Dignitaries, including Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, descended to a small town in northwestern Türkiye on Sunday to remember a prominent figure of Turkish history in Anatolia as a large crowd gathered near the tomb of Ertuğrul, father of Osman I, founder of the Ottoman Empire, for the 743th edition of Ertuğrul Ghazi Commemoration Day.
“We look at the sky here and see our flag flies freely and a country prospering under the shadow of our flag,” Yılmaz said in an emotional speech at the event.
Ertuğrul Ghazi, better known as the main character in the globally renowned TV drama series "Resurrection Ertuğrul" to newer generations, is believed to have died in Söğüt, currently a district of the Bilecik province, in 1281. It was the last stopover of the nomadic Kayı tribe the Ottoman sultans descended from as they sought to settle down and build new cities. From Söğüt, Ottomans expanded westward before cementing domination over the entire Anatolia and, later, in southeastern parts of Europe. The Republic of Türkiye was created from remnants of the empire, which shrunk almost to the present-day country in the aftermath of World War I. The Ottoman Empire was ruled for more than 600 years by descendants of Ertuğrul, a bey or chieftain of the tribe and son of Süleyman Shah of Oghuz Turks, according to disputed accounts by various historians. Ertuğrul’s original tomb was built by his son Osman but rebuilt by Abdülhamid II in the late 19th century. Recently, the Turkish army posted honor guards dressed in Ottoman costumes at Ertuğrul’s tomb. Weeklong events are held every year in Söğüt to remember Ertuğrul and celebrate his legacy.
The vice president said they remembered Ertuğrul Ghazi with gratitude as the “plane tree he planted in Söğüt took root and embraced three continents for 600 years and changed the eras,” he said, referring to the Ottoman Empire’s symbolic tree. Yılmaz said Söğüt, where Ertuğrul Ghazi pitched his tent, was a starting point for the Ottoman civilization that “grew with justice, tolerance and courage.”
“This land symbolizes the legendary fight of the Kayı tribe and the rise of Ottomans. Kayı was not the largest of (Turkic) tribes, but it is worth questioning and studying how it was the Kayı that founded the Ottomans instead of other tribes. I believe that you can become an international state if you pick your preferences and strategy right, if you have a Red Apple,” he said, referring to the idea of Turkish conquests.
The Red Apple symbol traces its roots to Central Asian Turkic mythology and is often represented as the desired goal of Turkish conquests, moving to the next target or an unending quest for total domination.
Yılmaz stated that the Ottomans succeeded due to their higher moral ground and spirit of battle. “It is no coincidence that Ertuğrul, Osman, and his son Orhan have all the title of ghazi,” he said, referring to the title given to people who fought in battles.
“They made the right strategic choices and built a state with strong roots. We have to understand well their governance principles to restore justice in today’s order,” Yılmaz said.
He underlined that Ertuğrul Ghazi also played a role in uniting other tribes to pursue common goals and, thus, cemented the Turkish presence in Anatolia.
“We are now working to keep every place our ancestors stepped in prosperous and with justice and peace prevalent. Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we work on realizing the dream of peace and justice for our country and region,” he stated.
