Mareşal (Turkey)

Highest rank in the Turkish Armed Forces

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]

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

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

See also

• Military ranks of Turkey
• Military ranks of the Ottoman Empire
• List of field marshals of the Ottoman Empire

References

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.