The series follows the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520–1566).
At age 26, Suleiman learns that his father has died and his own reign is about to begin. He is determined to build an empire more powerful than that of Alexander the Great and to render it invincible. Throughout his 46-year reign, his fame as the greatest warrior and ruler of his age will spread both East and West. With his companion Pargalı İbrahim, Suleiman will achieve great victories, making his name known in the Muslim World. İbrahim, who marries the Sultan's sister, is referred by the Sultan as his brother, friend, and advisor.
Suleiman consolidates his power: Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha, as the Grand Vizier, reinforces the rule of law throughout the empire, meets foreign diplomats, and prepares for military campaigns. All this is set against the backdrop of tension between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire.
The series also focuses on the relationships between members of the imperial household, with the former slave girl and eventual chief consort and wife Hürrem Sultan inevitably figuring prominently. Themes include the animosity between Haseki Hürrem Sultan and Mahidevran Sultan, mother of the Sultan's eldest son, the role of Hafsa Sultan, the valide sultan ("Sultan Mother"), and Hürrem's unsteady career from her initial rise while pregnant with Suleiman's son, through her subsequent falls and recoveries, and finally to her eventual return to grace.
