Supporting |
| Serenay Aktaş | Ayşe Hatun | Şehzade Mustafa's concubine and mother of his daughter Nergisşah Sultan | | Fictional. | 3 | Supporting |
| Yetkin Dikinciler | Kara Ahmed Pasha | Fatma Sultan's husband and later Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire | | | 4 | Supporting |
| Yasemin Allen | Defne Sultan | Şehzade Bayezid's consort and mother of his youngest son | | Bayezid's consorts are unknown. | 4 | Supporting |
| Alize Gördüm | Nergisşah Sultan | Şehzade Mustafa's daughter | | | 4 | Supporting |
| Serhan Onat | Şehzade Murad | Şehzade Selim and Nurbanu Sultan's son | | | 4 | Supporting |
| Koray Efe Yazgan | Şehzade Orhan | Şehzade Bayezid's eldest son | | | 4 | Supporting |
| Özge Gürel | Rana Sultan | Şehzade Bayezid's concubine and mother of the majority of his children | | Bayezid's consorts are unknown. | 4 | Supporting |
| Almeda Abazi | Nazenin Hatun (Valeria) | Sultan Suleiman's concubine, Raziye Sultan's mother, Nurbanu Sultan's former servant. | Gave birth to the last child of Suleiman I, Raziye Sultan. | Raziye was older than Hurrem's first child, Şehzade Mehmed. Moreover, the information of the mother of Raziye is unknown. | 4 | Supporting |
| Gözde Türker | Safiye Hatun | Şehzade Murad's concubine, later mother of Mehmed III | | | 4 | Guest appearance |

### Statesmen and palace officials

| Actor name | Role name | Explanation | Depiction | Depiction | Seasons | Character status |
| Actor name | Role name | Explanation | In series | In real life person | Seasons | Character status |
| Burak Özçivit | Malkoçoğlu Bali Bey | An Ottoman military commander and a keeper of Sultan's privy chamber, in love with Aybige Hatun, Mihrimah's love interest | | | 2–3 | Major |
| Tuncel Kurtiz | Ebussuud Efendi | Kadı (judge) of Istanbul, later Şhaykh al-Islām (supreme religious leader of the Ottoman Empire) | | | 3–4 | Major |
| Tolga Tekin | Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha | Grand Admiral of the Ottoman Empire and the Kapudan Pasha (commander-in-chief of the Ottoman Navy), Mustafa's supporter, Mihrünnisa's father | | | 3–4 | Major |
| Yıldırım Fikret Urağ | Sokollu Mehmed Pasha | Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire after Semiz Ali Pasha.Ismihan Sultan husband. | | | 4 | Major |
| Hasan Küçükçetin | İskender Çelebi | Ottoman finance minister renowned for his wealth, an enemy of İbrahim Pasha | | | 2–3 | Supporting |
| Fehmi Karaarslan | Ayas Pasha | The vizier for the council, later the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire after the execution of Ibrahim Pasha | | | 1–3 | Supporting |
| İbrahim Raci Öksüz | Hadım Suleiman Pasha | Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire after the banishment of Lütfi Pasha | | | 3 | Supporting |
| Fatih Dokgöz | Semiz Ali Pasha | Şehzade Bayezid's supporter, commander of the Janissary Corps, later a third-in-command vizier and finally the Grand Vizier following Rüstem Pasha's death | | | 4 | Supporting |
| Arif Erkin Güzelbeyoğlu | Piri Mehmed Pasha | Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire before Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha | | | 1–2 | Supporting |
| Murat Şahan | Mustafa Pasha | Fatma Sultan's first husband. Governor of Antakya. | A heterosexual man, married Fatma Sultan twice. | A homosexual man. Never remarried with Fatma. The death information of Mustafa Pasha is unknown. | 1–3 | Supporting |
| Serdar Orçin | Sinan Pasha | An admiral of the Ottoman Empire as a Commander in Chief of the Navy, Rüstem Pasha's brother | | | 4 | Supporting |
| Murat Tüzün | Hain Ahmed Pasha | An Ottoman governor and statesman, rival to Ibrahim Pasha, executed due to treason | | | 1 | Supporting |
| Gürkan Uygun | Mimar Sinan | Chief architect of Sultan Suleiman | | | 3–4 | Supporting |
| Adnan Koç | Behram Pasha | A vizier at the court, Ibrahim's enemy | | Fictional. | 2 | Supporting |
| Tansel Öngel | Alvise Gritti | A Venetian politician influential in the Hungarian Kingdom and regent of Hungary from 1530 to 1534 | | | 1–2 | Supporting |
| Erman Saban | Alvise Gritti | A Venetian politician influential in the Hungarian Kingdom and regent of Hungary from 1530 to 1534 | | | 2–3 | Supporting |
| Ozan Dağgez | Mehmet Çelebi | Şehzade Mustafa's tutor, Piri Mehmed Pasha's son, Hatice Sultan's fiancé | | Fictional. | 1 | Supporting |
| Altan Gördüm | Bekir Ağa | An Ottoman official who was executed under Mustafa's order in Manisa on charges of bribery and incitement | | Fictional. | 3 | Guest appearance |

