Abdülhamid II
Sultan
Caliph
Reigned:	Ottoman Period
Full name	Abdülhamid II
Predecessor	Murad V
Successor	Mehmed V
Reign	1876-1909

Abdülhamid II His Imperial Majesty, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (Ottoman Turkish: عبد الحميد ثانی `Abdü’l-Ḥamīd-i sânî, Turkish: İkinci Abdülhamit) (September 21, 1842 – February 10, 1918) was the 34th sultan of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Dynasty (or the Imperial House of Osman) ( Turkish: Osmanlı Hanedanı) ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1299 to 1922 beginning with The Ottoman Caliphate was the self-declared " Caliphate " under the Ottoman Dynasty of the Ottoman Empire. Stagnation of the Ottoman Empire ( 1683 - 1827) was a period after the territorial expansion of the Empire reached its maximum Sultan Mehmed Murad V ( September 21, 1840 - August 29, 1904) (مراد الخامس was the 33rd Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Mehmed V ( Turkish: Mehmed V Reşad or Reşat Mehmet) ( November 2, 1844 – July 3, 1918) was the 35th Ottoman Ottoman Turkish (Osmanlıca or tr ''Osmanlı Türkçesi'' Ottoman Turkish ota-Latn ''lisân-ı Osmânî'' is the variety of the Turkish language that was used as the Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. Year 1842 ( MDCCCXLII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish He oversaw a period of decline in the power and extent of the Empire, ruling from August 31, 1876 until he was deposed on April 27, 1909. Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne Year 1876 ( MDCCCLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated Year 1909 ( MCMIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Abdülhamid II was the last Ottoman Sultan to rule with absolute power.

Known to some as the Ulu Hakan ("Great Khan"), he is better known in the West as "The Red Sultan", "Abdul the Damned"^[1][2] or "The Great Assassin"^[3] for the massacres of Ottoman Armenians which occurred throughout his tenure. The Hamidian massacres, also referred to as the Armenian Massacres of 1894-1896, refers to the massacring of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, with estimates of the Ottoman Armenian population size within the Ottoman Empire between 1914 and 1915 is a controversial topic ^[4] His deposition following the Young Turk Revolution was hailed by most Ottoman citizens, who welcomed the return to constitutional rule. The Young Turk Revolution of 1908 reversed the suspension of the Ottoman parliament by Sultan Abdul Hamid II, marking the onset of the Second Constitutional The Second Constitutional Era (ايکنجى مشروطيت دورى İkinci Meşrûtiyyet Devri) of the Ottoman Empire began shortly after Sultan Abdülhamid

Personal life

Here is a sample of his handwritten poetry, which was taken from the book "My Father Abdul Hameed," written by his daughter Ayşe Sultan

Abdülhamid II was the son of Sultan Abdülmecid and one of his many wives, the Circassian Tirimüjgan (Virjin) Sultan. Abdülmecid is a name Variants include Abdülmecit, Abdül Mecid, Abulmecid, Abdul Mecid, Abdul Mejid Abd-ul-Mejid Abdul Medjit etc Circassians is a term derived from the Turkic Cherkess ( Çerkes) and is not the self-designation of any people ^[5] He was a skilled carpenter and personally crafted most of his own furniture, which can be seen today at the Yıldız Palace and Beylerbeyi Palace in Istanbul. Abdülhamid II was also interested in opera and personally wrote the first-ever Turkish translations of many opera classics. He also composed several opera pieces for the Mızıka-ı Hümayun which he established, and hosted the famous performers of Europe at the Opera House of Yıldız Palace which was recently restored and featured in the film Harem Suare (1999) of the Turkish-Italian director Ferzan Özpetek, which begins with the scene of Abdülhamid II watching a performance. Ferzan Özpetek (b February 3, 1959, Turkey) is a Turkish Screenwriter and Film director who currently resides in

In the opinion of F. A. K. Yasamee:^[6]

He was a striking amalgam of determination and timidity, of insight and fantasy, held together by immense practical caution and an instinct for the fundamentals of power. He was frequently underestimated. Judged on his record, he was a formidable domestic politician and an effective diplomat^[7]

He was also a good wrestler and a 'patron saint' of the wrestlers. He organised wrestling tournaments in the empire and selected wrestlers were invited to the palace. Abdülhamid personally tried the sportsmen and good ones remained in the palace.

