Editing Mehmet Akif Ersoy (section)

==Works==
[[File:100 TL reverse.jpg|thumb|250px|Reverse of the 100 lira banknote (1983&ndash;1989)]]
Mehmet Akif Ersoy had abundant knowledge concerning traditional eastern literature.<ref name=":0" /> In addition, he also studied the works of authors such as [[Victor Hugo]], [[Alphonse de Lamartine]], [[Émile Zola]], and [[Alphonse Daudet]].<ref name=":0" />

He is best known for his 1911 work entitled [[Safahat]]. This volume is a collection of 44 poems of various lengths by Mehmet Akif Ersoy. The earliest work that appears in this book is dated 1904, but this is unattested, and it is highly likely that the poet, who was 32 on that particular date, composed poems prior to that date.

He is further noted for writing the lyrics of Turkish National Anthem, [[İstiklâl Marşı]] (''The March of Independence'' in English) &ndash; which was adopted in 1921, and is accepted by many Turks as their "[[National Poet]]". The lyrics were originally written as a poem in a collection of his writings. Paradoxically, one of his most famous works, a book called ''[[Safahat]]'', was not widely read or published until recently. He studied veterinary science at the university.