Ottoman Empire
"Mecidiye March"

Music by: Giuseppe Donizetti
In use: 1839-1861

The Ottoman Empire was a large empire controlling much of the Muslim area of Asia until the end of World War One. Like some European monarchies of the time (see, for example, the Austro-Hungarian Empire), the Ottoman Empire had a different anthem for each ruler.

The anthem provided on this page was in honour of Abdülmecit I "Gazi" (Abdul-Mejid I) who reigned from 1839-1861. The music was by Giuseppe Donizetti, brother to the opera composer Gaetano Donizetti. (Franz List also composed a paraphrase of Donizetti's work and presented it to the Sultan.) It does not have any lyrics.

Donizetti was originally hired as the royal bandmaster by Abdul Mejid's father, Mahmut II "Adlî", who took the throne in 1808. Largely credited for introducing Western-style music to the empire, he was also influenced by existing Turkish music. Donizetti also wrote "Mahmudiye", the salute for Mahmut II.

After Donazetti's passing in 1856, another Italian was hired as the leader of the sultan's band, Callisto Guatelli. When Abdülaziz I (Abdul Aziz I) took the throne in 1861, Guatelli wrote the "Aziziye March" (later known as "Mars-i Sultani", the Imperial March of Sultan Abdülaziz). It seemed to be expected of each new sultan that an imperial march would be composed for him by this time. The next sultan, Abdul Hamid II, who took the throne in 1876, had the "Hamidiye March" composed for him by a certain Necip Pasa. This was also the first Ottoman sultan march that had words. The next sultan, who reigned from 1909-1918 was V. Mehmed Resad the national march written by Italo Selvell called the "Resadiye March" was used. Finally, the last sultan, who reigned until the transformation of what was left of the Ottoman Empire into Turkey in 1922, did not choose to have a march composed for him, but rather chose to use what was possibly the first Sultan's March, the "Mahmudiye".

Special thanks to: Jaroslaw Wojcik for informing me of this anthem and providing me with the music file, and Emre Yigit for some of this information.