During trips of vacationers to the beaches of the Turkish sea, many noticed how reverently the Ottoman heirs relate to the elements of their symbolism. It causes a feeling of pride and great respect among the population of the country. Public and private institutions place it both indoors and on facades. Many residents simply hang flags and emblems of the country in their apartments and houses.
Coat of arms of Turkey
The modern Turkish Republic, like the Ottoman Empire preceding it, actually does not have such an element of symbolism as the state emblem. Most often, a special logo is used instead. Its base is an oval of red color, which depicts a white crescent and a star of the same color above it. The upper edge of the oval is framed by an inscription, which is the official name of the country in the state language.
It is believed that the Ottomans introduced the crescent as a symbol of their country, but this is a mistake. Initially, the rulers of Constantinople used the crescent as an element of the emblem. The Turks only borrowed it, later making it the main sign that is associated with the Islamic faith. The coat of arms of the Republic of Turkey is an analogue of the national flag.
Despite the fact that the main symbols of Turkey seem simple, they point to deep historical roots, a connection with the most important events of the past.
In 1925, the Ministry of Education of Turkey decided to hold a competition, the purpose of which was to choose a new national emblem. Namyk Ismail Bey presented to the public a project that was recognized as the best. A variant of his coat of arms included, in addition to the red panel, crescent and star, also a wolf, since it was the national symbol of the Türks. Despite the fact that such a coat of arms was enthusiastically received by the people, it was not given the official status.
History of the Ottoman emblem
As such, the Ottoman Empire did not have a coat of arms until the end of the 19th century. However, there was a distinctive sign of each sultan. It was a registered Tugra.
Tugra was a sign that was personal to each ruler. Such a specific emblem of the Ottoman Empire contained the title and name of the current Sultan. During the existence of the empire, the customs of Tugra design changed one after another. Nevertheless, they laid the foundations of the “rules” of the design of such a coat of arms of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. So, for example, during the reign of Sultan Suleiman I the Magnificent, it was customary to depict his title and the title of his father around the ruler’s signature. All this inscription merged together with the help of a special calligraphic style, and as a result an image was obtained that was vaguely similar to the outline of a palm.
The tugra itself was formed as an Arabic script decorated with an ornament.
Such an emblem of the Ottoman Empire was reflected in the personal seal of the Sultan, as well as in his massive ring, which was sometimes used as a seal.
All the most important state documents were marked with a tug, sometimes its outlines were minted on coins. In addition, the Sultan coat of arms flaunted at the gates of the mosque.
The end of the XIX and the beginning of the XX century was marked by the appearance of the coat of arms of the Ottoman Empire, familiar to our understanding. It was a multi-element image that reflected the history and values of the Ottomans.
Description of the coat of arms of the Ottoman Empire
On the emblem was a green circle, inside of which was a golden tugra belonging to Sultan Abdul-Hamid II. Under the circle was a green crescent with a gold inscription. The composition of the circle and crescent was surrounded by the rays of the star. A shield was replaced underneath. It was decorated with golden crescents and stars. The shield was crowned with a turban of the Sultan. Banners were depicted on both sides of the shield: on the left side, the banner of Islam is green, and on the right is the banner of the Ottomans of the red color. In addition, behind the banners were various weapons - imperial trophies obtained in wars. Around the shield and banners were images of flowers, weights, books and medals.
A photo of the coat of arms of the Ottoman Empire can be seen below.
Explanation of the elements of the coat of arms
The star in the center of the coat of arms of the Ottoman Empire symbolized the rule of the Turks, illuminating the whole world with power. Shield and various weapons - the embodiment of the military power of the state. Two books depicted near the banner of Islam are the Sunnah and the Qur'an, and the scales on them are the guarantor of justice.
The medals depicted at the very bottom were the real rewards of the sultans and individuals who distinguished themselves in a special way.
Some of the above elements of the coat of arms of the Ottomans migrated to the modern national symbols of the Turkish Republic.