Republic Day, a national and bank holiday, will be celebrated all over Turkey on 29 October. Our article explores the history behind the celebration.

Independence, National or Republic Days are probably the most important days for a country to celebrate as a national holiday. For many nations, these days are the time to celebrate their independence from others, often won by hard fought battles to claim their freedom.

The same is true of Cumhuriyet Bayrami celebrated on the 29th October each year.

On this date in 1923 and following post World War I occupation of Turkey and a three year war for independence, the Turkish Republic was proclaimed and Mustafa Kemal became the nations first President.

Previously Turkey had been part of the great Ottoman Empire, led by the Sultans which, at its peak encompassed an area including today’s Hungary, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Bosnia, Albania, Macedonia, Greece, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, southern Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Cyprus Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, eastern and western Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Algeria.

From 1300 until 1922 the Ottomans ruled this vast empire, although through most of its period it was not a state in the modern sense of the word, but more of a military administration.

However, by the late 1800s the Ottoman Empire was already in decline, its structures antiquated, its institutions corrupted and its death knell probably proclaimed when it entered World War I in alliance with German forces.

When the war ended, allied forces occupied nearly all corners of Turkey, including Istanbul (then the capital) and the Sultan and indeed many others, looked likely to accept the mandate of either the British or American occupiers.

Mustafa Kemal, however, had a very different vision and so began the three-year struggle to gain independence for Turkey over all others.

Kemal and his small but growing band of nationalist troops, won many battles during the War of Independence, not just over the occupying forces, but often also against the armies of the Ottoman Sultanate and local bands of rebels, who all sought to hold onto their positions and powers.

He set up headquarters in Ankara, due to its central location within the country and sought to replace the ruling Monarchy with a Republic.

By the end of 1922, Kemal and his army had driven out all of the occupying forces and the Ottoman Sultan fled from Istanbul on a British boat.

The birth of Turkey as a Republic had begun and the old empire was abolished.

Kemal decreed that the new Turkey would be a secular republic, based on the indirect will of its people, on a Turkish national feeling and on governmental influence on the economy.

Immediately following the War of Independence, Kemal declared, "peace is the most effective way for nations to attain prosperity and happiness".

In July 1923, the national government signed the Treaty of Lausanne with, amongst others, Great Britain, France, Greece, and Italy.

By the middle of October that year Ankara had become the capital of the new Turkish State and on October 29, the Republic was proclaimed and Mustafa Kemal was unanimously elected President of the Republic. The leader of modern Turkey aspired to freedom and equality for all.

The word 'Republic' has not always been used as intended - often tiny dictatorships will call themselves Republics in a vain attempt to disguise their form of government.

However, Mustafa Kemal (later to be named 'Ataturk' - Father of the Turks) and the Grand National Assembly of the newly formed 'Turkish Republic' used it in its truest sense. Turkiye Cumhuriyeti (Turkish Republic) meaning 'the people' (Cumhur) 'the government by the people' (Cumhuriyet). When he proclaimed the Republic, he announced " the new Turkish State is a state of the people and a state by the people."