Poetry

The Tughra (Signature) of Abdülhamid

Abdülhamid was also a poet just like many other Ottoman sultans. A tughra ( طغراء;) is a calligraphic seal or Signature of an Ottoman sultan that was affixed to all official One of the sultan's poems translates thus:

My Lord I know you are the Dear One (Al-Aziz)
. . . And no one but you are the Dear One
You are the One, and nothing else
My God take my hand in these hard times
My God be my helper in this critical hour

Politics

Unlike many other Ottoman sultans, Abdülhamid II traveled to distant countries. Nine years before he took the throne, he accompanied his uncle Sultan Abdülaziz on his visit to Austria, France and England in 1867. Abdülaziz ( Ottoman Turkish: عبد العزيز ( February 9, 1830 June 4 1876) was the 32nd Sultan of the Ottoman Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland

Accession to throne, 1876

Young Abdulhamid

He succeeded to the throne following the deposition of his brother Murad on August 31, 1876. This article is about royal thrones for the order of Angels by the same name see Thrones. Sultan Mehmed Murad V ( September 21, 1840 - August 29, 1904) (مراد الخامس was the 33rd Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne Year 1876 ( MDCCCLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year He himself was deposed in favor of his brother Mehmed in 1909. Mehmed V ( Turkish: Mehmed V Reşad or Reşat Mehmet) ( November 2, 1844 – July 3, 1918) was the 35th Ottoman His brother had no real powers and continued as a figurehead only. At his accession, some commentators were impressed by the fact that he rode practically unattended to the Eyüp Sultan Mosque where he was given the sword of Osman. The Eyüp Sultan Mosque is situated outside the Walls of Constantinople, near the Golden Horn, in the district of Eyüp on the European side of Osman I (1258 Sogut, Anatolia, Turkey &ndash1326 Sogut) Ottoman: عثمان بن أرطغرل Turkish: Osman Most people expected Abdülhamid II to have liberal ideas, and some conservatives were inclined to regard him with suspicion as a dangerous reformer.

He took over default in the public funds, and an empty treasury. In Finance, default occurs when a debtor has not met its legal obligations according to the debt contract e

1^st Constitutional Era, 1876-1877

See also: First Constitutional Era (Ottoman Empire) and Young Ottomans

He did not plan and express any goal in his accession speech, however he worked with the Young Ottomans to realize some form of constitutional arrangements^[8] This new form in its theoretical space could help to realize a liberal transition with Islamic arguments, which could balance the Tanzimat's imitation of western norms. The First Constitutional Era of the Ottoman Empire was the period of Constitutional monarchy from the promulgation of the Kanûn-ı Esâsî The Young Ottomans (Yeni Osmanlilar were a group of Ottoman nationalist intellectuals formed in 1865, influenced by such Western thinkers as Montesquieu The Young Ottomans (Yeni Osmanlilar were a group of Ottoman nationalist intellectuals formed in 1865, influenced by such Western thinkers as Montesquieu The Tanzimat ( Ottoman Turkish: تنظيمات meaning reorganization of the Ottoman Empire, was a period of reformation that began in 1839 The political structure of western norms did not work with the centuries old Ottoman political culture, even if the pressure from the Western world was enormous to adapt western ways of political decision making the disharmony in the empire did prove a different view, at least in the eyes of the Sultan. On 23 December 1876, under the shadow of the 1875 insurrection in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the war with Serbia and Montenegro and the feeling aroused throughout Europe by the cruelty used in stamping out the Bulgarian rebellion, he declared the constitution and its parliament. The Herzegovinian Rebellion of 1875 ( Serbian and Croatian: Hercegovački ustanak, Cyrillic: Херцеговачки устанак The Serbian Principality (Serbian Кнежевина Србија Kneževina Srbija) was a state in the Balkans that came into existence as a result of the The Principality or Princedom of Montenegro was a principality in Southeastern Europe. The April Uprising (Априлско въстание Aprilsko vastanie) was an insurrection organised by the Bulgarians in the Ottoman Empire from April

