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fatihdaily · 7 years

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Mehmed Bir Cihan Fatihi episode 1 - summary

It is quite long, so I put it behind the cut.

The episode begins with a vision of little Mehmed accompanied by a voice-over of adult Mehmed. Mehmed recalls how he became a sultan before he turned 12, and how he always dreamed to prove himself on a battlefield, especially to his father (and to fight with his father on campaigns). He ends the monologue with stating that when his dream was about to be fulfilled, it didn’t happen as he had hoped…

Then we see the 2nd battle of Kosovo in 1448 in which Mehmed took part, and after the battle scene we see Sultan Murad II talking to his pashas. Murad is told by Çandarlı Halil Pasha that while they won the battle, their losses are huge (21,000 dead). Candarli blames everything on Mehmed’s recklessness. Lala Pasha (Mehmed’s teacher) defends Mehmed, stressing his bravery. Mehmed finally arrives to his father’s camp and explains that everything would have been different if they had finally conquered Constantinople. He then tries to explain his plans about how to conquer the city to his father and the pashas, while Murad tries to stop him. Ultimately, Çandarlı tells him not to speak anymore and says conquering Constatinople is impossible otherwise his father would have done it already.

Next scene is set in 1451, in Edirne. Murad lies on his deathbed and Çandarlı is by his side. Murad warns Çandarlı that Mehmed’s dream about Constantinople may be disastrous for the Empire. Murad dies and Çandarlı forbids anyone to announce that the padishah died.

In Manisa, Mehmed sees Daye Hatun, who tells him that his son Bayezid misses his mother, Gülbahar. She pleads that Gülbahar had no bad intentions, only defended Mehmed to Murad. Mehmed replies she shouldn’t have interfered in his relations with his father and that she must suffer her punishment (exile).

Back in Edirne, Çandarlı tells his daughter Melike he doesn’t want anyone to know about Murad’s death. He still however sends a messenger to Mehmed to Manisa, informing him about his father’s death. Ishak Pasha talks about this with Çandarlı, teling him that Mehmed must remember when the two of them dethroned him when he was a child sultan and as such may now take revenge and execute them. Ishak proposes crowning Şehzade Orhan, a hostage in Byzantium, instead, especially since Constantinople is closer to Edirne than Manisa. Çandarlı however replies that the state is more important than their heads, but they will still try to save their lives.

In Constantionople, Orhan is invited to Emperor Constantine because of a letter that came addressed to him from Edirne. When Orhan visits Contantine, the Emperior tells him that Çandarlı sent a message stating that Sultan Murad had died. Constantine wants to put Orhan on the Ottoman throne because he knows Orhan will continue Murad’s non-aggressive policy towards Byzantium. He gives Orhan his soldiers and also arranges a political marriage between his Grand Duke Notaras’ daughter Eleni and Orhan.

Eleni is a well-educated young girl, interested in architecture, who has no plans of getting married. She’s angry and upset at the prospect of marrying Orhan also because she considers Ottomans to be barbarians.

Mehmed and his people prepare for the journey to Edirne. Sahabettin Pasha suggests to Zaganos Pasha they may finally have revenge on Çandarlı, but Sahabettin rejects the idea. Mara Hatun comes to say goodbye to her stepson and Mehmed thanks her for everything and asks for her blessing. She tells him to remove doubts from his heart and that he’s always been worthy of his father and will always be.

Constantine goes to a witch to ask her who will ascend the Ottoman throne, Orhan or Mehmed. She however refuses to tell him anything until he “stops holding Orhan’s hand”.

Grand Duke Loukas Notaras is a leader of a secret anti-Ottoman group aiming to protect Byzantium. He asks one of the members to assassinate Mehmed on his way to Edirne and other members to protect and supportt Orhan. The person entrusted with the task asks for help a mysterious woman, Evdoksiya. Eleni begs her father not to sell her for Byzantium, but Notaras replies he would sacrifice a thousand of his children for Byzantium. Eleni curses her father and vows revenge on him. Constantine says he doesn’t trust Çandarlı and his brother Demetrios says he doesn’t trust Orhan because he may turn against Byzantium to prove himself. Theodora tells Constantine marrying Eleni to Orhan against her will may turn out to be a bad idea because she’s seen the despair, fire and anger in the girl’s’ eyes, and this anger may later be turned against them. It is revealed Theodora and Demetrios are in a relationship.

Meanwhile, Mehmed and his people find Evdoksiya on the route. She pretends to be hurt as a result of a bandit attack. Mehmed however correctly guesses that those are not bandits, but the Byzantines, who were informed about his father’s death by Çandarlı. Mehmed and his people come to face the Byzantines in the “trap” and defeat them. After the fight is over, one of Mehmed’s men thanks the unconscious Evdoksiya for winning some time for their cause. Delibaș tells Mehmed they should not abandon Evdoksiya in her condition. Later at night, Delibas says hopefully Evdoksiya will survive because Mehmed will likely want to reward her for warning him about the trap. When Delibaș and other Mehmed’s men leave sleeping Evdoksiya in a tent, she wakes up, takes a knife and approaches Mehmed’s tent. However, Mehmed unexpectedly orders his people to leave before the night is over. Delibaș notes Evdoksiya disappeared. Indeed, she took one of their horses and galloped away.

