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NAME Turkey, Türkiye, The Ottoman Empire, Osmanlı Devleti, Sadık Adnan, TAKE YOUR PICK.
CANON Axis Powers Hetalia.
AGELooks to be in his mid- or late-20s. Is actually many thousands of years old.
CANON POINTThe year 1914, when the Ottoman Empire was in its decline - only years before becoming a republic.
BACKGROUNDHETALIA WIKI
REAL-LIFE WIKI
MAP OF THE EMPIRE
WW1 TIMELINE
PERSONALITY Turkey, as a nation, is full of contradictions. He's a master at war, yet friendly and amiable. He's got a competitive spirit, yet he believes in approaching life with a relaxed attitude. And as the Ottoman Empire, he's one of the most powerful empires the world has seen, yet the Turks themselves never placed many monuments on the countries they seized control of. Even geographically, the nation of Turkey is wrought with contrasts: rugged mountains on the northern coast precede plateaus and coastlines, filled with diverse flora and fauna that defy being pigeonholed to one sort of climate. And so he's a bit of a mystery, despite being a fairly open and blunt sort. But overall, Turkey is someone outstandingly blithe for all he's accomplished. Extremely casual despite the ornate style of dress he tends to wear, he's the sort to not react explosively to anything (of course, this has its limits - seen in his rather vehement interactions with a grown-up Greece. Generally, this sort of hatred is reserved for those who have committed some deep atrocity against him, however.) This also stems from his self-assurance, his pride in himself. The Ottoman Empire, spanning over such a wide range of countries, incorporated many aspects of those countries into their own culture. As such, he's very open to differing beliefs - the empire never forced any of its civilians to follow a certain religion. It simply identified as an Islamic nation, and the people were allowed to follow suit if they wanted.
However, Turkey knows what he likes and doesn't like. The country was never much interested in trade, much, despite recognizing the usefulness of trade itself. There were taxes put on imports and exports, though not much emphasis followed. He's not a fan of extensive planning - the Turkish military had high morale and success, but little thought was given to consequences of a failed strategy. Again, Ottoman rule was fairly complacent for such triumph, generally commanding with a gentle fist - though a powerful one if challenged. And he rose to each battle as they came; another demonstration of Turkey's stubbornness. He's certainly the type who enjoys fighting, despite the laid-back nature he approaches life with. And when Turkey decides to fight, he also decides to win. Losses come bitterly, as they would for any other, and it spurs him to come up with new strategies. To create change, to modernize in order to come out victorious next time. He's not the sort to simply admit defeat. Similarly, Turkey is a quite domineering nation, one who prefers to be in a position of power when facing another. The weaker one is, the more likely he is to lend a hand and provide assistance. He's partial to those that "need" him in some way, those who accept his aid and are grateful for it. Being more than willing to share the wealth, Turkey is someone who goes all out to paint a positive image of himself to strangers or those who decide to be around him, or ally with him.
Turkey's one of the older nations in the cast - the Turks themselves first appeared in sixth century AD. He's lively and active, hardly caring about his supposed old age. Turkey is in top physical condition and he's inclined to be very physical with others, picking them up and chasing them if they happen to run, as noted in the manga. It's to be expected from a country which later revels in sports and athletics. In a similar vein, he can be pretty touchy-feely. He's not averse to curling up with another (or others), be they male or female - this isn't anything to do with sexuality, as there are less taboos with bodily touches in Turkish society than in many other cultures - and he's perfectly fine with that sort of contact from anyone he likes being around. Though he prefers them to be smaller than him physically, otherwise he's more liable to keep some distance being that he favors the position of the authoritarian in the room. Again this relates to his dominant nature and assertive tendencies. He's often a bit loud and brash, despite the lax style of doing things, speaking with boldness and easy confidence. Similarly he has no problem being vulgar; Turkey talks fairly informally and with an Edo dialect. Often he'll poke fun at others, generally not being a very serious sort most of the time. And even though he might appear to have a superiority complex, at least judging by his usual attire, Turkey isn't one to snub others based on class. He's down for being bros with anyone who wants to have a good time, anyone who can charm him in some way or appreciate being around him. Really, it all comes down personal preference.
One should expect a good time when Turkey considers them a guest, as he's the sort who enjoys entertaining others in some way. It's been said that he's a showoff, a description he likely wouldn't object to; Turkey does enjoy flaunting his culture and possessions at any who are interested. Byzantine, Persian, Egyptian and Arabic influences are the most common within the empire, showcasing more of the country's expanse of civilization. Turkey favors variety and new things. He's always curious in learning of something he's never experienced, wanting to be caught up with others. This is another symbol of his self-love; he always attempts to give the best to his nation. Far from a cruel overlord, his goal remains to provide his people with unrivaled prosperity. And "his" can be anyone who wishes to align with him. Turkey doesn't discriminate when it comes to unions, so long as they respect his customs and lifestyle.
But the empire didn't become as huge and powerful as it was by being run by a pushover. As mentioned before, Turkey enjoys fighting. And as pleasant and generous as he can be to those he likes, Turkey holds grudges from hell and can instantly turn on those who leave his side. The act of revolution from a nation that wants its independence back can be seen as betrayal or personal insult, that they were dissatisfied by his leadership - and Turkey will steadfastly refuse to reconcile. Unless the other person is willing to do it first. This sort of relationship can be seen with Greece in later years, whom he despises and can barely stand to be around, though taunts by constructing buildings on their borders. Even in rivalry, Turkey's more likely to prod than stab, at least if he assumes his enemy to be one weaker than him. This again demonstrates his usually casual approach to most things in life. And he can be pretty flippant about the whole "conquer everything" mindset the empire had. In one such Hetalia panel, Turkey divulges his plans for taking over Europe, musing on Spain specifically before stating that he wanted to eat asure - a type of pudding - that day, and he'd attack later. On the subject of sweets: Turkey loves them. It's his favorite sort of food, and he'll put gratuitous sugar in everything he consumes if it's not up to par (though one non-sweet thing he enjoys is rakı, Turkish alcohol that happens to be the national drink.) But the fact that he's willing to procrastinate an invasion for random goodies shows just how carefree his approach to power is, someone self-assured enough to see such an act as something he can do whenever he wants. Even after the eventual fall of the empire, Turkey isn't willing to sit around and dwell on the past; he looks to make friends with those he failed to conquer. Change is a constant. He acknowledges this and runs with it, again in the search for fresh experiences.
So in the end, Sadık is far more complicated than he might let on, though at the same time he's one who likes to keep himself simple, despite whatever opulence he might surround himself with; someone who judges on an individual basis and is always willing to make new, exciting friends or learn about their traditions. He's a diverse mix of culture and yet all his own. As a Turkish saying goes - "We resemble ourselves." It indicates a belief in his own distinct identity, it recognizes his pride in himself. Martial, tolerant, well-ordered and vigorous, the Empire was seen as either diabolical or divine by most in his reign, though none can deny the sheer strength he held. A strength displayed when necessary, but tempered otherwise; as a character he's not one to be violent unless dealing with conflict. A nation of paradoxes, shaped over thousands of years of war and success and decline.