"God of War" (TV series 2012)
Is a korean drama but I must say is most impressive. I strongly recommend! It is based on history facts (ofc 40 percent, at least, is fiction) and tells the story of a monk who became slave, wins a fight-to-death tournament for being ranked as free soldier and for there on he keeps getting on higher positions till the last one: supreme commander of korean army (official: below emperor, non-official: the true power belongs to the army, the emperor is just a way of maintaining tradition). The series end has a powerfull dramatic strike to his viewers but I will not spoil it in case some1 will actually decide to watch the series.