Atatürk Chronology

1881: Born in Salonica (Selanik).

1893: Enrolled in the Military Junior High School, where he was given the name Kemal.

1895: Graduated from the Salonica Military Junior High School and enrolled in the Monastir Military High School.

March 13, 1899: Enrolled in the Infantry Class of the Ottoman Military Academy in Istanbul.

1902: Entered the War Academy, where he also published a newspaper.

January 11, 1905: Graduated from the War Academy with the rank of Captain and was assigned to Damascus for internship service in the 30th Cavalry Regiment of the 5th Army.

October 1906: Founded the Vatan ve Hürriyet (Fatherland and Freedom) Society in Damascus; completed artillery internship and was promoted to Kolağası (Senior Captain).

July 23, 1908: Took part in efforts leading to the proclamation of the Constitutional Monarchy.

March 31, 1909: Served as a Staff Officer in the Action Army during the March 31 Incident.

September 13, 1911: Assigned to the General Staff in Istanbul.

November 27, 1911: Promoted to the rank of Major.

January 9, 1912: Commanded the Tobruk attack during the Tripoli War.

October 27, 1913: Appointed Military Attaché in Sofia.

March 1, 1914: Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

February 2, 1915: Established the 19th Division in Tekirdağ.

February 25, 1915: Departed for Maydos (Eceabat).

April 25, 1915: Successfully repelled Allied forces at Arıburnu during the Gallipoli Campaign.

June 1, 1915: Promoted to Colonel.

August 9, 1915: Appointed Commander of the Anafartalar Group.

August 10, 1915: Repelled enemy forces at Anafartalar.

April 1, 1916: Promoted to Brigadier General.

August 6, 1916: Liberated Bitlis and Muş from enemy occupation.

September 20, 1917: Submitted a report on the condition of the country and the army.

October 1917: Returned to Istanbul.

October 26, 1918: Halted enemy advances north of Aleppo along today’s national borders.
October 30, 1918: Signing of the Armistice of Mudros.

October 31, 1918: Appointed Commander of the Yıldırım Armies Group.

November 13, 1918: Dissolution of the Yıldırım Armies Group and return to Istanbul.

April 30, 1919: Appointed Inspector of the 9th Army with headquarters in Erzurum.

May 15, 1919: Greek forces landed in İzmir.

May 16, 1919: Departed Istanbul aboard the Bandırma ferry.

May 19, 1919: Arrived in Samsun.

June 15, 1919: Assumed the title of Inspector of the 3rd Army.

June 21, 1919: Called national forces to convene at the Sivas Congress.

July 8–9, 1919: Resigned from military service (20:50).

July 23 – August 7, 1919: Convened and presided over the Erzurum Congress; a Representative Committee was elected.

September 4–11, 1919: Convened and presided over the Sivas Congress.

September 11, 1919: Elected Chairman of the Representative Committee of the Association for the Defense of the Rights of Anatolia and Rumelia.

October 22, 1919: Signing of the Amasya Protocol.

November 7, 1919: Elected Deputy from Erzurum.

December 27, 1919: Arrived in Ankara with the Representative Committee.

March 18, 1920: Final session of the Ottoman Parliament in Istanbul.

March 19, 1920: Issued a circular calling for the convening of a Grand National Assembly in Ankara.

March 20, 1920: Occupation of Istanbul by the Allied Powers; Mustafa Kemal protested and initiated efforts to convene a new parliament in Ankara.

April 23, 1920: Opened the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (GNAT) in Ankara.

April 24, 1920: Elected President of the GNAT.

May 5, 1920: Convened the first Government under his presidency.

May 11, 1920: Sentenced to death by the Istanbul Government.

May 24, 1920: Death sentence ratified by the Sultan.

August 10, 1920: Signing of the Treaty of Sèvres.

January 9–10, 1921: First Battle of İnönü.

January 20, 1921: Adoption of the fundamental articles of the first Constitution (Teşkilât-ı Esasiye Law).

March 30 – April 1, 1921: Second Battle of İnönü.

May 10, 1921: Founded the Anatolia and Rumelia Defense of Rights Group in the GNAT and was elected its Chairman.

