İstiklâl Marşı

"**İstiklâl Marşı**" (, meaning "The Independence March") is the national anthem of Turkey. It became the national anthem on 12 March 1921, two and a half years before the Republic of Turkey became a country. This song, at first, was really meant to excite troops that were fighting in the Turkish War of Independence. Nowadays, it is an important symbol of Turkish nationalism and patriotism.

The words were written by Mehmet Âkif Ersoy, and the music was composed by Osman Zeki Üngör. The main theme about this song is about the homeland of the Turkish people and their liberty. They relate to their flag and spirit of their homeland. Part of the words mention the sacrifice of the soldiers, as well as the Turkish National Movement's victory of the War of Independence.

It is also used as the national anthem of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), a country only Turkey recognises as sovereign. In that part of Cyprus, this song was adopted in 1983 under Article II of the Constitution of Northern Cyprus.

### Original

Only the first two verses (highlighted in **bold**) are officially part of the national anthem and are performed in ceremonies.
|Words of the anthem in Turkish|Words of the anthem when it was first printed|Pronunciation of these words using the IPA|Translation of these words into Simple English|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|<poem></poem>|<poem></poem>|<poem>**[ˈkʰo̞ɾk.mä ‖ s̪ø̞n̪.ˈmæz̪ bu ʃä.fäk.ɫ̪äɾ.ˈd̪ä jy.ˈz̪æn̪ ˈäɫ̪‿s̪än̪.ˌd͡ʒäk ]** **[ˈs̪ø̞n̪.me̞.d̪æn̪ juɾ.d̪u.ˈmʊn̪ ys̪.t̪ʰyn̪.ˈd̪e̞ t̪ʰy.ˈt̪ʰæn̪ ˈe̞n̪‿s̪o̞n̪‿o̞.ˌd͡ʒäk ‖]** **[o̞ be.ˈn̪ɪm mil̠.l̠e.t̪ʰi.ˈmɪn̪ jɯɫ̪.d̪ɯ.ˈz̪ɯ.d̪ɯɾ̞̊  pʰäɾ.ɫ̪ä.jä.ˈd͡ʒäk ]** **[o̞ be.ˈn̪im.d̪ɪɾ̞̊  o̞ be.ˈn̪ɪm mil̠.l̠e.t̪ʰi.ˈmin̪.d̪ɪɾ‿än̪.ˈd͡ʒäk ‖]** **[ˈt͡ʃät̪ʰ.mä  kʰuɾ.ˈbän̪ o̞.ɫ̪ä.ˈjɯm  t͡ʃe̞h.ɾe̞.ˈn̪ɪ e̞j n̪äz̪.ˈɫ̪ɯ hi.ˈläl ‖]** **[kʰäh.ɾä.ˈmän̪ ɯɾ̞̊.ˈkʰɯ.mä biɾ‿ɟyl̠  n̪e̞ bu ʃid̪.ˈd̪e̞t̪  bu d͡ʒe̞.ˈläl ‖]** **[s̪ä.ˈn̪ä o̞ɫ̪.ˈmäz̪ d̪ø̞.cʰy.ˈl̠æn̪ kʰän̪.ɫ̪ä.