Ali Arslan (Alparslan Türkeş), was born in Lefkoşe region of Cyprus on 25 November 1917. His father Ahmet Hamdi Bey was the son of Tuzlalı Ali Ağa, from Koyunoğlu family migrating to Cyprus from Yukarı-Köşkerli village of Pınarbaşı district of Kayseri. Arif Ağa, was a bey and a member of Avşar Tribe. He was sent into Exile to Cyprus by Sultan Abdulaziz because of some land issue in Middle Anatolia about 1860s. His mother Fatma Zehra Hanim, however, was from a native Turkish family. There are rumors that the family of his mother migrated from Çankırı to Cyprus.
Ali Arslan, being 4 in 1921, was sent to Saray Önü Primary School (Children School). He took lessons from teachers such as Hüsnü Bey, Selahattin Bey, Mehmet Asım Bey, Ragıp Tüzün Bey, Turgut Bey, Osman Zeki Bey and Faiz Kaymak in his primary school and secondary school days. In 1933, Alparslan convinced his father Ahmet Hamdi Bey and his mother Fatma Zehra Hanim and they went to Turkey, Istanbul, selling their family goods.
After settling down in Istanbul with his family, the first thing Alparslan Turkeş does is to enroll with Kuleli Military High School.After he graduates as a second-lieutenant from Kuleli Military High School in 1936, years in Ankara and War Academy begins. In 1938, he graduates from War academy. He is now a young lieutenant of Turkish Army.
Infantryman Lieutenant Alparslan Turkeş, married to Muzaffer Şükriye Türkeş, the daughter of Katırcıoğlu family in Isparta, which is the first place of duty for him, on 14 February 1940.
First Lieutenant Alparslan Turkeş was arrested and tried as the suspect of Turkism and Turanism case due to letters he wrote to A. Nihal Atsız, the poet and writer in 1944, and since there is no crime as loving his nation and producing policies for development of his nation, was acquitted with all suspects of the case both with regard to the essence and procedures of the trial.
Captain Alparslan Turkeş won an examination of Turkish General Staff in 1948 and was sent to America to attend a course in the Infantry School of United States of America and American War Academy, on contemporary military developments. His right for this course postponed due to the Turkism and Turanism Case despite his winning the examination of admittance to War Academies in 1944, was returned in 1952 and he graduated from War Academy with success in 1955 and became a staff officer in 1955.
Staff Major Alparslan Turkeş, won the examination of General Staff for foreign duties and was appointed as the member of General Staff Representative Delegation before NATO Permanent Group between November 1955-57. He took education in University of America on International Economics, which offers private night schools for those working during their presence in Washington.
Staff Major Alparslan Turkes was promoted as Staff Major on 30 August 1957. He attended a course on Atom and Nuclear Weapons in Germany in 1959. He attended various NATO meetings and military maneuvers as the representative of Turkish General Staff. In early 1960, he was promoted as a Staff Colonel being awarded his delayed ranks.
He took part in the coup d'état by Turkish Armed Forces in 27 May 1960 and announced the reasons and objective of this movement on the radio. In this period, he carried out the task of National Unity Committee member and Undersecretary of Prime Ministry. He pioneered in establishment of important organizations such as State Planning Organization, TUBITAK, Draft Laws on Social Security and Coordination, Atom Energy Corporation, Institute for Researches on Turkish Culture, Turkish Standards Institute. He is one of the leading thinkers of and proposing person for GAP project realized in the following years. He was retired on 13 November 1960 because of the disturbance arose in various environments because of the title Powerful Colonel, he was awarded due to his effective and informed services to Turkey and reaction against the service understanding depending on Turkish nationalism doctrine excluded after death of Ataturk. He was commissioned as the Government Consultant in New Delphi Embassy as Turkeys last banishment. He pursued informal Military Attaché duty there.
He turned back to Turkey from India on 22 February 1963. He founded Huzur (Ease) Foundation to perform cultural and art activities required by Turkish Nationalism ideal.Rapid development of this foundation incited anxiety in some environments and he was arrested in an unjust and unlawful manner due to the attempt of coup d'état by Talat Aydemir on 21 May 1963. He was acquitted on 4 September 1963 as a consequence of the trial and was released. He entered Republican Villager Nation Party on 31 March 1964 and was commissioned as General Inspector of the Party. In the Congress of the party on 30 July 1965, he was elected as the General Chairman of the party. In general election made on 30 October 1965, he was chosen as Ankara Deputy and won the right to become a member of Turkish Parliament.
He became a President candidate to defend application of the requirements of democracy against Cevdet Sunay, who was considered as the only candidate for Presidency elections held on 28 April 1966. He was re-elected as the General Chairman of the party in the Congress of CKMP in 1969. The name of the party was changed as Nationalist Movement Party with an emblem of three crescents. He was elected as the Adana Deputy in general elections held on 12 October 1969 and entered the parliament for thrice.
He conducted the duty of State Minister in charge of Interior and Foreign Security and Deputy Prime Minister in Nationalist Parties Governments established between 1975 and 1978. He launched Southeastern Anatolia Region Soil and Agriculture reform.