August 5, 1921: Granted the title of Commander-in-Chief.

August 22, 1921: Commencement of the Battle of Sakarya under his command.

September 13, 1921: Victory in the Battle of Sakarya.

September 19, 1921: Awarded the rank of Marshal and the title Gazi.

August 26, 1922: Commanded the Great Offensive from Kocatepe.

August 30, 1922: Victory at the Battle of the Commander-in-Chief (Dumlupınar).

September 1, 1922: Issued the historic order: “Armies! Your first target is the Mediterranean. Forward!”

September 9, 1922: Turkish forces entered İzmir.

September 10, 1922: Arrived in İzmir.

October 11, 1922: Signing of the Armistice of Mudanya.

November 1, 1922: Abolition of the Sultanate upon his proposal.

November 17, 1922: Sultan Vahdettin fled Istanbul aboard a British warship.

January 29, 1923: Married Latife Hanım.

July 24, 1923: Signing of the Treaty of Lausanne.

August 9, 1923: Founded the People’s Party (later the Republican People’s Party).

August 11, 1923: Elected President of the Second Grand National Assembly.

October 29, 1923: Proclamation of the Republic.

October 29, 1923: Elected the first President of the Republic of Türkiye.

March 1, 1924: Delivered the opening address to the GNAT proposing the abolition of the Caliphate and the unification of education.

March 3, 1924: Adoption of laws abolishing the Caliphate, unifying education, and dissolving the Ministries of Sharia and Foundations and the General Staff.

April 20, 1924: Adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Türkiye.

February 17, 1925: Abolition of the tithe (Aşar).

August 24, 1925: First wore a hat publicly in Kastamonu.

November 25, 1925: Adoption of the Hat Law.

November 30, 1925: Adoption of the law closing dervish lodges and shrines.

December 26, 1925: Adoption of the international calendar and clock.

February 17, 1926: Adoption of the Turkish Civil Code.

July 1, 1927: First visit to Istanbul as President.

October 15–20, 1927: Delivered the historic Great Speech (Nutuk) at the 2nd Congress of the Republican People’s Party.

November 1, 1927: Re-elected President for a second term.

August 9, 1928: Delivered a speech in Sarayburnu on the new Turkish alphabet.

November 3, 1928: Adoption of the Turkish Alphabet Law.

April 15, 1931: Founded the Turkish Historical Society.

May 4, 1931: Re-elected President for a third term.

July 12, 1932: Founded the Turkish Language Association.

October 29, 1933: Delivered the historic Tenth Anniversary Speech of the Republic.

November 24, 1934: Granted the surname Atatürk by law of the Grand National Assembly.

March 1, 1935: Re-elected President for a fourth term.

May 1, 1937: Donated his farms to the Treasury and immovable properties to the Ankara Municipality.

March 31, 1938: First official announcement regarding his illness.

September 15, 1938: Drafted his will.

October 16, 1938: Commencement of daily official bulletins on his health.

November 10, 1938: Passed away at 09:05 (Thursday).

November 11, 1938: Extraordinary meeting of the Istanbul City Council; the Presidential Standard was lowered and the Turkish flag raised at half-mast.

November 12, 1938: University youth gathered at the University Conference Hall to mourn his passing.

November 13, 1938: Youth gathered at Taksim Republic Monument, pledging to protect the Republic he founded.

November 14, 1938: A deeply solemn session was held by the Grand National Assembly.

November 15, 1938: November 21, 1938, was declared a national day of mourning.

November 16, 1938: The public paid their respects at the catafalque in Dolmabahçe Palace.

November 19, 1938: His body was transferred from Dolmabahçe to Sarayburnu, then by torpedo boat Zafer to the battleship Yavuz, transported to İzmit, and sent onward to Ankara.

November 20, 1938: His body arrived in Ankara and was placed on the catafalque in front of the Grand National Assembly.

November 21, 1938: Burial at the Temporary Tomb in the Ethnography Museum.

November 25, 1938: Opening of his will.

December 26, 1938: Acceptance of the title “Eternal Leader” (Ebedî Şef).

November 4, 1953: Opening of the temporary tomb.

November 10, 1953: Transfer of Atatürk’s remains to Anıtkabir.