Fahri Korutürk served as the sixth President of the Republic of Turkey from 1973 to 1980, navigating a volatile political landscape before the 1980 coup d'état. An experienced naval officer turned diplomat, he occupied high-ranking positions across three decades, bridging the transition from his service as a commander to his role as a key state figurehead in Ankara.
Naval Service and Military Career
Born in Fatih in 1903, Korutürk entered the Ottoman Navy cadet school in 1916. Following his graduation from the Naval Academy in 1933, he gained experience aboard cruisers and submarines. His early diplomatic and technical training included assignments as a naval attaché in Stockholm, Berlin, and Rome. In 1936, he served as a military advisor during the Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Turkish Straits. He rose through the ranks to become a rear admiral in 1950 and eventually served as the commander of the Turkish Naval Forces from 1957 until 1960.
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Upon retiring from his naval command in 1960, Korutürk transitioned into diplomatic life under the appointment of Cemal Gürsel. He served as the Turkish ambassador to the Soviet Union between 1960 and 1964, followed by a tenure as ambassador to Spain from 1964 to 1965. Records from the 1979 seizure of the American embassy in Tehran suggest his financial conduct in Moscow was notable, as he used the official Gosbank system for salary exchanges rather than the black market common among other foreign representatives.
Presidency and Constitutional Conduct
The Grand National Assembly elected Korutürk as president on 6 April 1973. His term included overseeing the Turkish invasion of Cyprus following the ousting of Archbishop Makarios III. Upon reaching the end of his seven-year constitutional mandate in 1980, he was approached by Kenan Evren with a proposal to extend his presidency through a military-backed intervention. Korutürk rejected this, citing constitutional requirements. He returned to the Senate for a brief period before the 1980 coup d'état ended his parliamentary work.
Private Life and Honours
Korutürk married Emel Korutürk in 1935, and the couple had three children: Osman, Selah, and Ayşe. His academic and political contributions included writing A Conference on the Battle of Skagerrak. He received several international decorations, including the Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 1958 and the Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland in 1977. He died in 1987 in Istanbul and was buried at the Turkish State Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1903, Fatih
- Died: 1987, Istanbul
- President of Turkey: 1973-1980
- Military Rank: Admiral
- Spouse: Emel Korutürk
- Burial Site: Turkish State Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was Korutürk's background before entering politics?
He was a career naval officer who rose to the rank of admiral and served as commander of the Turkish Naval Forces.
Why did he leave the presidency in 1980?
He completed his mandatory seven-year constitutional term and refused to stay on via a military-backed extension.
Achievements
- President of Turkey (1973–1980)
- Turkish ambassador to the Soviet Union (1960–1964)
- senator (1980–1980)
- Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
- Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland — 1977
- Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic — 1958
- Educated at Turkish Naval Academy