### Palace servants and concubines

The information of the servants and concubines are little known. Most of the characters are fictional.
| Actor name | Role name | Explanation | Seasons | Character status |
| Selim Bayraktar | Sümbül Ağa | Chief eunuch of the harem and Hafsa Sultan's confidant after daye hatun and Hürrem Sultan's closest confidant, later Mihrimah Sultan's adviser | 1–4 | Major |
| Filiz Ahmet | Nigar Hatun | Servant and apprentice in the harem later chief treasurer, first wife of Rustem Pasha, İbrahim's lover and confidant and mother of his daughter Esmanur | 1–3 | Major |
| Sema Keçik | Daye Hatun | Valide Sultan's maid and chief treasurer of the harem, Sultan Suleiman's nanny | 1–2 | Supporting |
| Sabina Toziya | Afife Hatun | Chief treasurer and leading servant of the harem, Yahya Efendi's mother and Sultan Suleiman's wet nurse | 3–4 | Supporting |
| Engin Günaydın | Gül Ağa | Eunuch that clarifies the harem prohibitions in the first episode, later Hürrem Sultan's confidant | 1–2 | Supporting |
| Nihan Büyükağaç | Gülşah Hatun | Mahidevran Sultan's maid, later Hürrem Sultan's maid | 1–3 | Supporting |
| Saadet Aksoy | Viktoria (Sadıka Hatun) | A Hungarian countess and spy for king King Lajos. An enemy of Sultan Suleiman | 1–2 | Supporting |
| Burcü Güner | Fahriye Kalfa (Diana) | Mahidevran Sultan's maid, later Hürrem Sultan's maid | 3–4 | Supporting |
| Gamze Dar | Fidan Hatun | Hürrem Sultan's servant, later Mahidevran Sultan's maid | 2–4 | Supporting |
| Melike İpek Yalova | Isabella Fortuna | Princess of Castille, in love with Suleiman. Not related to any real life person, although 2 women with similar name existed during the era: Isabel of Braganza, Duchess of Guimarães and Isabella of Portugal | 2 | Supporting |
| Cansu Dere | Firuze Hatun (Hümeyra) | Persian Safavid spy who poses as an Assyrian slave, Sultan Suleiman's concubine | 3 | Supporting |
| Saygın Soysal | Mercan Ağa | Şah Sultan's confidant | 3 | Supporting |
| Kübra Kip | Canfeda Hatun | Nurbanu Sultan's servant and confidant | 4 | Supporting |
| Cavit Çetin Güner | Gazanfer Ağa | Chief eunuch of the Manisa harem, in service of Nurbanu Sultan | 4 | Supporting |
| Yüksel Ünal | Şeker Ağa | Main chef of the palace kitchen | 1–3 | Supporting |
| Hayal Köseoğlu | Nilüfer Hatun | Hürrem Sultan's servant | 2 | Supporting |
| Burcu Tuna | Gülnihal Hatun (Maria) | Hürrem Sultan's childhood friend and servant | 1 | Supporting |
| Gökhan Tercanlı | Perçem Ağa | A guardian of the palace in service of Hürrem Sultan | 2–3 | Supporting |
| Melisa Sözen | Efsun Hatun (Nora) | Hürrem Sultan's servant, in love with Şehzade Mustafa | 2 | Supporting |
| Sebahat Kumaş | Esma Hatun | Hürrem Sultan's servant | 1–3 | Supporting |
| Kaya Akkaya | Lokman Ağa | A servant in Constantinople and later Kütahya harem, later a keeper of Sultan's privy chamber, in service of Hürrem Sultan | 4 | Supporting |
| Ünal Yeter | Kiraz Ağa | Afife Hatun's servant | 3 | Supporting |
| Suat Karausta | Zal Mahmut | Loyal servant of Rüstem Pasha | 4 | Supporting |
| Safak Baskaya | Ferhat Ağa | A keeper of Sultan's privy chamber | 4 | Supporting |
| Merve Oflaz | Ayşe Hatun | Sultan Suleiman's concubine, rival to Hürrem Sultan | 1 | Supporting |
| Elif Atakan | Rümeysa Hatun | Şehzade Mustafa's concubine | 3 | Supporting |
| Büşra Ayaydın | Rümeysa Hatun | Şehzade Mustafa's concubine | 4 | Supporting |
| Cemre Ebuzziya | Helena Hatun | Şehzade Mustafa's concubine | 3 | Supporting |
| Reyhan Taşören | Dilşah Hatun | Şehzade Selim's concubine, rival to Nurbanu Sultan | 4 | Supporting |
| İrem Helvacıoğlu | Nurbahar Hatun (Clara) | Şehzade Mehmed's concubine | 3 | Supporting |
| Patrycja Widłak | Cihan Hatun | Şehzade Mehmed's concubine | 3 | Guest appearance |

