The Turks inherit an honourable and deep-rooted history. These resilient Eurasian nomads formed multiple powerful realms, from the Seljuk Empire to the Ottoman dynasty. The struggle for independence and the period after Atatürk also highlights the remarkable stories of extraordinary Turks. That is why the Turks love to translate their past through Turkish historical drama series.
In this regard, they have produced one of the best historical Turkish series depicting the struggles and achievements of Ottomans and Seljuks. Similarly, the period dramas illustrate early Turks’ ethical and cultural heritage. Thus, let’s explore the top new Turkish period dramas and their notable details.
The Best 21 Turkish Historical Series
1. Kuruluş: Osman
Genre: Drama, Action, Historical Fiction
Status: 6 Seasons, 179+ Episodes (continue)
English Name: Establishment: Osman
Starring: Burak Özçivit, Özge Törer, Yigit Ucan, Yildiz Çagri Atiksoy and Fatih Ayhan
With over six successful seasons, Kuruluş: Osman is one of Turkey’s most acclaimed historical drama series. This show traces the journey of Osman Bey, the pioneer of the Ottoman dynasty and the offspring of Ertugrul Gazi. He dreams of establishing a powerful Turkish state, but his path is filled with hardships.
Hereof, Osman embarks on his quest by creating an alliance between the Kayi clan and Yorgopolos. Concurrently, Osman also encounters betrayers and designs intelligent strategies to tackle problems. His family, notably his wife, Bala Hatun, helps him bring his dream to life. In addition, if you have seen Diriliş: Ertuğrul, this action-packed drama will quickly become your new obsession.
2. Sakir Pasa Ailesi: Mucizeler ve Skandallar
Genre: Historical Fiction, Drama, Romance
Status: 1 Season, 7+ Episodes (continue)
English Name: Portrait of a Scandalous Family
Starring: Vahide Perçin, Fırat Tanış, Meryem Uzerli, Denise Capezza, and Cem Yigit Uzümoglu
Sakir Pasa Ailesi follows the real-life story of the Şakir Paşa family. This Ottoman bloodline produced one of the renowned artists of the 20th century. Back in 1911, Şakir Paşa, a historical author and veteran Ottoman soldier, used to live in a villa on Büyükada Island with his spouse İsmet Hanım. Şakir Paşa is uneasy about the lifestyle of his eldest son, Cevat, and his Italian wife, Aniesi.
Despite everything, Aniesi finds herself drawn to Şakir Paşa, and this event marks the beginning of the family’s downfall. In the years ahead, Cevat Şakir emerged as one of Istanbul’s most beloved authors, while his sister Fahrunnisa gained fame as a respected painter. The availability of this Turkish series on Disney Plus and the comeback of Meryem Uzerli are also highlights of this new period drama.
3. Mehmed: Fetihler Sultani
Genre: War, Historical Fiction, Thriller
Status: 2 Seasons, 39+ Episodes (continue)
English Name: Mehmed: Sultan of Conquests
Starring: Serkan Çayoglu, Seçkin Özdemir, Tuba Ünsal, Sinan Albayrak and Sena Çakir
Sultani Mehmed: Fetihler Sultani depicts Sultan Mehmed’s life and conquests. The story begins with Prince Alaaddin’s demise. This news indeed disturbed the emperor, who appointed Mehmed his successor. However, in the opinion of European states, Mehmed is an amateur, but he proves them wrong after achieving his first milestone against Orhan.
Henceforth, he is tested to fight against the rebel army but loses this battle. Then, he is expelled from the kingdom but will fight back to regain his position. Conversely, this war drama also unfolds the crucial phases of Eyüp al-Ansari, an esteemed figure in the Islamic world, alongside Fatih’s journey.
