Flag month and star on a red background. Turkey flag
Each flag has its own unique story, telling the story of its people. The state and the flag are integral parts; there is no state without a flag.
The red flag of Turkey with a white star and crescent appeared in ancient times, but throughout its journey to our time, it has constantly changed. The symbolism of a half moon and a star appeared on the Turkish flag after Turkey converted to Islam. However, the color of the flag has not changed, although green is the typical color for Muslims.
The color of the flag dates back to the times of the Arab ruler Umar, who ruled in the period 634-644 and conquered Palestine, Mesopotapia, and Egypt. The red color of the flag is a symbol of the Ottoman Empire, and the half of the month and the star are symbols of Islam. In those days, no matter what the color of the Muslim flag was, a crescent was always depicted on each of them, in different color shades and sizes, and even three at once. The color of the Turkish flag in the 16th century was snow-white, in the next century it took on a red color, at another time the flag was green. All colors of the cloth originated from the Ottoman Empire.
Regarding the crescent and star, there are claims that at the very beginning of its appearance on the flag, the star was inside the month. Astronomers demanded that the star be moved outside the month, since in their opinion the star is located in the obstructed lunar zone. This change occurred at the beginning of the 20th century.
From some sources it is clear that the symbol of Islam on the flag appeared after the victory of Turkish soldiers on Kosovo, from others that the crescent was copied from the emblem of Constantinople, from others that Sultan Osman's crescent and star were the family symbols of his dynasty. At first, eight- and seven-pointed stars appeared on the Turkish flag, but in the middle of the 19th century, there was only one star on the flag, five-pointed.
There are a large number of legends about the origin of the Turkish flag. One of them tells about a distant time when Philip of Macedon, the father of the great Alexander, with his army besieged the city of Constantinople, now the city of Istanbul. The battle took place with strong resistance from local residents, a lot of blood was shed and a large number of people died. The enemy wanted to enter the city at night through a tunnel, but suddenly the moon shone brightly in the sky and was reflected along with the stars in a large pool of blood. The watchmen discovered the enemy in the light and did not allow him to the walls of the city. The city defended its freedom, and in honor of this event, the star and crescent became the emblem of Byzantium. After many centuries, Turkish warriors captured the city, and since 1453, such symbols have been emblazoned on the Turkish flag.
If you have been to Turkey, then you probably know what the flag of this country looks like. Its citizens are great patriots, so they hang the red flag with a star and crescent everywhere - on lanterns, on their own balconies and any hills.
Not to mention his image on numerous souvenirs and the decoration of cities with red flags on holidays. The popular name of the flag is ay-yildyz, which translates as “crescent and star” or al-sanjak – “red banner”. The flag of Turkey in its modern form is a red rectangle with a white star and a white crescent. This flag has come to us since 1844, and before that it underwent various modifications: it changed color - from white to green, then from green to red, shape - from wedge-shaped to rectangular. The number of crescents changed on it, stars with different numbers of ends appeared (from eight to five), and the crescent and stars themselves either “got better” or “lost weight.”
Where did the crescent moon come from?
The Turkish flag is one of the oldest in the world, and this makes it very difficult to trace its history back to its inception, as well as understand what it actually symbolizes. There are many versions, speculations and legends. I tried to study them all and put them together.
The moon and star as symbols of the Turks existed long before the emergence of the Ottoman Empire and the adoption of Islam by the Turks. According to one version, they appeared on the Turkic flags as two most important celestial elements, since the ancient Turks (like the Mongols) were adherents of Tengrism, that is, they worshiped the sky. And for the same reason, the flag of East Turkestan is exactly the same as the flag of Turkey, only in a blue, heavenly color.
According to another version, the crescent moon came to the Ottoman Empire from Byzantium. When the Turks captured Constantinople in 1453, they adopted its symbol - a month with a star, which, in turn, received it back when it was Byzantium. According to legend, the army of the Macedonian king Philip (father of the legendary Alexander the Great) besieged the small city of Byzantium, located on the banks of the Bosphorus. On one of the darkest nights, Philip decided to take the city by storm and sent his army to its walls. But suddenly the clouds parted, and the moon illuminated the surrounding area for the residents of the city and the enemy approaching the walls. The attack was successfully repelled, and the moon became the emblem of the city. Emperor Constantine added an eight-pointed star to the crescent as a symbol of the Virgin Mary.