### Otherwise associated to the palace

Most of the characters are fictional.
| Actor name | Role name | Explanation | Seasons | Character status |
| Serkan Altunorak | Taşlıcalı Yahya Bey | One of the famous poets of the era, Friend and supporter of Şehzade Mustafa | 3–4 | Major |
| Sarp Akkaya | Turahanoğlu Turgul Bey "Atmaca" | Friend and supporter of Şehzade Mustafa and then Şehzade Bayezid | 4 | Major |
| Ezgi Eyüboğlu | Aybige Hatun | Fictional niece of Valide Sultan. A Tatar Princess (daughter of the Crimean Khan), Balı Bey's love interest. | 2 | Supporting |
| Fatih Al | Matrakçı Nasuh Efendi | Mathematician, historian, geographer, miniaturist, and inventor, Ibrahim's confidant | 1–4 | Major |
| Gökhan Alkan | Tahmasp I | The 2nd Shah of the Safavid dynasty | 3 | Supporting |
| Sermet Yeşil [az; tr] | Tahmasp I | The 2nd Shah of the Safavid dynasty | 4 | Supporting |
| Hamdi Alkan | Yahya Efendi | An Ottoman Islamic scholar, Sufi and poet, Afife Hatun's son, Sultan Suleiman's foster-brother | 3–4 | Supporting |
| Hilmi Cem İntepe | Yavuz | A supporter of Şehzade Mustafa, serves Piri Reis together with Atmaca | 4 | Supporting |
| Alp Öyken | Pope Clement VII | Pope of the Roman Catholic Church during that time | 1–2 | Supporting |
| Seçkin Özdemir | Leo | A Ukrainian painter, Aleksandra's former fiancé | 1 | Supporting |
| Burak Sağyaşar | Hekim Pedro | A physician who cures Mihrimah's illness and later falls in love with her | 4 | Supporting |
| Müjde Uzman | Armin Hatun | Joşua Effendi's daughter, a Jewish girl who falls in love with Bali Bey | 2 | Supporting |
| Güner Özkul | Rakel Hatun | A wealthy Jewish woman who lends the palace money in time of need | 2–3 | Supporting |
| Çağkan Çulha | İlyas | A soldier in service of Şehzade Mehmed who poisons him and causes his death | 3 | Supporting |
| Dolunay Soysert | Gracia Mendes Nasi | A wealthy Jewish woman who became a prominent figure in the politics of the Ottoman Empire | 4 | Supporting |
| Bergüzar Korel | Monica Gritti | Alvise Gritti's sister | 1 | Guest appearance |
| Binnur Kaya | Muskacı Hatun | A witch who writes amulets | 1 | Guest appearance |
| Hümeyra | Remmal Elmas | A famous astrologer who can tell the future by looking into the sands | 2 | Guest appearance |
| Mesut Özkeçeci | Sahib I Giray | Valide Sultan's brother and Aybige Hatun's father. He is the Crimean Khan and Suleyman's uncle | 2 | Guest appearance |
| Demir Demirkan | Deli Sabit | Head of the military unit called Deliler in the Battle of Mohács | 2 | Guest appearance |
| Büşra Pekin | Şirin Hatun | A woman who brings fabrics to the harem | 2 | Guest appearance |
| Burak Demir | Hüseyin Çavuş | Jannissary soldier loyal to Prince Mustafa | 4 | Supporting |