4. El Turco
Genre: Historical Fiction, Action
Status: Upcoming Series (March 21, 2025)
English Name: El Turco
Starring: Can Yaman, Greta Ferro, Will Kemp, David Nykl and Slavko Sobin
El Turco is the courageous life story of an Ottoman soldier, Hasan Balaban, who was a part of the Siege of Vienna. Hasan was an Ottoman infantryman who was good at making excellent military strategies and speaking various languages. However, he got disconnected from the troops after being wounded in the Vienna Siege.
In this injured condition, Hasan takes shelter in the countryside of Moéna, located in northern Italy. After settling in Moéna, Hasan teams up with villagers to fight against the oppressive taxes imposed by the feudal authorities. This fearless move made him a hero in the eyes of the villagers, who started calling him El Turco.
5. Kudüs Fatihi Selahaddin Eyyubi
Genre: Historical Fiction, War, Action
Status: 2 Seasons, 44+ Episodes (continue)
English Name: Saladin: The Conqueror of Jerusalem
Starring: Ugur Günes, Mehmet Ali Nuroglu, Zeynep Kumral, Egemen Yavuz and Ekin Türkmen
This historical saga, set in the 12th century, narrates the awe-inspiring journey of the Muslim empire and its celebrated warrior, Selahaddin Eyyubi, the conqueror of Jerusalem. He fought several wars against the Crusaders, and this show dramatizes all of these historical events.
Saladin is a prominent leader in Muslim history because he served the people of Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Egypt. Moreover, the breathtaking portrayal of intense warfare between the Crusaders and the Zengis inspires people to follow this Turkish series with English subtitles.
6. Çalıkuşu
Genre: Romance, Drama
Status: 1 Season, 30 Episodes
English Name: Lovebird
Starring: Fahriye Evcen Özçivit, Burak Özçivit, Mehmet Özgür, and Pinar Çaglar Gençtürk
If you’d like to witness Burak Özçivit, best known for portraying Osman Bey in Kuruluş: Osman, in another role, Çalıkuşu is highly recommended. This romantic period drama is based on the Turkish novel Çalıkuşu. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Feride was sent to a boarding school against her will.
Withal, young Feride was allowed to spend her holidays at her aunt’s home. Throughout this period, she becomes enamoured with Kamran, her senior cousin. This connection blossoms into a two-sided romance with humour and heroism. With the name مسلسل طائر النمنمة, you can also watch this series with Arabic dubbing.
7. Alparslan: Büyük Selçuklu
Genre: Action, Historical Fiction, War
Status: 2 Season, 61 Episodes
English Name: Alparslan: Great Seljuk
Starring: Baris Arduç, Mehmet Özgür, Korel Cezayirli, Erdinç Gülener, Aysegül Ünsal, and Uygar Özçelik
Alparslan: Büyük Selçuklu is the historical saga of a fearless warrior, Alparslan, whose mother was killed when he was a child. The offender who committed this murder was from the Byzantine Empire, and as a young kid, he decided to take revenge.
As a nephew of the monarch of Great Seljuks, Alparslan bravely fought against the Byzantine army and finally became the sultan of Seljuks. He conquered several states for Turk clans. In 1071, Alp Arslan secured victory against the Byzantine army at the Battle of Manzikert and seized Emperor Romanus IV Diogenes.
8. Vatanım Sensin
Genre: War, Love Story, Drama
Status: 2 Season, 59 Episodes
English Name: Wounded Love
Starring: Halit Ergenç, Bergüzar Korel, Boran Kuzum, Pinar Deniz and Miray Daner
Vatanim Sensin is a lovely and heart-touching historical Turkish series full of emotions and memories of sacrifice. It is the story of a brave Ottoman commander, Cevdet, and his wife, Azize. Both of them tried hard to survive for their country and family during the difficult times of the Balkan Wars.
Versatile Turkish actress Bergüzar Korel plays the role of Azize, a mother of three kids and the wife of frontline commando Cevdet. In this series, you will see how a real soldier fights for his country to the last drop of blood and how a wife becomes faithful to her husband until the last breath. Correspondingly, the cross-cultural affair of Hilal and Leon also fascinates the viewers.