The international conference which met at Istanbul towards the end of 1876 was surprised by the promulgation of a constitution, but European powers at the conference rejected the constitution as a significant change; they preferred the 1856 constitution, the Hatt-ı Hümayun and 1839 Hatt-ı Şerif of Gülhane, but questioned whether there was need for a parliament to act as an official voice of the people. Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey The Hatt-ı Hümayun ( Imperial Edict, Imperial Reform Edict or Rescript of Reform) was a February 18, 1856 edict of the The Hatt-i Sharif (Hatt-ı Şerif of Gülhane (Noble Edict of the Rose Chamber was an 1839 proclamation by Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid I that

In any event, like many other would-be reforms of the Ottoman Empire change proved to be nearly impossible. Russia continued to mobilize for war. However, everything changed when the British fleet approached the capital from the Sea of Marmara. The Sea of Marmara ( Turkish: Marmara Denizi, Greek: Θάλασσα του Μαρμαρά or Προποντίς, Bulgarian The Sultan suspended (but did not abolish) the constitution and Midhat Pasha, its author, was exiled soon afterwards. MidhatPashaVanityFairjpg|thumb|Mithat Pasha on the cover of Vanity Fair, June 30, 1877. Early in 1877 the Ottoman Empire went to war with the Russian Empire. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 had its origins in a rise in nationalism in the Balkans as well as in the Russian goal of recovering territorial losses it had suffered The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya

Disintegration

Seal of Sultan Abdul Hamid II

Abdul Hamid's biggest fear, near dissolution, was coming to effect by the Russians declaration of war on 24 April 1877 and following Russian victory by February 1878. Events 1479 BC - Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to Abdul Hamid did not find any help. The chancellor Prince Gorchakov had effectively purchased Austrian neutrality with the Reichstadt Agreement, and the United Kingdom, though still fearing the Russian threat to British dominance in Southern Asia, did not involve herself in the conflict. Alexander Mikhailovich Gorchakov (16 July 1798 11 March 1883 was a Russian statesman from the Gorchakov princely family The Reichstadt agreement in July 1876 was an agreement between The Austrian Empire and Russia, who were at that time in an alliance with each other and Germany The Treaty of San Stefano imposed harsh terms: the Ottoman Empire gave independence to Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro; to grant autonomy to Bulgaria; to institute reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and to cede the Dobruja and parts of Armenia to Russia, which would also be paid an enormous indemnity. The Preliminary Treaty of San Stefano was a treaty between Russia and the Ottoman Empire signed at the end of the Russo-Turkish War 1877–78. Romanian Principalities is a historical term designating the pre-modern principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, which alongside Transylvania form Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Abdul Hamid was the first to recognize and acknowledge the Aromanian nation in European Turkey with the Irade document, signed on May 23 1905, which today is celebrated as the National Day of the Aromanians. Aromanians (or Macedo-Rumans; in Aromanian they call themselves Armãnji, Rrãmãnji) are a people living throughout the southern Balkans

As Russia could dominate the newly independent states, her influence in Southeastern Europe was greatly increased by the Treaty of San Stefano. Due to the insistence of the Great Powers (especially the United Kingdom), the treaty was later revised at the Congress of Berlin so as to reduce the great advantages acquired by Russia. See also Berlin Conference (1884-85 re Africa and Berlin Conference of 1954 (Cold War In exchange of these favors, Cyprus was "rented" to Britain in 1878 while the British forces occupied Egypt and Sudan in 1882 with the pretext of "bringing order" to those provinces. Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The History of modern Egypt conventionally begins with the French expedition led by Napoleon Bonaparte and Mohammed Ali 's subsequent assumption of power in 1801 Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. Cyprus, Egypt and Sudan remained as Ottoman provinces "on paper" until 1914, when Britain officially annexed those territories in response to the Ottoman participation in World War I at the side of the Central Powers. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Central Powers ( German: "Mittelmächte" Hungarian: "Központi hatalmak" Turkish: "İttifak

