Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

So, Mustafa’s story kicks off in 1881 in Salonica, back when it was still Ottoman territory (yeah, it’s Greek now). His dad, Ali Riza, died young, leaving his tough, religious mom Zubeyde to keep the family afloat. Mustafa bounced from a strict religious school to a more modern one, then landed in military high school—where his math teacher slapped “Kemal” (meaning “perfection,” no pressure) onto his name because the guy was just that sharp. That’s how we got Mustafa Kemal. By 1905, the dude’s already a Staff Captain, stirring up trouble in Damascus with an underground group fighting the Sultan’s rule. Fast forward a bit, and he’s all over the Ottoman map—Libya, Albania, you name it—proving himself in one war after another. Then WWI hits. In Gallipoli, Mustafa Kemal basically becomes a national legend, blocking the British, French, and Aussies, forcing them to bail in 1916. He racks up more wins, gets promoted, and heads armies in places like Palestine and Aleppo, holding off the Brits right before the Ottoman Empire collapses. Things get even wilder in 1919. He lands in Samsun, fires up the Turkish War of Independence, and, long story short, leads Turkey to kick out invaders and dump the old Ottoman dynasty. By 1923, he’s signing major treaties, moving the capital to Ankara, founding the Republic, and getting elected President. Oh, and there’s a quick marriage and divorce in the mix. That’s Mustafa Kemal Atatürk—rebel, war hero, and the guy who basically rebooted Turkey.