Flags of the Ottoman Empire

{{Short description|Overview of the national flags used by the Ottoman Empire throughout history}}

{{Short description|Overview of the national flags used by the Ottoman Empire throughout history}}

{{Refimprove|date=June 2010}}

{{Refimprove|date=June 2010}}

[[File:Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844–1922).svg|thumb|The crescent and star flag of the Ottoman Empire, an early 19th-century design officially adopted in 1844]]

[[File:Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844–1922).png|thumb|The crescent and star flag of the Ottoman Empire, an early 19th-century design officially adopted in 1844]]

The [[Ottoman Empire]] used various flags and [[naval ensign]]s during its history. The [[crescent and star]] came into use in the second half of the 18th century. A ''{{lang|tr|[[buyruldu]]}}'' (decree) from 1793 required that the ships of the [[Ottoman Navy]] were to use a red flag with the star and crescent in white. In 1844, a version of this flag, with a five-pointed star, was officially adopted as the Ottoman [[national flag]]. The decision to adopt a national flag was part of the ''[[Tanzimat]]'' reforms which aimed to modernize the Ottoman state in line with the laws and norms of contemporary European states and institutions.

The [[Ottoman Empire]] used various flags and [[naval ensign]]s during its history. The [[crescent and star]] came into use in the second half of the 18th century. A ''{{lang|tr|[[buyruldu]]}}'' (decree) from 1793 required that the ships of the [[Ottoman Navy]] were to use a red flag with the star and crescent in white. In 1844, a version of this flag, with a five-pointed star, was officially adopted as the Ottoman [[national flag]]. The decision to adopt a national flag was part of the ''[[Tanzimat]]'' reforms which aimed to modernize the Ottoman state in line with the laws and norms of contemporary European states and institutions.