Legends say...
There are several other legends regarding the appearance of the crescent and star on the Ottoman banner. The lyrical story tells that the founder of the Ottoman dynasty, Osman I, was in love and dreamed of marrying Mal Khatun, the daughter of a qadi (Islamic judge). He thought about his beloved for days on end, and one night he had a dream in which the Moon rose from the chest of his beloved and illuminated the whole world from edge to edge. Osman decided that this dream was prophetic and signified that his and Mal Khatun’s heirs would take over the whole world, so he made the crescent moon a symbol of his dynasty.
Another story tells that either Murad II after the battle on Kosovo, which led to the complete defeat of the enemies, or Selim I after the conquest of Egypt and its annexation to the Ottoman Empire, having crushed the enemy, walked along the battlefield in the evening. The Sultan saw the reflection of a crescent and a star in a pool of blood, very similar to his family flag, under which the soldiers went into battle. And this combination of heavenly bodies and shed blood impressed the Sultan so much that he decided to make this image a symbol of his great empire.
It is interesting that the Turks could hardly ever see the crescent in the form in which it is depicted on the Turkish flag. According to astronomers, the Turkish flag depicts an eclipse of the Moon by some unknown object (not the Earth or an asteroid). Such an eclipse could not be observed on Earth for many millennia. Astronomers also found another discrepancy, which was corrected. On the Ottoman flag, the star was inside the crescent, which was impossible from an astronomical point of view.
The controversy continues
There is often an opinion that the crescent with a star on the Turkish flag is a symbol of Islam. This is a common error that occurs as a result of a violation of the cause-and-effect relationship. The star and crescent did not appear on the flag, as they were a symbol of the new religion of the Ottomans, they became symbols of Islam, since the Ottoman Empire ruled almost the entire Muslim world for several centuries. Thus, the flag of the Ottoman dynasty became a symbol of Islam throughout the world.
Why red and white
As for the colors of the Turkish flag, red and white in Turkic mythology correspond to the south and west (therefore, the Mediterranean Sea located to the west of Turkey is called the White Sea in Turkish). The red and white Turkish flag symbolizes the origin of the Turks from the southwestern branch of the Oguzes - the founders of modern Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and other states. It is believed that the Turkic flag used to be red, but with the advent of Islam it changed its color to the color of Islam - green. In the XIV century. The Ottomans decided to make red the recognized color of their empire and there were two flags - red for official ceremonies and green for religious ones. Red was finally approved as the color of the state flag in 1793 by Sultan Selim III. It is curious that after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, it was decided to preserve the flag, and in 1923 a law was passed on the adoption of the same flag by the Turkish Republic, and in 1936 its proportions were officially approved. According to official legislation, a torn, patched, dirty, faded or crumpled Turkish flag cannot be used or hung anywhere, so as not to offend one of the main symbols of the state. Also, the flag cannot be used to cover tables, chairs, podiums or any other place on which people stand or sit, except for official ceremonies. The flag cannot be used as clothing. Insulting the Turkish flag by word or action is considered a crime and is punishable by law.
What does the anthem say about him?
The flag with a crescent and a star is also mentioned in the Turkish anthem, where it is sung that the red flag of the Turkish people will never disappear or fade, but will illuminate every day, symbolizing the fiery hearts of the Turks. And one more interesting fact - this summer in the Turkish city of Canik, Samsun province, a new municipal building was opened, which is shaped like a crescent, and in front of it is a huge red star. Thus, this peculiar building symbolizes the Turkish flag.
Eustasia SHCHUROVA, AiF – Türkiye
Türkiye, a country with a unique geographical location. Located partly in Europe and partly in Asia, it has served throughout its history as both a barrier and a bridge between these two continents. In turn, the culture and traditions of Turkey are a unique reflection of the influence of East and West on this country, and the state flag is a clear confirmation of this.
Flag description
The national flag of Turkey is a red rectangular banner with the former five-pointed star and white crescent. The composition is located closer to the left edge of the flag, with the star located to the right of the crescent. The ratio of the length and width of the canvas is 3:2, respectively.