ɾɯ.ˈmɯz̪ ˈs̪o̞n̪.ɾä he̞.ˈläl ‖]** **[häk.ˈkʰɯ.d̪ɯɾ̞̊  häk.ˈkʰä t̪ʰä.ˈpʰän̪ mil̠.l̠e̞.t̪ʰi.ˈmɪn̪ is̪.t̪ʰic.ˈläl ‖]** [bæn̪ e̞.zæl.ˈd̪æn̪ be.ˈɾi.dɪɾ̞̊ hyɾ‿jä.ʃä.ˈd̪ɯm  hyɾ‿jä.ʃä.ˈɾɯm ] [ˈhäɲ.ɟɪ t͡ʃɯɫ̪.ˈgɯn̪ bä.ˈn̪ä zin.ˈd͡ʒɪɾ‿vu.ɾä.d͡ʒäk.ˈmɯʃ ‖ ʃä.ˈʃä.ɾɯm ‖] [cʰyc.ɾe.ˈmɪʃ s̪æl̠ ɟi.bi.ˈjɪm  ˈbæn̪.d̪i.mɪ t͡ʃiː.ˈn̪æɾ  ä.ʃä.ˈɾɯm ] [jɯɾ.ˈt̪ʰä.ɾɯm d̪äː.ɫ̪ä.ˈɾɯ  e̞ɲ.ɟin̪.l̠e̞.ˈɾe̞ s̪ɯː.ˈmäm  t̪ʰä.ˈʃä.ɾɯm ‖] [gäɾ.ˈbɯn̪ äː.fäː.kʰɯ.ˈn̪ɯ s̪äɾ.ˈmɯʃ.s̪ä t͡ʃe.ˈl̠ɪc z̪ɯɾh.ˈɫ̪ɯ d̪u.ˈväɾ̞̊ ] [be.ˈn̪ɪm iː.ˈmän̪ d̪o̞.ˈɫ̪ʊ gø̞ː.ˈs̪ʏm ɟi.ˈbɪ s̪æɾ.häd̪.ˈd̪im väɾ̞̊ ‖] [u.ɫ̪u.ˈs̪ʊn̪  ˈkʰo̞ɾk.mä ‖ ˈn̪ä.s̪ɯɫ̪ ˈbø̞j.l̠e biɾ‿iː.mä.ˈn̪ɯ bo̞.ˈäɾ̞̊ ] [me.d̪e.ni.ˈje̞t̪ d̪e.d̪i.ˈɪn̪ t̪ʰe̞c d̪i.ˈʃɪ kʰäɫ̪.ˈmɯʃ d͡ʒä.n̪ä.ˈväɾ̞̊ ‖] [äɾ.kʰä.ˈd̪äʃ ‖ juɾ.ˈd̪u.mä äɫ̪.t͡ʃäk.ɫ̪ä.ˈɾɯ uː.ˈɾät̪.mä s̪ä.ˈkʰɯn̪ ] [s̪i.ˈpʰæɾ‿æt̪ gø̞v.d̪e.ˈn̪ɪ  d̪uɾ.ˈs̪ʊn̪ bu hä.jäː.ˈs̪ɯz̪.d͡ʒä ä.ˈkʰɯn̪ ‖] [d̪o̞.ä.ˈd͡ʒäk.t̪ʰɯɾ̞̊ s̪ä.ˈn̪ä vä.d̪e̞t̪.t̪ʰi.ˈɪ ɟyn̪.ˈl̠æɾ̞̊ häk.ˈkʰɯn̪ ] [cʰim bi.ˈl̠ɪɾ̞̊  ˈbæl̠.cʰɪ jä.ˈɾɯn̪ ˈbæl̠.cʰɪ jä.ɾɯn̪.ˈd̪än̪ d̪ä jä.ˈkʰɯn̪ ‖] [bäs̪.t̪ʰɯ.ˈɯn̪ jæɾ.l̠e̞.ˈɾɪ t̪ʰo̞p.ˈɾäk d̪i.je̞.ˈɾe̞c ˈɟe̞t͡ʃ.me̞  t̪ʰä.ˈn̪ɯ ] [d̪y.ˈʃʏn̪ äɫ̪.t̪ʰɯn̪.ˈd̪ä.cʰɪ bin̪.ˈl̠æɾ.d͡ʒe̞ cʰe̞.fæn̪.ˈs̪ɪz̪ jä.t̪ʰä.ˈn̪ɯ ‖] [s̪æn̪ ʃe.ˈhit̪ o̞ː.ɫ̪u.ˈs̪ʊn̪  in.ˈd͡ʒit̪.me̞  jä.ˈz̪ɯk.tʰɯɾ‿ä.t̪ʰä.ˈn̪ɯ [ˈvæɾ.me̞  d̪yn.jä.ɫ̪ä.ˈɾɯ äɫ̪.ˈs̪än̪ d̪ä bu d͡ʒe̞n̪.ˈn̪e̞t̪ vä.t̪ʰä.ˈnɯ ‖] [cʰim bu d͡ʒe̞n̪.ˈn̪e̞t̪ vä.t̪ʰä.ˈn̪ɯn̪ uː.ɾu.ˈn̪ä o̞ɫ̪.ˈmäz̪ cʰi fe̞.ˈd̪ä ‖] [ʃy.he̞.ˈd̪ä fɯʃ.kʰɯ.ɾä.ˈd͡ʒäk  t̪ʰo̞p.ɾä.ˈɯ s̪ɯk.ˈs̪än̪ ʃy.he̞.ˈd̪ä ‖] [d͡ʒäː.ˈn̪ɯ  d͡ʒäː.n̪äː.ˈn̪ɯ  by.ˈt̪ʰʏn̪ vä.ɾɯ.ˈmɯ äɫ̪.ˈs̪ɯn̪ d̪ä hy.ˈd̪ä ] [ˈe̞t̪.me̞.s̪ɪn̪ t̪ʰe̞c vä.t̪ʰä.n̪ɯm.ˈd̪än̪ be.ˈn̪ɪ d̪yn̪.jä.ˈd̪ä d͡ʒy.ˈd̪ä ‖] [ɾ̞u.hu.ˈmʊn̪ s̪æn̪.ˈd̪æn̪ i.läː.ˈhɪː  ˈʃu.d̪ʊɾ‿än̪.ˈd͡ʒäk e.me.ˈl̠ɪ ‖] [ˈd̪e(j).e.me.s̪ɪn̪ mä.be.d̪i.ˈmɪn̪ gø̞ː.s̪y.ˈn̪e̞ n̪äː.mäh.ˈɾe̞m e.ˈl̠ɪ ‖] [bu e̞.z̪än̪.ˈɫ̪äɾ̞̊  cʰi ʃe.hä.d̪et̪.l̠e.ˈɾɪ d̪i.ˈn̪ɪn̪ t̪ʰe.me.ˈl̠ɪ ] [e.be.ˈd̪ɪː  juɾ.d̪u.ˈmʊn̪ ys̪.t̪ʰyn̪.ˈd̪e̞ be.ˈn̪ɪm in̪.l̠e.me.ˈl̠ɪ ‖] [o̞ z̪ä.ˈmän̪ ve̞d͡ʒd i.ˈl̠e̞ bin̪ s̪e̞d͡ʒ.ˈd̪e̞ e.ˈd̪æɾ  ˈväɾ.s̪ä t̪ʰä.