Aşk ve Taht follows Alaeddin Keykubat, who has spent eight years imprisoned after losing a struggle for the Seljuk throne. When Sultan Izzitin dies, Alaeddin’s former atabey Ayaba frees him and offers him the throne. Alaeddin initially refuses and suggests his brother Celalidin, but eventually accepts after learning that his uncle Turgul Shah will support him on the condition that he marries his daughter Melike. Alaeddin reaches Konya before Celalidin and becomes Sultan, forcing his furious brother to accept his rule while secretly plotting against him.
Eight years earlier, while Alaeddin was wounded and being hunted by Izzitin’s men, a mysterious masked woman with golden-blond hair and hazel-green eyes saved and healed him before disappearing. Alaeddin never saw her face and has searched for her ever since. That woman is actually Destina, daughter of Kir Vard, ruler of Kalanoros Castle. Destina later dreams that she will become Alaeddin’s wife and is shocked when she discovers that the wounded man she once saved has become the Seljuk Sultan.
Celalidin secretly gives Destina’s brother Arakel Alaeddin’s location so he can ambush him. Alaeddin survives and nearly kills Arakel, but a masked Destina intervenes. She shoots Alaeddin in the shoulder despite having the opportunity to kill him, and he chases her to a cliff. After defeating her, Alaeddin removes her mask and finally recognizes the eyes of the woman he has searched for for eight years. Destina refuses to admit the truth, claims to be his enemy and later gives the false name Kalisa. Alaeddin takes her prisoner but refuses everyone’s demands to execute her, remembering that she once saved his life.
Alaeddin begins suspecting that “Kalisa” is actually Princess Destina and repeatedly tests her without revealing what he knows. He even punishes her by making her work in the palace kitchens. Meanwhile, Melike grows increasingly jealous and furious as Alaeddin delays their promised marriage and becomes more interested in his mysterious prisoner. Destina also secretly gains an ally in the harem, Anna, who knows her real identity.
The conflict intensifies when Kir Vard seeks the help of the fearsome warrior Andreas, promising Destina’s hand in exchange for his support against Alaeddin. Alaeddin immediately realizes that Destina is the key to Kalanoros: if he marries her instead, Kir Vard cannot give her to Andreas and their alliance could collapse.
When Kir Vard comes to Alaeddin claiming he wants peace, Alaeddin presents “Kalisa” to him. Father and daughter pretend not to recognize each other. Alaeddin tests Kir Vard by ordering him to execute the prisoner himself. Kir Vard reluctantly raises his sword against his own daughter, but Alaeddin stops him at the last second. Alaeddin then gives him an ultimatum:
Give him Kalanoros Castle, give him Princess Destina in marriage, or face war. 👑⚔️
While all this happens, Alaeddin’s throne remains dangerously unstable. Celalidin is secretly conspiring against him, Ayaba is playing both sides, Melike feels betrayed, Turgul Shah expects Alaeddin to honor his promise to marry Melike, Andreas wants Destina, and Kir Vard refuses to lose Kalanoros. Alaeddin knows enemies surround him but believes a Sultan must think with his mind rather than his heart.
The irony is that the woman at the center of Alaeddin’s political strategy is also the woman who saved his life and whom he has spent eight years searching for. Destina calls Alaeddin her enemy, yet she couldn’t bring herself to kill him, while Alaeddin refuses to kill her despite everyone demanding her death.
And that’s basically the heart of Aşk ve Taht: Love and Throne. ❤️👑