9. Uyanış: Büyük Selçuklu
Genre: War, Love, Historical Drama
Status: 1 Season, 34 Episodes
English Name: The Great Seljuks: Guardians of Justice
Starring: Bugra Gülsoy, Ekin Koç, Hatice Sendil, Sevda Erginci, Mehmet Özgür, and Leyla Feray
Uyanış: Büyük Selçuklu is another worth-watching Turkish historical drama that portrays the strengthening of the Seljuk dynasty under Sultan Melikşah and his son Sencer. Melikşah was the successor of Sultan Alp Arslan, who was crowned king after his father’s demise. In the same period, Melikşah gets the news that his beloved Basulu Hatun has passed away while giving birth to his son Sencer.
According to the rules, the baby is deemed illegitimate. So, Melikşah decides to keep his identity secret and give this baby to his minister, Nizam al-Mulk. Sencer transforms into a daring soldier after 18 years. Even though he is fully aware that his father is the sovereign of the Seljuk Empire, he refrains from approaching him and does not disclose who he truly is. Similar to Ottoman shows, this epic saga of passion and heroism will keep you engaged.
10. Kulüp
Genre: Romance, Drama
Status: 2 Season, 20 Episodes
English Name: The Club
Starring: Gökçe Bahadir, Baris Arduç, Asude Kalebek, Salih Bademci and Firat Tanis
Kulüp, or The Club, is one of the most-watched period romance dramas on Netflix. The series takes place in 1950s Turkey, where Matilda gets freedom after 17 years of imprisonment. She is a middle-aged lady who worked in nightclubs in her youth but now wants to live a peaceful life away from Istanbul. However, it is also crucial for her to meet her 17-year-old daughter Rasel.
Actually, Rasel doesn’t know anything about her parents. Things entirely transformed when Istanbul police arrested Rasel on the charges of stealing something from a nightclub. Conversely, Rasel and Celebi share a love affair, but their religious beliefs differ.
11. Destan
Genre: War, Action, History
Status: 1 Season, 28 Episodes
English Name: Epic
Starring: Ebru Sahin, Edip Tepeli, Selim Bayraktar, Deniz Barut, Ipek Karapinar and Burak Tozkoparan
If you want to stream a historical show steeped in ancient Turk culture beyond Ottomans and Seljuks, you can watch Destan. This fiction series tells the valiant story of a girl, Akkız, from 750 AD. Destan unfolds as Akkız attempts to kill her most prominent foe, Korkut Khan, but her plan backfires. Thus, she ends up as a slave to his son, Batuga.
Unlike other Khans, Batuga is a kindhearted but physically impaired who is a Turk in reality. He joins hands with Akkız to unify the Turk clans. You can see Hercai-famed actress Ebru Sahin starring opposite Edip Tepeli in Destan.
12. Öyle Bir Geçer Zaman Ki
Genre: Drama, History, Soap Opera
Status: 3 Season, 120 Episodes
English Name: Time Goes By
Starring: Ayça Bingöl, Yildiz Çagri Atiksoy, Farah Zeynep Abdullah, and Aras Bulut Iynemli
Öyle Bir Geçer Zaman Ki is an iconic Turkish period series set in 1967. This drama follows the story of Ali Akarsu, a maritime captain, father of four children and husband to Cemile. Ali Akarsu’s career demands frequent travel, meaning Cemile is left to manage their household and children alone.
Although things seem perfect, one day, Cemile finds a love letter from her husband’s pocket when her husband visits his family after an enduring quest. Yes, Ali Akarsu engages in an extramarital affair with his coworker Caroline. This news throws the household into chaos, including Cemile and his four children.