Flag symbolism
The five-pointed star in the Muslim tradition symbolizes the 5 pillars of Islam:
- recognition of monotheism and the prophetic mission of Muhammad, or shahada, with which all prayers and events begin;
- namaz, or prayer, which a Muslim says five times a day;
- fasting in the month of Ramadan, established back in 624 by the Prophet Muhammad, and requiring believers to completely abstain from food during daylight hours for 29-30 days;
- pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina (Hajj), which every Muslim dreams of doing at least once in his life;
- zakat, or compulsory tax on the able-bodied population for the benefit of the poor and other needy.
The crescent, according to one version, means the use of the lunar calendar by Muslims. However, there are assumptions about it as a symbol of the heavenly protection of righteous Muslims.
Similar compositions of a star and crescent are presented on the flags of other countries whose territory once belonged to the Ottoman Empire: Algeria, Libya, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Tunisia.
If we talk about the color basis of the flag, then colors are generally deeply symbolic among Muslims. White for them represents spirituality, holiness and purity. He, like other light colors, is especially revered in Islam. Like other religions, Islam sees divinity and wisdom in this color. Red is considered the color of strength, courage and passion. Its richness and energy are so strong that rubies, beloved by Muslims, are even forbidden to be shown to children and animals.
Flag names
As in other countries, in Turkey there are unofficial names for this state symbol. For example, the Turks poetically call their flag ay yildiz, which translated means “moon star”. Sometimes you can hear another name - al sancak. It is translated as “red banner”. In a word sancak Previously, military flags were designated, which necessarily had inscriptions, fringe and a staff.
History of the flag
It can be quite difficult to reveal the meaning of the color of the banner and the images on it, especially if the state symbol is no longer young. Such flags are often surrounded by many historical assumptions and legends. As for the Turkish flag, with it With There are a huge number of versions knitted, but none of them fully reveals its origin.
Historical facts
Although the star and crescent are considered Muslim symbols, in fact they appeared much earlier than the heyday of this religion. Among ancient civilizations in the Middle East, the crescent moon was especially revered. In Greek Byzantium, for example, it was a symbol of the moon goddess Diana, the patron saint of this city. When Emperor Constantine I recognized Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire, in 330 Byzantium was renamed Constantinople and placed under the protection of the Holy Virgin Mary, whose emblem was a star. Since then, the Romans have everywhere depicted these two symbols together.
The star and crescent became associated with Islam in the 15th century. Turkic nomads from Central Asia who professed this religion captured the Anatolian Peninsula and the Roman capital. The captured territories came into the possession of the Ottoman Empire, and Constantinople was renamed Istanbul. The Ottoman Turks adopted existing divine symbols and began to put the star and crescent on their banners in red.
Throughout its existence, the Ottoman Empire changed several flags, most of which featured a star and crescent. Mostly these banners were red or green. In 1793, Ottoman Sultan Selim III abolished all green banners and declared a red flag with a white crescent and an eight-pointed star to be the banner of the Turkish fleet. The five-pointed star became a five-pointed star in 1844.
In 1923, the Ottoman Empire was replaced by the Republic of Turkey, and in June 1936, a white crescent with a star on a red banner became the official flag of the new state. Thus, the national symbol of Turkey remained virtually unchanged for several centuries.
Legends
One of the legends associated with the Turkish flag says that during the Battle of Kosovo in 1448, during which the Ottoman Turks defeated the Hungarian troops, Sultan Murad II saw the reflection of the moon and stars in the pools of blood of fallen soldiers.
According to another legend, the very first Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Osman I, saw in a dream how a month appeared from the chest of the famous righteous Sheikh Edebali and landed on Osman’s chest. And then a tree grew in this place, the shadow of which covered the whole world, and the rivers flowing from it irrigated the land and provided water to people and animals. The Sheikh interpreted the Sultan's dream as granting him and his descendants the highest blessing to rule the world.
According to the third legend, when the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II and his troops conquered Constantinople in 1453, on the same night he saw a month in the sky and a bright star next to it. Then the ruler decided that a star with a crescent would be a good symbol for his vast Empire.
Use of the Turkish flag
The flag in Turkey can be found on the buildings of various government institutions: from schools to ministries. On the buildings of Parliament and other government bodies, educational institutions, consulates, airports, and military units, the national symbol of the country is constantly displayed.
On military uniforms, the flag is placed either on the right shoulder or on the chest of Turkish army personnel. It can also be depicted on a helmet. On the uniform of the gendarmerie, navy and air force, the banner is always sewn on the shoulder.
