Senior Turkish officials on Wednesday marked the 955th anniversary of the Battle of Manzikert (Malazgirt), highlighting national unity, Türkiye’s historical legacy and the country’s future goals.
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said the victory, which paved the way for Turkish settlement in Anatolia, continues to inspire Türkiye nearly a millennium later.
“With the strength we draw from Manzikert, we are moving toward our 'Century of Türkiye' goals, shoulder to shoulder, for all ages, with the same faith and determination,” Yılmaz noted in a social media post.
Yılmaz commemorated Seljuk Sultan Alp Arslan, his army and those who lost their lives in battle, saying the determination that “opened the gates of Anatolia” in 1071 and was later crowned by the conquest of Istanbul continued to sustain the Turkish nation’s unity.
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş also stressed unity in a message commemorating the anniversary, saying Alp Arslan’s determination to make Anatolia a homeland laid the foundations for centuries of coexistence and brotherhood.