ˈʃɯm ] [hæɾ‿d͡ʒe.ɾiː.häm.ˈd̪än̪  i.läː.ˈhɪː  bo̞.ʃä.ˈn̪ɯp kʰän̪.ˈɫ̪ɯ jä.ˈʃɯm ] [fɯʃ.kʰɯ.ˈɾɯɾ ɾu.hu.my.d͡ʒe̞ɾ̞.ˈɾ̞e̞t̪ ɟi.ˈbɪ jæɾ.ˈd̪æn̪ nä.ä.ˈʃɯm ] [o̞ z̪ä.ˈmän̪ jyc.s̪e̞.ˈl̠e̞.ɾe̞c äɾ.ˈʃä d̪æ.ˈæɾ‿ˈbæl̠.cʰɪ bä.ˈʃɯm ‖] [d̪äɫ̪.gä.ˈɫ̪än̪ s̪æn̪ d̪e ʃä.fäk.ˈɫ̪äɾ ɟi.ˈbɪ e̞j ʃän̪.ˈɫ̪ɯ hi.ˈläl ‖] [o̞ɫ̪.ˈs̪ʊn̪ äɾ.ˈt̪ʰɯk dø̞.cʰy.ˈl̠æn̪ kʰän̪.ɫ̪ä.ɾɯ.ˈmɯn̪ ˈhe̞p.s̪ɪ he̞.ˈläl ‖] [e.be.ˈd̪i.jæn̪ s̪ä.ˈn̪ä jo̞k  ɯɾ.ˈkʰɯ.mä jo̞k iz̪.mih.ˈläl ‖] [häk.ˈkʰɯ.d̪ɯɾ̞̊  hyɾ‿jä.ˈʃä.mɯʃ bäj.ɾä.ɯ.ˈmɯn̪ hyɾ̞.ɾ̞i.ˈje̞t̪ ‖] [häk.ˈkʰɯ.d̪ɯɾ̞̊  häk.ˈkʰä t̪ʰä.ˈpʰän̪ mil̠.l̠e̞.t̪ʰi.ˈmɪn̪ is̪.t̪ʰic.ˈläl ‖]</poem>|<poem>**Don't be scared, the red flag that waves proudly in this glorious dawn will not fade away,** **Before the last fiery home that is buring inside my homeland is washed away.** **Because that is the star of my people, and it will shine forever;** **It is mine, and it only belonges to my strong nation.** **Don't frown, I beg of you, oh gentle crescent!** **Smile upon my nation of heroes! Why the anger, why the rage?** **Our blood which we shed for you will not be worthy otherwise;** **Because freedom is the absolute right of my nation that worships God!** I have been free since the beginning, and I will remain such forever. What madman shall put me in chains?! I defy the very idea! I am like the roaring flood; trampling my banks and overcoming my body, I will rip apart mountains, go beyond the expanses and still speak with great enthusiasm! The horizons of the West may be bound with walls of steel, But my borders are protected by the great heart of a believer. Let it yell out, do not be scared! And think: how can this fiery faith ever be washed away? By that beaten, single-fanged monster you call “civilization”? My friend! Do not leave my homeland to the hands of evil men! Turn your chest into armour, and turn your body into a barrier! Stop this disgraceful assault! Because soon, the happy days will come of holy promise; Who knows? Perhaps tomorrow? Perhaps even sooner! Do not just