Mahmudiye Marşı - 19th Century Turkish Military Music

The "Mahmudiye Marşı" (March of Mahmud) stood as the inaugural imperial anthem of the Ottoman Empire during the rule of Sultan Mahmud II, the 30th Sultan and was composed by Giuseppe Donzetti in 1829.

Renowned for ushering in Western-style reforms within the empire, Sultan Mahmud II's initiatives extended to the realm of military and imperial bands. Leading his inaugural band was Giuseppe Donzetti, also recognized as Donizetti Pasha in the Ottoman Empire, and it was under his musical direction that this march was composed.

The first national anthem of the Ottoman Empire, Mahmudiye, interestingly gained official status as the national anthem of Sweden from 1839 and was used under the name "Skånska Dragonregementets Marsch" until 1927. The anthem is identical to the Ottoman one. The original manuscript from November 4, 1839, is preserved in the Swedish Military Music Archives. When copied by Franz Preumayr from the Swedish Guard Regiment of the time, it was recorded as Sultan Mouhmud's Favorit–Marche. Giuseppe Donizetti Pasha sent this anthem to his mentor, Mayr, in Bergamo. In the same years, arrangements of the Mahmudiye March were made in Paris and London under the title "Souvenir de Constantinople Variations brillantes." Thus, a Turkish anthem resonated in some of Europe's most important cities. In 1831, Donizetti Pasha was honored with the Nişân-ı İftihar (Order of Honor) by Sultan Mahmud II.

Mahmut II spearheaded Western-style reforms in the empire, extending to the military and imperial bands. As part of these reforms, the traditional Ottoman military band known as the Mehterhane was abolished, and the process of restructuring the bands was entrusted to the Italian-born composer Giuseppe Donizetti. Donizetti is widely acknowledged for introducing Western musical elements to the Ottoman Empire. Notably, his compositions, including the imperial march, reflected a fusion of Western musical traditions and existing Turkish melodies, showcasing the cultural amalgamation during this transformative era.

In a manner reminiscent of certain European monarchies, such as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire adopted distinct anthems for each ruler. The inaugural ruler to be associated with a personal march was Mahmut II “Adlî,” reigning from 1808 to 1839.

A peculiar departure from this musical tradition occurred with the final Ottoman ruler, Mehmed VI Vahideddin, who reigned until the empire's conversion into the Republic of Turkey in 1922. Unlike his predecessors, Mehmed VI opted not to commission a bespoke march. Instead, he chose to utilize the "Mahmudiye." Intriguingly, during this period, the march was officially published as the "Marche Nationale Ottomane," possibly transforming the last sultanate anthem of the Ottoman Empire into a national one.