13. Diriliş: Ertuğrul
Genre: Action, Thriller, Historical Fiction, War
Status: 5 Season, 179 Episodes
English Name: Resurrection: Ertugrul
Starring: Engin Altan Düzyatan, Hülya Darcan, Cengiz Coskun, Nurettin Sönmez and Esra Bilgiç
Diriliş: Ertuğrul is a record-breaking historical Turkish series that covers the life of a warrior, Ertuğrul Ghazi. This critically acclaimed 13th-century drama captures the heroic journey of the father of Osman I (the founder of the Ottoman Empire). You will see how a poor Turkish clan, Kayi, changes the lives of its people under the leadership of Ertugrul.
With its intense action, high production quality, and captivating performances, this show is called Turkey’s Game of Thrones. Because of its worldwide fame, production houses have translated and dubbed this series into Arabic and numerous other languages. Kuruluş: Osman is the continuity of Resurrection: Ertugrul.
14. Karadayı
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance
Status: 3 Season, 115 Episodes
English Name: The Uncle in Black
Starring: Kenan Imirzalioglu, Bergüzar Korel, Çetin Tekindor, Riza Kocaoglu and Leyla Lydia Tugutlu
Set in the 1970s, Karadayı is a classic period drama that showcases the struggle of Mahir Kara against the bogus murder charge on his father. Mahir Kara, the eldest son of the Kara family, was living a perfect middle-class life with his brother, sisters and parents. However, his life took a 180-degree shift on the day of his engagement with Ayten when his father faced arrest due to a murder indictment.
This tragic event compels the young man to abandon his dream and fight for his father’s freedom. In this regard, Mahir begins assisting Feride, the chief prosecutor in Nazif Kara’s trial. Feride is a gorgeous young lady who hails from a wealthy background. Over time, Feride and Mahir become utterly enamoured with each other. But Mahir tries to suppress his feelings.
15. Payitaht: Abdülhamid
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Status: 5 Season, 154 Episodes
English Name: The Last Emperor: Abdul Hamid II
Starring: Bülent Inal, Bahadir Yenisehirlioglu, Hakan Boyav, Can Sipahi, and Duygu Gürcan
Payitaht: Abdülhamid depicts the 14-year monarchy of the mighty Ottoman Emperor Abdulhamid Han. He is considered one of the strongest Sultans of the 19th century. Unlike other Ottoman rulers, Abdulhamid Han was visionary and innovative, working hard to construct a bright future for his nation.
With over five seasons, this historical Turkish series illustrates how a forward-thinking leader mapped out an undersea tunnel plan and became a champion of the Greek War. In the same vein, this show educates viewers on managing treachery, whether in domestic or national affairs.
16. Kurt Seyit ve Şura
Genre: Drama, Romance, War
Status: 2 Season, 21 Episodes
English Name: Kurt Seyit & Shura
Starring: Kivanç Tatlitug, Farah Zeynep Abdullah, Demet Özdemir, Caglar Ertugrul, and Melisa Pamuk
Kurt Seyit ve Şura follows the story of a second-in-command Turkish officer, Kurt Seyit, known for his playful, romantic nature. Born to a Turkish landlord, he unexpectedly develops profound feelings for a wealthy Russian woman, Sura. However, Kurt’s father doesn’t allow him to marry a Russian girl. He wants Kurt to wed a Turkish woman to continue their family legacy.
This challenging situation leaves the lovers with no choice but to run away from Istanbul during the last days of Ottoman rule. Regardless of everything, their journey together is filled with hardships and cultural differences. Interestingly, this series is based on a novel written by Kurt Seyit’s granddaughter.
17. Muhteşem Yüzyil
Genre: Biography, War, Drama, Romance
Status: 4 Season, 139 Episodes
English Name: The Magnificent Century
Starring: Halit Ergenç, Nur Fettahoglu, Meryem Uzerli, Okan Yalabık, and Selen Öztürk
Muhteşem Yüzyıl stands as one of the pioneering Turkish historical drama series that gained immense international acclaim for its costumes, stellar performances, and incredible portrayal of the Ottoman Empire. This is a historical fiction about Sultan Süleyman, who claimed Turkey’s throne at the young age of 26. During 46 years of reign, Süleyman achieved many victories and was famous as a great warrior in East and West.
