The Greatest Turkish Military Leaders

This ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

(Founder of the Republic of Turkey,)

138

Birthdate: May 19, 1881

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Thessaloniki

Died: November 10, 1938

Kemal Atatürk, known as the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, was its first president. He unified Turkey into a secular country and invested in education and women’s rights. He also popularized the Latin-based Turkish alphabet and made minorities speak Turkish in public. His policies are known as “Kemalism.”

Osman I

(Political Leader)

Birthdate: 1258 AD

Birthplace: Söğüt, Turkey

Died: August 1, 1326

Osman I was the founder of the Ottoman dynasty, which ruled the Ottoman Empire between 1299 and 1922. One of the most important historical figures in Turkey, Osman I is often depicted in popular culture. Interestingly, he is also one of the least documented leaders of the Ottoman Turks, making the factual information of his biographies questionable.

Hayreddin Barbarossa

(Ottoman Navy Admiral )

Birthdate: 1478 AD

Birthplace: Paleokipos, Greece

Died: July 4, 1546

Remembered as the Pirate of Algiers and Redbeard, legendary Hayreddin Barbarossa from Lesbos, along with his brother Oruç, plundered ships and ports, terrorizing the Mediterranean coast. His exploits led him to become the admiral of the Ottoman Navy. His victory at Preveza remains his most celebrated one.

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Enver Pasha

(Ottoman Military Officer, Revolutionary and Convicted War Criminal Who Formed One-Third of the 'Three Pashas' Triumvirate)

Birthdate: November 22, 1881

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: İstanbul, Turkey

Died: August 4, 1922

Ottoman military officer Enver Pasha is remembered as one of the main figures of the Armenian Genocide. The Young Turk leader was one of the Three Pashas who ruled over the Ottoman Empire during World War I. He was killed by the Soviets during the Basmachi Revolt.

Cemal Gürsel

(4th President of Turkey)

Birthdate: October 13, 1895

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Erzurum, Turkey

Died: September 14, 1966

Nikephoros II Phokas

(Emperor)

Birthdate: 0912 AD

Birthplace: Cappadocia, Turkey

Died: December 11, 0969

Fevzi Çakmak

(Turkish Politician and Military Personnel)

Birthdate: January 12, 1876

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Constantinople

Died: April 10, 1950

Djemal Pasha

(Military leader)

Birthdate: May 6, 1872

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Mitilini, Greece

Died: July 21, 1922

Osman Nuri Pasha

(Military Commander)

Birthdate: 1832 AD

Birthplace: Tokat, Turkey

Died: April 5, 1900

Isaac I Komnenos

(Military officer)

Birthdate: 1007 AD

Birthplace: Constantinople

Died: May 31, 1061

Hakan Fidan

(Chief of the National Intelligence Organization of Turkey since 2015)

Birthdate: 1968 AD

Birthplace: Ankara, Turkey

Romanos I Lekapenos

(Byzantine-Armenian Naval Admiral became Byzantine emperor and reigned from December 919)

Birthdate: 0870 AD

Birthplace: Lakape

Died: June 5, 0948

Mahmud Shevket Pasha

(Statesman)

Birthdate: 1856 AD

Birthplace: Baghdad, Iraq

Died: June 11, 1913

Midhat Pasha

(Political figure)

Birthdate: October 18, 1822

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: İstanbul, Turkey

Died: May 8, 1884

Aristagoras

(Political leader)

Birthplace: Miletus Ancient Theater, Turkey

Died: 0498 AD

Aristagoras was a political leader who led the Ionian city of Miletus during the initial stages of the Ionian Revolt against the Achaemenid Empire. The son-in-law of Histiaeus, who had ruled Miletus in the 6th century BC, Aristagoras inherited the tyranny from his father-in-law and led Miletus in the late 6th century and early 5th century BC.