Early Years

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was born to father Ali Riza Efendi who was a lumber trader and mother Zubeyde Hanim who was an ordinary housewife on 19 May 1881 in Salonica, Ottoman Empire (now Thessaloniki, Greece). His mother was a great influence on his childhood as his father passed away when he was 8. Mustafa had 2 brothers named Ahmet and Omar and 3 sisters named Naciye, Makbule and Fatma. Only Makbule survived childhood.

Born as Mustafa, his second name Kemal meaning maturity or perfection was given to him by his Mathematics teacher. His mother encouraged him as a child to attend religious school, something he did reluctantly but for a short period of time. Later he attended Semsi Efendi School. Although his parents wanted him to learn a trade, Mustafa without asking them took the entrance exam for the Salonica Military School in 1893. Further in 1896 he enrolled into the Monastir Military High School. Then he attended Ottoman Military Academy on 14 March 1899 from which he graduated from in 1902. Finally, he graduated from the Ottoman Military College in Constantinople (now Istanbul) on 11 January 1905.