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The flag of Turkey consists of a white crescent and star
on a red background. The flag is called Ay Yildiz (Turkish
for 'moon star').
The flag has a complex origin since it is an ancient design,
being almost identical to the last flag of the Ottoman Empire.
Red is a prominent color in Turkish history, especially regarding
the bloody battles of the Turkish War of Independence. The
crescent and star, while generally regarded as Islamic symbols
today, have for long been used in Asia Minor, quite before
the advent of Islam. The flag was originally simply a crescent
on a green field, but this was changed in 1793 when Sultan
Selim III changed the background to red. In 1844, the star
was added. The star symbol actually dates back to the time
of Constantine and it was considered a symbol of Mary in his
time.
The shade of red used in the flag is approximated by Pantone
186, or RGB (227, 10, 23).
The flag is described according to various legends in the
country, the most popular of which include:
- A reflection of the moon occulting a star, appearing in
pools of blood after the battle of Kosovo in 1448, led to
the adoption of the Turkish flag by Sultan Murad II.
- A dream of the first Ottoman Emperor in which a crescent
and star appeared from his chest and expanded, presaging
the dynasty's seizure of Constantinople.
- A crescent and star were spotted on the night of the fall
of Constantinople to Mehmet II in 1453.
- The most widely believed, however, tells of Mustafa Kemal
Atatürk, the founder of the modern Turkish Republic,
walking on a battlefield one night after a victorious battle
in the Turkish War of Independence, and seeing the reflection
of the star and crescent formation, in a large pool of blood
on the rocky hill terrain of Sakarya.
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