## Broadcast

| Country | Local title | Network | Premiere date | Timeslot |
| Turkey | Muhteşem Yüzyıl | Show TV (Season 1–2) Star TV (Season 2–4) | January 5, 2011 | 20:00 |
| Northern Cyprus | Muhteşem Yüzyıl | Show TV (Season 1–2) Star TV (Season 2–4) | January 5, 2011 | 20:00 |
| Arab League | حريم السلطان Hareem Elsultan | OSN Ya Hala (Pay-per-view) | December 13, 2011 | |
| Arab League | حريم السلطان Hareem Elsultan | Dubai One | December 13, 2011 | |
| Afghanistan | حرم سلطان Hurrem Sultan | 1TV | August 2012 | |
| Albania | Sulejmani i Madhërishëm | TV Klan | 22 January 2020 | 18:20 |
| Algeria | حريم السلطان (Ḥarīm as-Sulṭān) | Echourouk TV | | |
| Algeria | Muhteşem Yüzyıl | DTV | 2015 | |
| Argentina | El sultán | Telefe | April 24, 2017 | |
| Azerbaijan | Möhtəşəm Yüz İl | Lider TV | December 2011 | 20:10 |
| Bangladesh | সুলতান সুলেমান Sultan Suleiman | Deepto TV | December 16, 2015 | 19:30 |
| Bolivia | Suleimán El Sultán | Bolivisión | March 13, 2017 | 22:00 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Sulejman Veličanstveni | Televizija OBN | August 22, 2012 | 20:00 |
| Bulgaria | Великолепният век Velikolepniyat vek | TV7 Diema Family | September 7, 2012 August 29, 2015 | 20:30 16:00 |
| Chile | El Sultán | Canal 13 | December 14, 2014 | 23:00 |
| Colombia | El Sultán | Canal 1 | September 10, 2018 | 22:00 |
| Croatia | Sulejman veličanstveni | RTL Televizija | August 22, 2012 | 19:00 |
| Cyprus | | Extra | September, 2012 | 21:30 |
| Czech Republic | Velkolepé století | TV Barrandov | December 17, 2011 | 20:00 |
| Egypt | | Al Hayat TV | November, 2011 | |
| Egypt | | MBC Masr | 2014 | |
| Estonia | Sajandi armastus | Kanal 2 | September 1, 2013 | 20:35 |
| Greece | Σουλεϊμάν ο Μεγαλοπρεπής Souleiman o Megaloprepis | ANT1 | August 28, 2012 (Season 1, 2 3a) October 21, 2013 (Season 3b) June 10, 2014 (Season 4) | 21:30 (Season 1,2,3) 22:15 (Season 4) |
| Georgia | დიდებული საუკუნე | Maestro TV | September, 2013 | 21:45 |
| Hungary | Szulejmán | RTL Klub | January 4, 2013 | 21:30 |
| Indonesia | Abad Kejayaan/King Suleiman | antv | December 22, 2014 | 22:00 |
| Iran | حريم سلطان Hareem-e soltan | GEM TV | September, 2012 | 22:00 |
| Israel | הסולטאן HaSultan | Israel Plus | December 2013 | 19:00 |
| Italy | Il secolo Magnifico | Babel TV | June, 2013 | |
| Japan | オスマン帝国外伝～愛と欲望のハレム〜 | Channel Ginga | August 7, 2017 | 0:00, 16:30 |
| Kazakhstan | Сүлеймен сұлтан | Хабар Astana TV | March 15, 2012 / May 6, 2020 | 21:00 |
| Kosovo | Sulltani: Shekulli Madhështor | RTV21 | January, 2012 | 20:00 |
| Kyrgyzstan | Даңазалуу доор | KTRK | March 15, 2012 | |
| Lithuania | Didingasis amžius | LNK | September 7, 2013 | 15:00 |
| Latvia | Lieliskais gadsimts | LNT | September 17, 2016 | 21:05 |
| Macedonia | Величествениот султан | Kanal 5 | December 12, 2011 | 21:00 |
| Malaysia | Magnificent Century | Astro Bella HD Astro Mustika HD (Season 1–2) Astro Ria PRIMEtime (Season 3–4) | December 4, 2017 | 23:00 (Season 1–2) 19:00 (Season 3) 14:00 (Season 4) |
| Mexico | El Sultán | Imagen Television | April 3, 2017 | 21:00 |
| Morocco | | Medi 1 TV | December 2011 | |
| Mongolia | Аугаа зуун | Edutainment TV | April 2019 | 22:00 |
| Montenegro | Sulejman Veličanstveni | Prva TV RTCG | March, 2012 October 11, 2013 | 20:00 20:05 |
| Nicaragua | El Sultán | Canal 10 | May 1, 2017 | 20:00 21:00 |
| Pakistan | میرا سُلطان Mera Sultan | Geo Kahani | May 10, 2013 | 21:00 |
| Pakistan | حورم اور سُلطان Hürrem Aur Sultan | ATV | 2017 | 20:00 |
| Panama | El Sultán | TVN | November 9, 2015 | 20:00 |
| Peru | El Sultán | ATV | February 15, 2016 | 21:00 |
| Poland | Wspaniałe stulecie | TVP1 | October 6, 2014 | 15:45 |
| Romania | Suleyman Magnificul: Sub domnia iubirii | Kanal D Romania | September 12, 2012 | 20:00 |
| Russia | Великолепный век | Domashny | January 9, 2012 | 21:00 |
| Serbia | Сулејман Величанствени Sulejman Veličanstveni | Prva B92 Nova.rs Pink | February 9, 2012 September 1, 2013 December 17, 2013 September 19, 2014 | 20:20 19:05 20:00 20:00 |
| Slovakia | Sultán | TV Doma | December 15, 2011 | 20:30 |
| Slovenia | Sulejman Veličastni | Planet TV | March 5, 2013 | 12:50 |
| South Korea | 위대한 세기 | Welike | July 8, 2019 | 23:20 |
| Spain | El Sultán | nova.atresmedia.com | June 13, 2022 | 21:30 |
| Tanzania | Sultan | azam two | April 16, 2018 | 22:00 |
| Thailand | สุไลมาน สุลต่านผู้เกรียงไกร | Channel 3 SD [th] | August 6, 2018 | 20.30 |
| Tunisia | حريم السلطان Hareem Elsultan | Nessma TV | April, 2013 | 20:45 |
| Uzbekistan | Muhtasham yuz yil | Milliy TV | December 10, 2018 | 21:00 |
| Ukraine | Величне століття: Роксолана | 1+1 | October 8, 2012 | 17:10 |
| United States | Suleimán - El Gran sultán | MundoMax | July 1, 2014 | 20:00 |
| Vietnam | Thời đại hoàng kim - The Golden Age | HTV7 | February 4, 2015 | 11:00 |

