Erdoğan marks 952nd anniversary of Battle of Manzikert

MUŞ

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has marked the 952nd anniversary of the historic Battle of Manzikert, also known as Malazgirt in Turkish, during a ceremony honoring the pivotal victory for the Turks in Anatolia.

"We hereby declare once again our determination and commitment to safeguard this land, entrusted to us by Sultan Alparslan and every valiant soldier in his ranks, even to the last drop of our blood," Erdogan affirmed during a commemorative program in the eastern province of Muş's Malazgirt district on Aug. 26.

The battle, which occurred on Aug. 26, 1071, saw Seljuk Turks, led by Sultan Alparslan, defeat Byzantine forces, granting them control over the region.

Erdoğan was accompanied by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, Great Union Party (BBP) leader Mustafa Destici and Free Cause Party (HÜDA PAR) leader Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu.

During the ceremony, the gendarmerie's janissary band performed and a recitation of the Quran, Islam's holy book, took place.

"Manzikert is not just an ordinary war or victory. It was not Manzikert that brought us to Anatolia, our roots here run deep. It opened the doors of our political sovereignty in Anatolia," Erdoğan stated.

"The victory achieved here first dealt the heaviest-ever blow to the Crusades by enabling the foundation of the Anatolian Seljuk state and then conduced to the conquest of the Balkans and Istanbul through the victorious endeavors of the Ottomans, who raised the flag with the same conviction."

Commending the robust attendance at the ceremony, Erdoğan remarked, "This image in Manzikert serves as a reminder of the depth, richness, strength and, most importantly, the continuity of our culture and history."

The president expressed his conviction in the country's direction, noting, "Every experience we've undergone on this land, both bitter and sweet, has underscored the value of our homeland time and again. As we welcomed the Manzikert victory at the beginning of a new millennium, here we stand with the same vigor at the start of the second millennium."

Erdoğan also touched on future aspirations, remarking that "the country's achievements over the past two decades had fortified the foundation of the republic." Looking ahead, he outlined a vision for the future, expressing the desire to begin the new century of the Turkish Republic with transformative initiatives.