Turkey’s New Origin Myths

The 953-year-old Battle of Malazgirt (Manzikert) between the Byzantine Empire and the Seljuk Turks was the most important agenda item in Turkey this week. This year's ceremonies were more spectacular, with Erdoğan's coalition partners, leaders of various religious groups and, of course, generals in attendance. In Malazgirt, Erdogan found a new myth of origins for the Turkish state that better suits his worldview, political message, and foreign policy perspective.

Benedict Anderson defines nations as 'imagined communities' whose members see themselves as parts of exclusive unities. Myths are the basic building blocks or bedrock of these imaginations. Despite their negative connotations, myths are not necessarily fiction. In core, “[m]yths bind us together, give us a sense of self-determination and create boundaries that separate us from those who are not us.” What Erdoğan is doing is changing Turkey's national myths.

Until the AKP, Turkey's origin story was based on the War of Independence led by Atatürk. The day he landed in Samsun (May 19), which launched Turkey's War of Independence, the day the Parliament opened in Ankara (April 23), the day of the military victory over the Greek army in western Anatolia (August 30), and the day the Republic was established (October 29) were Turkey's national days, celebrated with marches, sport events, visits to Ataturk’s Mausoleum, and official receptions. These ceremonies were visible demonstrations of what the Turkish state stood for and defined the boundaries of the Turkish nation.

However, National Day celebrations have been lackluster in recent years. The AKP government has frequently canceled celebrations under various pretexts such as terrorist attacks or natural disasters. It has also reduced the emphasis on Atatürk and the values of the Republic, namely secularism and modernity. Instead, it has devoted more and more time to religious elements in its program of events. Last year was the centenary of the Republic, but it was hardly noticed. Until the last few days, it was unclear whether Erdoğan would organize an official reception at his palace. The government canceled centennial events in schools and municipalities, citing the war in Gaza. In fact, if not for the October 7 attack and the war in Gaza, Erdogan was reportedly planning to visit the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on October 29 to celebrate the centenary of the Republic.

Erdoğan offers alternatives for national days. Just as the 2016 coup attempt is commemorated every year on July 15, the Battle of Malazgirt is one of these alternatives. In the spring of 1071, the Byzantine emperor launched a major military campaign to stop the Turkish incursions into Anatolia. Despite being outnumbered, the Seljuki Sultan, Alparaslan, inflicted a decisive defeat on the Byzantine army at Malazgirt. This defeat weakened Byzantine control over Anatolia and paved the way for the Turkification and Islamization of Anatolia. In other words, the Malazgirt Victory marked the beginning of a long period of Turkish conquests in Anatolia and the Balkans. Malazgirt says a lot about the AKP's worldview, identity construction, understanding of the national role, mission and foreign policy vision.

President Erdoğan has been regularly attending the Malazgirt commemoration ceremonies since 2017. While Republican National Day events were celebrated in a western fashion, with balls, dances and alcoholic drinks, Erdogan's events have more Ottoman and Seljuk colors and religious overtones. It is now the ummah (all Muslims) but under Turkish leadership and protection. In this context, the transformation of official celebrations clearly shows Turkey's transformation under the AKP.

However, this transformation is still under construction. The deepening economic crisis and problems of governance have led to public discontent not only with the AKP but also with Erdoğan himself. Until recently, AKP voters separated President Erdoğan from his party. They blamed his party for all wrongdoings and portrayed Erdoğan as a benevolent and lonely leader. However, this picture has recently changed against Erdoğan. According to opposition press, AKP's think tank SETA has warned Erdogan of growing discontent with his personality. SETA and the government denied the existence of such a report, but even if they were right, no one who follows Turkish politics would find such discontent strange. This discontent is reflected in the celebrations marking the 22nd-anniversary of the founding of the AKP. Unlike in previous years, this year's celebrations were rather modest. This is why the party may have wanted to change this negative image with such lavish celebrations for Malazgirt.

In contrast to political Islamism, nationalism is an ascendant ideology in Turkey, both within the government or the opposition. The Malazgirt celebrations exemplify Erdoğan's use of Turkish nationalism in his myth-building efforts. This latest incident was a show of strength, demonstrating Erdogan's unity with his coalition partners, but beneath this show of unity lies a growing tension between Islamism and nationalism.