## Reception
### Controversy

The show generated controversy and complaints from some viewers, for what they referred to as a "disrespectful", "indecent" and "hedonistic" portrayal of the historical sultan. Turkey's Radio and Television Supreme Council, known as RTÜK, claimed they had received over 70,000 complaints about the show and warned Show TV to publicly apologise for wrongly exposing "the privacy of a historical person". The Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the show as "an effort to show our history in a negative light to the younger generations." An MP for the governing Justice and Development Party, Oktay Saral, went further, threatening to outlaw the "misrepresentation of historical figures" in shows such as Muhteşem Yüzyıl. Small groups of Islamists and Nationalists protested the studio but the show remains successful with consistently high ratings.
Elif Batuman wrote in The New Yorker:
   "On the surface, 'Magnificent Century' looks like a quintessential product of the Erdoğan years. Thanks to Erdoğan's economic policies, Turkey has a thriving television industry, capable of staging elaborate period dramas, and a prosperous family-oriented middle class of observant Muslims eager to watch their own values reflected in a historical imperial setting. And, much as Erdoğan's foreign policy has promoted relations with former Ottoman lands, the show has conquered large audiences in Balkan, Caucasian, and Arab countries not known for their fond memory of Ottoman rule. Broadcast to more than two hundred million viewers in fifty-two countries, "Magnificent Century" has accomplished one of Erdoğan's main goals: Making a powerful, non-secularist, globally involved version of Turkey both plausible and appealing.... And yet Erdoğan is not a fan. In late 2012, at the opening of a provincial airport he took a moment to condemn the show's depiction of Suleiman, as well as its directors and broadcasters, hinting at severe judicial repercussions."
According to the report of Radio Free Asia, some Uyghur people were arrested for watching the series in 2020, as the Chinese government considered that it might encourage the thought of the Xinjiang Independence.

