Yarhisar was one of the four Samsun-class destroyers, based on the Durandal class, purchased from France in 1907 by the Ottoman Navy Society.

During the Balkan Wars of 1912–1913, she took part in all major engagements such as the battles of Kaliakra, Elli and Lemnos, as well as patrol missions.

[2] During a program to strengthen the Ottoman Navy, large quantities of cannons, ammunition and supplies were ordered from the German company Krupp in 1904.

Based on the French Durandal-class destroyers, Yarhisar, Samsun and Basra were built by Ateliers de la Gironde, while Taşoz was built by Schneider et Cie.[5] Having joined the Ottoman Navy in 1907, Yarhisar took part in a training mission as part of the reforming program of Admiral Douglas Gamble, commander of the British naval mission in Istanbul in May 1909.

[6] Prior to the Italo-Turkish war, Yarhisar was on a flag display and training cruise in the Mediterranean with a significant part of the fleet.

The squadron, which had been maneuvering and training since July, had embarked on its annual mission to visit Beirut despite increasing political tensions.

When the fleet arrived at Chios Island on October 2 during its return, it met the yacht İzzettin, sent from Istanbul with news that the war had started.

[12] In early November, the Navy was tasked with supporting the Ottoman Army, which was retreating after the Battle of Lule Burgas.

An Ottoman force consisting of Hamidiye, Basra and Yarhisar was sent to Varna with the mission of preventing Bulgarian attacks on Ottoman merchant ships loaded with ammunition and, if possible, destroying Bulgarian torpedo boats; Basra broke down and was replaced by the torpedo boat Berkefşan.

[21][22] Despite the damage Hamidiye received, she did not sink thanks to the successful work of her crew,[17] but she was unable to continue her surveillance of Varna and decided to return to Istanbul.

Thinking that Yarhisar and Berkefşan would be insufficient for the mission, Hamidiye called in the torpedo cruiser Berk-i Satvet to the area.

[24] At 08:00 on 21 November, when Yarhisar arrived at the rendezvous point and could not find Hamidiye and Berkefşan, the ship's commander decided to scout Varna.

[24] Yarhisar took part in the Battle of Elli on 16 December, attached to the 2nd Destroyer Division under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hakkı Eşref.

On 29 October 1914, during the Black Sea Raid, which led to the Ottoman Empire's entry into the war, she patrolled the Bosphorus Strait with Basra.

They guarded the salvage of the Peyk-i Şevket, which had been torpedoed and sunk in shallow water in Güvercinlik between Selimpaşa and Celaliye the day before by the submarines E11 and E14.

[36] On 5 October, Yarhisar attacked the submarine HMS H1 at Mudanya, which sank three small sailboats and crippled the ship Edremit; H1 managed to escape under fire from the destroyer and nearby coastal batteries.

[37] On 3 December 1915, E11, which had started its third and last sortie in the Sea of Marmara on 6 November, torpedoed Yarhisar while she was sailing between Tuzla and Yalova at 12:30.

[40] The submarine rescued 3 officers, 42 enlisted men and 3 German privates, after which the crew was transferred to a passing sailboat and taken to Heybeliada.