Beyond his rule, The Magnificent Century delves into his personal life, political affairs, romantic entanglements and the customs of the Harem. Süleyman’s deep affection for his wife, Kösem, is also a key highlight of this biography TV show.
18. Bir Zamanlar Çukurova
Genre: Romance, Drama
Status: 4 Season, 141 Episodes
English Name: Bitter Lands
Starring: Hilal Altinbilek, Sibel Tasçioglu, Bülent Polat, Murat Ünalmış, and İbrahim Çelikkol
Bir Zamanlar Çukurova is a period love story from the 1970s. Zuleyla is a vibrant young girl who resides with her sister-in-law and stepbrother in Istanbul. She is a skilled tailoress by profession and longs to walk down the aisle with Yilmaz, a car mechanic. Although Yilmaz is a man of limited means, he spares no effort to make his lover happy.
However, they fall prey to destiny when Zuleyla’s stepbrother hands her over to a mafia man to settle his gambling debt. Shortly after, Yilmaz kills this crime boss and frees Zuleyla. Now, they escape from Istanbul and start working on a farm in Adana. Their troubles continue as they pretend to be siblings to hide their true identities.
19. Muhteşem Yüzyil: Kösem
Genre: Fiction, Drama, History, Romance
Status: 2 Season, 60 Episodes
English Name: The Magnificent Century: Kosem
Starring: Beren Saat, Nurgül Yeşilçay, Ekin Koç, Metin Akdülger, İsmail Demirci and Farah Zeynep
Muhteşem Yüzyil: Kösem serves as the sequel to the popular series ‘Muhteşem Yüzyil.’ While Magnificent Century explores the life, victories, and relationships of Sultan Süleyman, Muhteşem Yüzyil: Kösem focuses on a powerful woman in the Turkish world.
This Turkish historical series tells the story of Anastasia, a Greek slave who won the favour of Sultan Ahmed I and was given the name ‘Kösem.’ She became one of the most influential women to rule the Ottoman Empire through her sons and grandsons. You’ll be amazed at how a mere slave girl transforms into a formidable ruler who makes key executive decisions.
20. Yunus Emre: Aşkin Yolculuğu
Genre: History, Biography
Status: 2 Season, 45 Episodes
English Name: Yunus Emre
Starring: Gökhan Atalay, Payidar Tüfekçioglu, Baran Akbulut, Mehmet Çepiç, and Samet Demir
Lovers of spiritual Turkish dramas shouldn’t pass up the chance to watch Yunus Emre. This soulful Turkish TV series follows the journey of Yunus Emre. After the Mongol invasion, Yunus left his homeland and travelled to Anatolia. Here, he takes the judge position and turns into a Darvish.
After visiting Taptuk Emre’s dergâh, Yunus embraces a humble life and chooses the path of a Dervish. So, if you’re drawn to stories of spiritual awakening, this Sufi-inspired drama is a must-watch.
21. Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi
Genre: History, Biography, War, Drama
Status: 2 Season, 12 Episodes
English Name: Rumi
Starring: Bayazit Gülercan, Bülent Inal, Devrim Özkan, Ushan Çakir and Erdal Yildiz
Celaleddin-i Rumi is considered one of the great poets, Sufi saints, and scholars of the 13th century. Through his poems, he spread wisdom regarding tolerance and positive reasoning. Though his parents were Persian, his philosophy earned him equal admiration among Western and Eastern people.
The Rumi series explores the life of the iconic saint, covering his escape to the West to avoid Mongol invasion while imparting wisdom on understanding one’s true self.
DigitalCruch strives to keep its readers informed about the top, latest, and upcoming Turkish historical TV series, along with essential details. We hope you enjoy watching them online and look forward to hearing your thoughts through our contact options.