Orhan has nightmares in which he has flashbacks of himself as a young boy witnessing the execution of his father upon the order of Murad II. Eleni comes to the tent and scared Orhan awakens and attacks her. She explains she only came to fetch a blanket and he tells her to sleep in his tent instead and goes outside and sits by the fire, but painful flashbacks still haunt him.

Meanwhile, Byzantines get in touch with Ishak Pasha and promise him riches and the position of Grand Vizier if he supports Orhan in winning the throne. Ishak agrees and goes to see a janissary commander, Kurcu Dogan, whom he also bribes and promises money for all janissaries if they support Orhan. He confides in Kurcu Murad is dead and the new padishah should obey old rules and traditions, not be a dreamer. One of young recruits, Korkut, listens to the conversation, unnoticed by both men.

Çandarlı receives a Hungarian envoy, who informs him that if Mehmed ascends the throne, the Hungarian king will terminate the peace treaty.

Esleme, Çandarlı s younger daughter, meets Korkut and prompts him to ask for her hand. She says her mother was also commoner, yet her father married her anyway because he loved her. Korkut tells her what he heard in the janissary quarters and asks Esleme to tell her father what is happening behind his back. He also promises not to tell this to anyone else, hoping to win Çandarlı’s favour.

Melike tells Çandarlı Halil Pasha what Korkus overheard. Çandarlı states someone tries to play them and demands Melike to say who told her such things. Melike refuses to tell, and Çandarlı pushes her angrily at the door. Esleme appears and Candarli leaves. Melike says to Esleme she’s willing to sacrifice her own life for Mehmed’s sake and that their father won’t rest until he finds the pasha who bribed the janissaries into rebelling against Mehmed.

Evdoksiya arrives in harbour where she meets with her people, who are disappointed in her failure to kill Mehmed. She however informs them about Mehmed’s plan to cross the Dardanelles Strait.

When Mehmed and his people reach Dardanelles, they notice Byzantine soldiers waiting on a ship to prevent them from crossing. Mehmed’s pashas try to dissuade him from attempting to cross, but Mehmed is insistent. He looks at the full moon and prays to Allah to help him. Mehmend and Delibaș begin to swim cross the strait in a boat, others for the time being stay on the shore. When the Byzantine soldiers are ready to shoot their arrows, darkness covers everything… It’s eclipse of the moon! Byzantines cannot see anything, while Mehmed and Delibaș arrive safely on the other side and sent a signal to others.

Delibaș tells Mehmed it was God’s miracle. He didn’t believe some saying earlier that Mehmed had God’s favour, but the year Mehmed was born was a very good one, with many children being born and cows giving a lot of milk, so perhaps it wasn’t a coincidence after all. Mehmed shows Delibaș his drawings and informs his loyal soldier he predicted the eclipse and that’s why he was so insistent on crossing Dardanells.

Mehmed then prays for his father to reunite with his beloved son and Mehmed’s elder brothre, Alaeddin. There is a flashback in which we see a young Mehmed constantly ignored by his father and scoffed at for dreaming about conquering Byzantium, while Alaeddin was called his father’s shadow on Earth and future great Sultan. We also see young Mehmed asking Çandarlı what will happen to him once Ali ascends the throne,to which Candarli replies: “what tradition dictates”. Then we see Murad mourning the dead Ali, with Mehmed watching. Mehmed’s voice-over tells us that he knew then that his father would have rather seen him dead, not Ali. Murad requested to be buried next to Ali. Mehmed says his biggest wish was not to become a sultan, but to be buried next to his father.

Adult Mehmed then talks to little Mehmed. Little Mehmed asks him what his first step as a sultan will be: pursuing his dream or taking revenge?

We see Çandarlı confronting Ishak Pasha about telling someone of their plans. It is revealed Çandarlı co-operates with Ishak and the Byzantines and had known everything before Melike told him.

Demetrios comes to Constantine to inform him that Mehmed crossed the Dardanelles safely.

Çandarlı confronts Kurcu and pretends he hasn’t been involved in the plot against Mehmed and threatens the janissary commander. Kurcu then goes to the quarters and announces Murad’s death. He tells his janissaries they demand a new sultan and their due pay. Everyone in the quarters shouts the same. The janissaries then marched out of their quarters.

Melike comes to her father to enquire whether he did everything about she had told him. Çandarlı only tells her that janissaries obey commands, not play games. Melike is insistent: will the unworthy Orhan get the throne or Mehmed, who deserves it? Çandarlı i only tells her to pray for herself, her father and their ruler.

Janissaries meet Çandarlı and then go together with him outside the city, where they encounter Mehmed. Orhan arrives a bit later and stays behind. Çandarlı and Mehmed look at each other… suddenly Mara appears with people who support Mehmed. Çandarlı and the janissaries finally bow to Mehmed and he rides on his horse into the city.

#mehmed bir cihan fatihi #mehmed the conqueror #summaries

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