Mareşal (transl.Marshal) is the highest rank in the Turkish Land Forces and Turkish Air Force.[1] It is the equivalent of a field marshal in other countries.[2]

Marshal
Mareşal
Shoulder insignia
Country Turkey
Service branch Turkish Land Forces
 Turkish Air Force
NATO rank codeOF-10
Formation1921
Next higher rankNone
Next lower rankOrgeneral
Equivalent ranksBüyük amiral

The rank of Mareşal can trace its origins to the Ottoman Empire, where the rank of Mushir (Arabic: مشير) was bestowed upon senior commanders upon order of the ruling Sultan.[citation needed]

The word mariscalcus in Latin, had parts from the old-German words meaning horse and servant.[citation needed]

The rank of Mareşal can only be bestowed by the National Assembly, and only given to a general who leads an army, and/or air force with an extraordinary success in battle gaining a victory over the enemy.[3]

The corresponding rank in the Turkish Navy is Büyük amiral.[4]

List of Turkish Marshals

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Only two people were bestowed the rank Mareşal to date, both for their successes in the Turkish War of Independence.

No. Portrait Name
(born–died)
Date of promotion For Office Ref.
1   Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
(1881–1938)
19 September 1921 Battle of Sakarya Commander-in-chief of the Army of the GNA (1921–1922)
2   Fevzi Çakmak
(1876–1950)
31 August 1922 Battle of Dumlupinar Commander-in-chief of the Army of the GNA (1921–1922)
Chief of the Turkish General Staff (1923–1944)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ STANAG 2116, pp. A-3, C-3.
  2. ^ STANAG 2116, pp. A-3.
  3. ^ "Türk Silâhlı Kuvvetleri Personel Kanunu" [Turkish Armed Forces Employee Law] (in Turkish). p. 4398. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  4. ^ STANAG 2116, p. B-3.
  • Military Committee Land Standardization Board (25 February 2010). STANAG 2116 (6th ed.). NATO Standardization Agency.