Turkish naval history started ten years after Seljuks Turks had won Malazgirt Battle on 26 August 1071 and settled in Anatolia. In such a manner, Çaka Bey who was a Turkcoman after declaring his principality in İzmir, in 1081 founded first Turkish fleet by the establishment of shipyards in İzmir and Efes where he had 50 ships built. At the same time, the year 1081 is also regarded as the foundation year of Turkish Naval Forces.

The first Turkish fleet under the command of Çaka Bey, conquered Midilli Island in 1089 and then conquered Sakız Island in 1090. Winning a battle of this fleet against the powerful Byzantium navy near Sakız Island on 19 May 1090, was passed to Turkish naval history as the first victory of Turkish Navy which was called “Sheep Islands Battle” and also Çaka Bey as the first Turkish admiral.

The naval organization of the Ottoman Empire with a modern state approach was realized in the period of Yıldırım BAYEZID. With the foundation of a naval base at Gallipoli  in 1401, the term of “Kaptan-ı Derya” (Commander in chief of the Navy) was  taken place in the Ottoman Naval Forces and state hierarchy. First, Saruca Paşa was brought to the place of “Kaptan-ı Derya” by Yıldırım BAYEZID. Nowadays, this rank is equivalent to Naval Forces Command. But, in the period of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, as this rank was given to the viziers, the name of “Kaptan-ı Derya” had been changed  as “Kaptan Paşa”.

During the period of Mehmet II the Conqueror, the Ottomans, after the conquest of İstanbul, headed towards the Mediterranean after firmly establishing their sovereignty in the Aegean and the Black Sea. In 1455, Mehmet II the Conqueror constructed the Istanbul Shipyard  (Tersane- i Amire) in Kasımpaşa.

After the conquest of Egypt by Selim I (1512-1520), the Ottomans developed an interest in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. After Selim I, Süleyman the Magnificent (1520-1566) also attached great importance to the Ottoman Navy and it enjoyed its golden age during his reign. During this period, studies made by Turkish maritime scientists contributed to the world’s maritime. Piri Reis was one of the most important scholars in the Turkish Maritime history and he was well known through his excellent cartographic studies. In 1513 and 1528, he drew two world maps. Another gift from Piri Reis to the history of the world’s Maritime was his manual “The Navigation (Bahriye)”, which he wrote twice in 1521 and 1525. On 27 September 1538, Ottoman fleet under the command of Grand Admiral Barbaros HAYRETTİN had won Preveze Sea Battle against Christian allies and brought Mediterranean as a Turkish lake.

On 14 May 1560, the Ottoman Navy under the command of Piyale Pasha, the Commander in Chief of the Navy, defeated the Crusader Fleet at Djerba. The Crusaders had come to capture Tripoli and oust the Turks from North Africa. Turgut Reis contributed considerably to the Victory of Djerba. During this glorious century the Ottoman Navy was honored with many victories under the command of its eminent sailors Salih Reis, Aydın Reis, Murat Reis, Selman Reis, Seydi Ali Reis, Hasan Reis, Piyale Pasha and Kılıç Ali Pasha. The Ottoman battle ships asserted a powerful presence in the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean to maintain the Ottoman sovereignty and played a significant role as an instrument of foreign policy for the Ottoman Empire to accomplish its political objectives. In the late 17th and the early 18th centuries, the conversion of all ships to sailing vessels (galleons) had barely been completed. In 1867 an important change was made in the organization of the Ottoman Naval Forces that “The place of Kaptan Paşa” had abolished and instead of this rank “Naval Ministry” was founded.

In the period of Naval Ministry which was the equivalent of the Ministry of National Defence in respect of carrying naval affairs, the command of Ottoman Navy was given to Navy Commander.During the First World War (1914-1918) Ottoman Navy achieved great success at the Gallipoli and the Black Sea Fronts. On the one hand, it supported transport affairs at the Black Sea Front, on the other hand, it provided the defence of the Dardanelles at Gallipoli Front. Especially, 26 mines secretly dropped by the mine layer Nusret in the morning of 8 March, around the  offing of a Karanlık port at the fronts of Erenköy bay against the English and French  Navies, had determined the victory of Gallipoli Sea War on 18 March 1915. But, in the year 1918, according to the Mondros Armistice statements that was signed after the defeat of Ottoman Empire with its allies in the First World War, the Ottoman fleet was towed in the Golden Horn and the responsibility of checking of the ships had been given to a commission  which was consisted of allied nations.

Because of the ineffectiveness of the fleet in İstanbul and the National Independence War in Anatolia, made it difficult the participation of Naval Forces effectually. But, in the year 1920, after the Independence War had been determined and because of increased successes; the need of Naval Force and Naval Officer had been increased. Naval Force with several difficulties as the other organizations of the National Government through four years by carrying the transportation at Black Sea and performing the duties for the Western Front that requires weapons, ammunition and soldiers, had played an important role for the achievement of the Turkish Independence War.

On 30 December 1924, Law of  Naval Ministry was arranged at Turkish Grand National Assembly. According to this Law, a decision had been taken for Naval Ministry to work independently without any relation with Ministry of National Defence and the mentioned ministry was connected directly to the General Staff. The most important task of the Naval Ministry was to establish a new fleet due to the financial abilities of the country. Although establishing with a limited budget, Naval Ministry had realized great improvements in a short time and represented Gölcük and its environment by the name of “Fleet”. By taking a decision for establishment of a submarine fleet as it had been founded only for two ships, a great steps were taken in the way of modern and powerful Turkish Fleet.

On 27 December 1927, Naval Ministry had been abolished and a Naval Undersecretaryship was established under the command of the National Defence Ministry at General Staff Presidency. During this period, the fleet had two cruisers and five ships, basically became active in Gölcük. An attempt to develop the Turkish Naval Forces started in 1948 with the American technical support and with this help, Turkish Navy Forces attained the more technical and tactics conditions.

Between the years 1928 and 1949 Naval Forces that was represented as Naval Undersecretaryship in the Headquarters of General Staff, was reorganized as Naval Forces Command with Ground and Air Forces all together on 15 August 1949 by the Supreme Military Council. On 18 February 1952, after the Turkish Republic had become a member of NATO, Turkish Naval Forces provided a respectful place among the NATO alliances and determined technical developments in a serious way.In 1974, Turkish Naval Forces with all its components had joined the Cyprus Peace Operation and performed amphibian operation that is the most difficult operation of the world and a great success was achieved.In the period of the Republic of Turkey, Turkish Fleet as the most powerful fleet at Mediterranean and having a large operation area with 120 ships carried the Turkish flag with a great honour from Somalia to Japan, from Gibraltar to Panama, from North Atlantic to Indian Ocean and is going to carry it forever.