look at the soil you walk on as earth, but recognize it! And think about the uncloaked thousands who lie so nobly underneath you. You are the glorious son of a saint, so take shame and do not grieve your ancestors! Do not unhand, even when you are promised worlds, this heavenly homeland. Who would not give their life for this paradise of a country? Saints would burst should one simply squeeze the soil! Oh Saints! May God take my life, my loved ones, and all things from me if He shall, But do not let Him strip me of my one true homeland in the world. Oh glorious God, the only wish of my hurt heart is that, No pagan's hand should ever touch the heart of my holy temples. These calls to prayer and their testimonies are the foundations of my religion, And may their noble sound succeed thunderously across my forever homeland. For only then, shall my tired tombstone, if there is one, kneel a thousand times in joy, And tears of blood shall, oh Lord, spill out from all my wounds, And my lifeless body shall burst from the earth like an eternal spirit, Perhaps only then, shall I peacefully go up and at long last reach the heavens. So wave like the bright dawn, oh glorious crescent, So that every last drop of our blood may finally be blessed and worthy! Neither you nor my relatives will ever be washed away! Because freedom is the absolute right of my flag that is forever free; Because independence is the absolute right of my nation that worships God!</poem>|

## Infobox (anthem)

- **title**: İstiklal Marşı
- **english title**: Independence March
- **image**: Atatürk schoolroom wall.jpg
- **caption**: An example of a common classroom display in Turkey, including the anthem at far right.
- **prefix**: National
- **country**:
<small></small>
- **composer**: Zeki Üngör, Osman Zeki Üngör, 1930

Edgar Manas, 1932
- **author**: Mehmet Akif Ersoy, 1921
- **adopted**: 12 March 1921
- **sound**: Istiklâl Marsi instrumetal.ogg
- **sound title**: İstiklal Marşı (instrumental)