### Anachronisms

Notable writers and critics pointed out multiple chronological mistakes in various scenes related to the timeline in which the plot takes place (1520-1566). Some of these anachronisms (or chronological inconsistencies) are as follows:
* Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha is shown, in many scenes, as he is working on a table. The practice of using tables in Ottoman palaces, however, was not adopted until the era of Abdulmejid I (1823-1861).
* Louis II, The King of Hungary, is portrayed in the series as an old man who provokes the Ottoman Empire by executing the Ottoman envoy. The problem with this portrayal is that Louis II never executed anyone, and he was only 20 years old when he died during the Battle of Mohács.
* In one of the episodes of the show, Sultan Suleiman recites the following Turkish phrase: "Nush ile yola gelmeyeni etmeli tekdir, tekdir ile uslanmayanın hakkı kötektir." This phrase comes from the Terkîb-i Bend of Ziya Pasha, which was only written in 1870, almost 400 years after Suleiman's reign.
* One of the workers in the kitchen is shown as she is dicing tomatoes. However, tomatoes started becoming a part of the Ottoman cuisine only after 1835, as it took time for them to spread around the world after their discovery in South and Central America following Cristopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas.
* In the scene where Suleiman the Magnificent visits his son Şehzade Mustafa in the Manisa Palace, it can be seen that the floor is covered with parquet. However, parquet (parquet de menuiserie) was first used in 1684 on the floors of Palace of Versailles.

### International popularity

Muhteşem Yüzyıl is reported to have an international audience of 200 million viewers in over 50 countries.
The show is part of an ongoing revival of Turkish culture in the Balkans through imported TV shows from Turkey, such as Öyle Bir Geçer Zaman Ki ("As time goes by", number one TV show in North Macedonia), or Fatmagül'ün Suçu Ne? ("What is Fatmagül's fault"), which was top ranked TV show in Kosovo 2012. Serbian sociologist Ratko Bozovic explains the popularity by pointing at the traditional, patriarchal values of the Turkish shows, and the many cultural and linguistic similarities between Turkey and the Balkan countries: "The mentality depicted in those shows has to do with a traditional understanding of morality that people in Serbia remember at some level." According to Bozovic, all Balkan countries have seen dramatic changes in terms of family life, and the Turkish shows help them recall value systems that now seem lost.
In Bangladesh, the show was known as সুলতান সুলেমান (Sultan Suleiman) and it was broadcast on Deepto TV, dubbed in Bangla. Within the first two months of its release in Bangladesh back in 2015, Sultan Suleiman received the highest TV program ratings in Bangladesh. The channel gained the most TRP ratings. Some people demanded a ban on this serial as viewers lacked interests in watching local dramas, however, keeping all these controversies aside the show still went on. After finishing the series, Deepto TV re-broadcast this massively popular show from June 2, 2019.
In Morocco, the series is called Harim al-Sultan ("The Sultan's Harem"). Many people find it visually and aesthetically enjoyable to watch, but viewers have contrasting opinions of the show's depictions of gender and Ottoman rulers. Many Moroccans stopped watching the show because they did not like the morals it presented.
In Greece, the series has become quite popular for people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and ages. Many Greek viewers enjoyed the visuals and oriental decorations present in the show, as well as the cultural proximity and historical ties between the two countries. It has become so popular that Bishop Anthimos of Thessaloniki and the Golden Dawn party condemned the show and urged Greeks not to watch it. "No one should watch Muhteşem Yüzyıl, The Magnificent Century," Anthimos said. He added, "By watching the Turkish series we are telling them we have surrendered."
In the Republic of North Macedonia, Turkish series have become so popular, that the Macedonian parliament has moved to ban Turkish soaps to reduce the Turkish impact on Macedonian society. Turkish series will gradually be removed and replaced by national programs, according to a 2012 bill authored by Elisabeti Nikolovska who has links to the Macedonian Royal Family.
In Chile where the series is called El Sultán (The Sultan) it is aired since December 14 in Canal 13 on prime time with great success. The Spanish voice of Suleiman is the same as the one of Onur in the Turkish soap opera Las mil y una noches. The series is part of a wave of Turkish soap operas that have become popular in Chilean TV. The series debuted right after the penultimate chapter of Los 80, a popular historical family drama produced by Canal 13.
In Pakistan, the show was named میرا سلطان: داستان جلال و جمال (Mera Sultan: Dastan-e-Jalal-o-Jamal; lit. My Emperor: Story of Bravery and Love) and it aired on channel Geo Kahani. Geo Kahani claims that it was the channel's most popular show and received the highest TRPs. However, the channel faced several controversies and serial got banned few times, but still completed the broadcast due to public pressure. The Pakistani drama industry was adversely affected by the popularity of Turkish dramas, and lead actor Halit Ergenç to win first ever International Icon Award in Pakistan's biggest awards show Lux Style Awards in 2017.