Kuruluş: Orhan season 1

The first season of Turkish historical television series Kuruluş: Orhan produced by Mehmet Bozdağ, premiered on 29 October 2025.^[1][2][3]

The season begins with the siege of Bursa, led militarily by Orhan Bey, while Osman Bey remains the chief of the Kayı tribe and Malhun Hatun continues as the tribe’s leading lady. Orhan sends Boran Bey into Bursa as a spy, and the commanders supporting him include both Kayı warriors and others exhausted after nearly nine years of siege. In the council meeting, Şahinsah Bey speaks against Orhan, but Orhan announces an attack relying on Boran to open the gates. The attack fails as Tekfur Saroz and Commander Flavius take swift precautions, many of Orhan’s soldiers are martyred, and Boran’s identity is exposed, leading to his capture by Flavius. Flavius is the son of Commander Mouzalon (Valens), the former Byzantine ruler of Bursa, and believes Osman Bey killed his father, seeking revenge. Meanwhile, in Oba, Malhun Hatun tells Didar Hatun that, since Alaeddin Ali Bey is the son of a bey, it is important for him to have children. She also wishes to arrange marriages for her daughters, Halime and Fatma, and asks Didar Hatun to help find suitable matches. Nilüfer Hatun and Orhan Bey have two sons, Süleyman and Kasım, and Nilüfer searches for Greek fire and gunpowder. Osman Bey calls a council, but Orhan is absent as he destroys Bursa’s supply shipment from Gemlik and kills Flavius’s brother Octavius. Osman removes Orhan from command and appoints Şahinsah in his place, which causes disappointment for Cerkutay, Turahan Bey, Temriboga, and Alaeddin Ali. Malhun Hatun protests Osman’s decision and asks to speak, to which Osman replies that as the leading lady of the tribe, she indeed has the right to speak in the council, though Alaeddin Ali cannot speak out as Osman makes him his representative. Meanwhile, small disagreements arise between Gonca and Nilüfer, which Didar Hatun takes advantage of to manipulate Gonca. Orhan Bey accepts Osman’s decision and returns his sword. Osman Bey falls ill and become bedridden because the doctor sent by the Ilkhanate governor Temurtas secretly poisons his feet, which are already affected by gout, though no one initially realizes this. Orhan, using his intelligence, discovers the truth with the help of Halime and Nilufer. Later, Osman Bey sends Şahinsah and Alaeddin as his representatives (naib) to Temurtas, while Temurtas instructs them that they must lift the siege of Bursa and pay tribute, just like other beyliks. On the orders of Osman,Orhan successfully rescues Boran using his strategy, with the help of his alps Balaban and Kara Halil.Malhun Hatun visits the Aksakals, a secretive organization where only the Beys are allowed and they welcome her, calling her the ‘Kayı’nin Hatun’—the true mother of the Turks and the protector of her Bey's posts. There, she declares that she does not favor one son over the other, Orhan and Alaeddin, but judges them like Osman Bey judged fairly. She makes it clear that until someone proves themselves worthy, the Beylik rightfully belongs to Orhan Bey.While Avcı Bey and Sungur Bey continue to flatter Şahinsah Bey, Şahinsah constantly urges Alaeddin Ali to launch an immediate attack on Bursa. However, Orhan opposes this, arguing that they cannot fight a war while Osman Bey is ill. Dursun secretly heads toward Orhan Bey’s tent, but Halime catches him placing a hidden note. From this, it is revealed that the Karasi, Germiyan, and Karaman Beyliks—who have long remained mentally subservient to the Ilkhanids—are marching with Temurtas’s orders, bringing seven thousand soldiers against the Kayi. Orhan once again goes to Temurtas’s headquarters while he is in Bursa, attacks the place, and brings back the antidote to cure Osman Bey. Orhan boldly heads to Temurtas despite having destroyed his base. There, he manipulates Temurtas, claiming that he will lift the siege of Bursa if Temurtas stops the armies of the surrounding beyliks. As a result, Alaeddin and Orhan devise a plan and intentionally fight in front of everyone, making it appear as if Orhan should be removed from the tribe. While Nilüfer chases after Orhan, they fall into a trap. However, Orhan’s alps, Abdulrehman and Kan Turalı, who had been spies in Karasi and Germiyan, return and save them. With the help of Dumrul, his spy in Bursa, along with Halime, Dursun, Nilüfer, Abdulrehman, Kan Turalı, Kara Halil, and Balaban, Orhan destroys the underground passages of Bursa. In this way, the Tekfur and the people inside lose their safest escape routes, and the city suffers severe financial damage. Flavius disguises himself as a merchant named Akçora and frequently meets Fatma Hatun in Söğüt, seemingly captivated by her. He even orders his soldiers twice to attack Fatma’s Caravan from Inegol and Söğüt but instructs them not to harm Fatma. However, he is unable to carry out the attack because Orhan has already destroyed the underground passages of Bursa. Orhan’s alps recapture Yarhisar, which Temurtas had attacked, since Orhan has not lifted the siege of Bursa. Meanwhile, Alaeddin Ali removes Şahinsah from command. Following the advice of the Aksakals, the White Beard organization, Osman Bey reinstates Orhan Bey as the leader of the Kayı, much to the dismay of Şahinsah and Didar Hatun. Osman Bey grants Orhan Bey the symbols of leadership once held by Ertuğrul Bey in Söğüt. During the ceremony, Flavius fires an arrow at Osman, but it strikes Fatma Hatun instead. Realizing the arrow is poisoned, a shaken Flavius calls her an innocent angel and rescues her in disguise. In İznik, the Tekfur openly opposes Orhan Bey and rejects his hand of friendship.Meanwhile, Malhun Hatun entrusts Nilüfer with the position of the tribe’s First Lady and also gives her a ring. She explains that her anger was not meant to break Nilüfer, but to prepare her through a test for the rank. When Nilüfer reveals her pregnancy, Orhan is overjoyed, but her fear lingers after the loss of their two children they had after kasim's birth—until Orhan comforts her with hope.Meanwhile, suitors come to see Halime and Fatma, and Nilüfer Hatun’s sister, Dafne, is in İznik. The Byzantine Emperor summons Orhan Bey and Nilüfer to İznik, where they discuss Bursa and negotiate matters. During this, it is revealed that Dafne is secretly allied with Hector in a Templar Knights’ association and is against the Orthodox Byzantine Empire. Flavius and Orhan join forces to protect the Emperor, but he is struck by an arrow in the process.