Bahçeli outlines Anatolia’s history on the 955th anniversary of Manzikert

MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli said in a written statement marking the 955th anniversary of the Battle of Manzikert that the victory changed Anatolia’s political and historical trajectory.

Scraper SystemAugust 25, 2026, 02:13 PM

Bahçeli outlines Anatolia’s history on the 955th anniversary of Manzikert

MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli issued a written statement marking the 955th anniversary of the Battle of Manzikert. Bahçeli described the states established, conquests carried out and victories won by the Turkish nation throughout history as a historical legacy.

Bahçeli said the Battle of Manzikert took place on August 26, 1071, and described it as a turning point that transcended the boundaries of its time and changed Anatolia’s political and historical trajectory.

The process leading to Manzikert

Bahçeli said the road to Manzikert was not opened in a single day. He stated that the 1040 Battle of Dandanakan revealed political power in Khorasan, while the reconnaissance campaigns conducted by Çağrı Bey in Anatolia were pioneering steps toward a new era.

Bahçeli also described the 1048 Battle of Pasinler as one of the important stages in the advance toward Anatolia. He noted that the process accelerated during the reign of Tuğrul Bey and entered a new phase when Sultan Alp Arslan conquered Ani in 1064.

Emphasis on the Turkish presence in Anatolia

Bahçeli said the Byzantine Empire’s influence in the East was gradually weakened by the raids into Anatolia led by Afşin Bey and other Turkish commanders. He stated that the Turkmen presence that spread across Anatolia after the Battle of Manzikert became permanent through the establishment of principalities, settlement and development activities.

Bahçeli said that capitals changed throughout the historical process extending from the Seljuk period to Söğüt, from Edirne to Istanbul and from Istanbul to Ankara, while the Turkish nation’s determination to establish states in Anatolia and shape its own future continued.

At the end of his statement, Bahçeli said he commemorated Sultan Alp Arslan, the soldiers who fought alongside him at Manzikert and the historical figures who played a role in Anatolia’s settlement and development. He also presented an assessment linking Anatolia to Türkiye’s past and future.

Bahçeli outlines Anatolia’s history on the 955th anniversary of Manzikert

MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli said in a written statement marking the 955th anniversary of the Battle of Manzikert that the victory changed Anatolia’s political and historical trajectory.