Turkey has many national holidays and observances during which the country's flags are flown. Every year on October 29, Türkiye celebrates Republic Day. On this day, the country’s banner and the portrait of the first President Ataturk can be found literally everywhere: on the TV screen and at street demonstrations.
The Turkish flag is undoubtedly flown at half-mast on November 10, the day of remembrance of Ataturk. Other dates when the banner is lowered are announced by the Prime Minister of the country.
Turkish law prohibits displaying a flag if it is torn, dirty or heavily crumpled; any damage to the national symbol and disrespectful attitude towards it in written and oral speech are also severely punished.
The Turkish flag may seem simple and uncomplicated to some, but behind this simplicity lies a long history and connection between the West and the East.
The Turkish flag is one of my favorites.
I like bright, memorable, simple and convincing combinations.
The only fancy flag of the undisputed favorites is, they really showed off, they showed off, but the most impressive, proud and interesting in their simplicity are the national banners of Turkey, Greece, Ukraine, Israel, Hong Kong, Japan.
For me, by the way, the Russian flag is one of the most faded and fades from memory. No, well, it’s true - many people don’t distinguish it from the flag of Serbia; in order to remember the order of the colors of the Russian flag, you have to teach everyone the word “tramp” - b, s, k - white, blue, red.
The Turkish flag is unabashedly red. The color of blood, courage, passion and impulsiveness.
Lenin also tried to mingle with Kemalist Turkey, harboring arrogant expectations that Turkey would become closer to the Bolsheviks, and even raised a red flag.
Although Turkey has had a red flag for a long time, the color dates back to the ruler Umar, from the 600s AD, when the Anatolian Peninsula lay in the Arab Caliphate.
Since the 14th century, the red color of the flag was finally established as the main color of the newly created, powerful Ottoman Empire.
The crescent and star are symbols of Islam.
The flag is very laconic and memorable.
Even its certain illogicality adds charm - initially the star was inside the month, which is impossible from the point of view of astronomy - the star would have been covered by the invisible part of the Moon and would not have been visible in the shadow.
At the beginning of the 20th century, at the insistence of astronomers, the star was moved beyond the crescent.
The following illogicality emerged - the crescent moon does not represent the phase of the Moon, which can be observed from the Earth every month, but an eclipse of the Moon by an incomprehensible object. In terms of size and orbital position, it is not the Earth. Round in shape - that is, not a large asteroid.
In a word, you will not see such a Moon in the sky.
In my opinion, this only added to the illogical, symbolist charm and impulsiveness so characteristic of the Turks.
The Turkish flag is the most common design symbol of the modern country. More common even than the main Turkish amulet is the blue eye against the evil eye (pun), which originated from the Crusades, when the blue eye of a European carried a threat.
Turks love their symbol, are proud of it and use it everywhere. 
Nowhere, in any country in the world, have I seen such a massive, widespread use of the national flag.
You can take photographs in all directions, and then have fun analyzing the resulting images, counting - how many flags are in this photo?
The most fascinating puzzle of the name of the psychedelic gopher - “do you see the flag? And I don’t see it. But it is there.” 
From the left they wave - hey, we're here! 
On the open deck of a ship 
At the lighthouse 
Each ship will be awarded a flag 
Every boat 
Every sloop 
In the harbor or at sea 
Many cars drive with a flag draped over them.
The lack of visibility does not bother anyone 
From young to old - the flag.
From the quiet children's yard 
From balconies with laundry drying 
To the minaret from which the mullah calls believers to prayer 
The flag flies over a country that combines antiquity and the present, remembering the past and thinking about the future 
The flag of Turkey is a red panel, on which a white crescent and a white five-pointed star are placed, located in the middle of the flag, offset to the pole.
Red is the traditional color of Islam, and the same color was used by the Ottoman Empire, which formerly included Turkey, until its collapse in 1918. The crescent and star are ancient symbols of Islam and they are considered symbols of good luck. Red is also an important color in Turkish history, and the crescent and star, although symbols of Islam, were used in Asia Minor even before the advent of Islam.
A Brief History of the Turkish Flag
In its modern form, the flag of Turkey has been used since 1844, but it was officially approved only on June 5, 1936. Initially, the flag was a green panel with a crescent, but its design changed in 1793, when Sultan Selim III changed the color of the panel to red. Then, in 1844, a star was added to the flag. As is the case with many other old flags, there are also many legends surrounding the Turkish flag regarding its history and creation.
