The Magnificent Century (Muhteşem Yüzyıl) of Yagmur Taylan is filled with deep meaning. The director vividly and talentedly depicted all the features of the struggle for power. Yagmur Taylan showed the hard way to true power.
What is The Magnificent Century about?
This is a love story of a Ukrainian girl who was captured and the ruler of the mighty Ottoman Empire. The action of the historical narrative takes place in the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Members of the ruling dynasty live in the luxurious palace of Sultan Suleiman, who has just taken the throne. The Sultan’s mother, Valide, his sister named Hatice, Suleiman’s first wife, the mother of his son, Mahidevran and Mustafa, the son of the sovereign, spend their days in the magnificent chambers of the palace.
The calm existence of the inhabitants of the palace is disturbed by the appearance of a new slave in the harem. She was able to win the heart of Suleiman. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska provoked furious jealousy Mahidevran and hatred Valide.
During her life Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska gave birth to five children, four sons and one daughter. The ill-wishers brought a lot of trouble to the wife of the Sultan. Enemies surrounded her, including Suleiman’s friend, Ibrahim. Once he saved the Sultan from death. Both the vizier himself and Mahidevran plotted Hurrem’s intrigues. But the brave woman overcame everything. She has become a powerful person, her enemies are defeated.
Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska experienced a lot of grief during her life. The death of the elder shehzade Mehmed, a serious illness and the death of his youngest son, Cihangir, undermined the health of Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska. She died in Suleiman’s arms.
Mother did not see the terrible events that occurred after her death. Her son Selim treacherously took his brother prisoner. Bayezid and his sons were killed on the orders of Selim. After the death of Sultan Suleiman, Selim came to power.
What is the meaning of the series Magnificent Century
Full of exciting events, the story of a Ukrainian girl named Alexandra is fraught with a certain meaning. Let’s consider several options.
Power of love
The main idea of the series is that love is able to overcome all obstacles, crush all obstacles. Under the power of a wonderful feeling and achieve victory over insidious enemies. There is no force in the world that can stop a loving woman. For the sake of love, all the most good, bright deeds are committed. But all the bad things are also covered with a wonderful feeling. All wars happened because of love. A wonderful feeling makes people strong and courageous, makes them do great things.
Friendship and betrayal
The series tells about true friendship, which makes you sacrifice your own interests for the sake of a friend. True friendship does not pursue selfish goals, it is pure and noble. But sometimes friendship can turn into hatred.
A person who was considered a faithful comrade, was ready to give his life for a friend, may begin to abuse the holy feeling. He uses friendship to fulfill his ambitions. Then it develops into hatred and can lead to death.
Trial by power
Not every ruler is able to adequately bear the burden of power over people. Power corrupts people, it enslaves those who hold high positions. A person invested with power can turn from gentle, fair and benevolent into cowardly, miserable, envious.
For the sake of power, such a person will stop at nothing. He is ready for the brutal murder of a loved one. For the sake of power, the most heinous deeds are committed.
The path to the goal
The main character, the wife of the Sultan, showed by her own example how to achieve her cherished goal.
A strong woman stepped over everything. Weakness, lack of will and humility remained in the past. Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska realized that only victory would help her stay alive. Her life was in the hands of a powerful ruler, and the woman did everything to get his love, and with it patronage. On the way to the desired goal, she did not hesitate to resort to cruel methods. But the brave woman achieved her goal. This story makes it clear that the right goal will certainly lead to success.
Women’s Power
The events in the series show that behind every strong and influential man there is always a woman. Her wisdom, her insight help the representative of the stronger sex in achieving the goal.
The man does not notice that he is actually being controlled. The cunning of a woman allows her to influence the decisions of even the most powerful ruler. Therefore, true power is in the hands of strong and powerful representatives of the beautiful half of humanity.
The meaning of the ending
The end of the series is filled with hidden meaning. After the death of his father, Sultan Suleiman, Selim occupies the throne of the Ottoman Empire. He achieved his goal. For the sake of the throne, Selim went to betrayal. The future ruler understood that if he did not kill, they would kill him. Such is the cruel world, and Selim had to accept his orders, come to terms with them, get used to them. The new ruler justifies himself in his own eyes. But pangs of conscience will not leave Sultan Selim alone. Guilt in the death of a brother and nephews will forever haunt the ruler of the Ottoman Empire. Selim will have to be forever afraid.
I so much enjoy this series. Watched when it premiered and watched again now (2023). It is a timeless saga – one of the absolute best! Because it’s a period piece, nothing is outdated & all the recaptures are outstanding! The scenery, wardrobe, jewelry, crowns — all incredible & could easily be worn today. One of the only aspects missing was the actual opulence of the Sultans living quarters. The series downplayed his accommodations & almost had him living in a modern day Studio Apartment; when in actuality he lived in spacious grandure – with fountains, jeweled marble ceilings & the likes. There was so much more to Topkapi Palace.
I do think so many of the actors deserved a Special Oscar. The acting was superb!! The Mustafa character, Mehmet Günsur literally stole the entire show. His onscreen presence was profound!
Meryem Sarah Uzerli, the original Hüreem was breathtaking! Not just in her beauty but, her acting! Her replacement Vahide Gördüm was also an impressive actor but, did not look convincingly like an aged Uzerli & that kept getting in the way. They should’ve given her a prosthetic nose & matched their hair color.
All in all, this is ‘the’ most magnificent soap opera drama series ever!! And I don’t speak or understand Turkish. I relied solely on subtitles and will watch it again & again! Perhaps the producers could dub it in English hiring major stars! Now that would be something giving it another magnificent life!