• There was also trouble in Egypt, where a discredited khedive had to be deposed. For the HMS Khedive, see ''USS'' Cordova. Khedive (from Persian for "lord" was a title first Abdülhamid mishandled relations with Urabi Pasha, and as a result Great Britain gained virtual control over Egypt by sending its troops with the pretext of "bringing order". Colonel Ahmed Orabi or Ahmed Urabi ( Egyptian Arabic: ʻorābi ˈʕoɾɑːˌbi ( April 1, 1841 - September 21, 1911) (
• There were problems on the Greek frontier and in Montenegro, where the European powers were determined that the decisions of the Berlin Congress should be carried into effect. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία The Principality or Princedom of Montenegro was a principality in Southeastern Europe. See also Berlin Conference (1884-85 re Africa and Berlin Conference of 1954 (Cold War
• The union in 1885 of Bulgaria with Eastern Rumelia was another blow. The Unification of Bulgaria (Съединение на България Saedinenie na Balgariya) was the act of Unification of the Principality of Bulgaria The Principality of Bulgaria (Княжество България was a state created as a vassal of the Ottoman Empire by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878 Eastern Rumelia or Eastern Roumelia (Източна Румелия Iztochna Rumeliya; Ottoman Turkish: Rumeli-i Şarkî; Modern Turkish The creation of an independent and powerful Bulgaria was viewed as a serious threat to the Ottoman Empire. For many years Abdülhamid had to deal with Bulgaria in a way that did not antagonize either Russian or German wishes.

Crete was granted extended privileges, but these did not satisfy the population, which sought unification with Greece. Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία In early 1897 a Greek expedition sailed to Crete to overthrow Ottoman rule in the island. This act was followed by war, in which the Ottoman Empire defeated Greece (see the Greco-Turkish War (1897)). The Greco-Turkish War of 1897, also called the Thirty Days' War and known as the black '97 in Greece was a war fought between the Kingdom of Greece But a few months later Crete was taken over en depot by England, France, and Russia. Prince George of Greece was appointed as ruler and Crete was also lost to the Ottoman Empire . Youth From 1883 George lived at the castle of Bernstorff in Copenhagen with Prince Valdemar of Denmark, his father's younger brother

Securing Germany's support

Bodo-Borries von Ditfurth (1852-1915)

The Triple Entente - that is, the United Kingdom, France and Russia - maintained strained relations with the Ottoman Empire. The Triple Entente (" entente " — French for "agreement" was the name given to the loose alignment of the United Kingdom, the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya Abdülhamid and his close advisors believed the empire should be treated as an equal player by these great powers. In the Sultan's view, the Ottoman Empire was a European empire, distinct for having more Muslims than Christians. Abul Hamid and his divan viewed themselves as modern, however their actions were often construed by Europeans as exotic or uncivilized. ^[9]

Abdülhamid now viewed the new German Empire as a possible friend of the empire. The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification Kaiser Wilhelm II was twice hosted by Abdülhamid in Istanbul; first on October 21, 1889, and nine years later, on October 5, 1898 (Wilhelm II later visited Istanbul for a third time, on October 15, 1917, as a guest of Mehmed V). Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey Mehmed V ( Turkish: Mehmed V Reşad or Reşat Mehmet) ( November 2, 1844 – July 3, 1918) was the 35th Ottoman German officers (like Baron von der Goltz and von Ditfurth) were employed to oversee the reorganization of the Ottoman army. Wilhelm Leopold Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz ( August 12 1843 &ndash April 19 1916) also known as Goltz Pasha, was a Prussian

German government officials were brought in to reorganize the Ottoman government's finances. Abdülhamid tried to take more of the reins of power into his own hands, for he distrusted his ministers. Germany's friendship was not disinterested, and had to be fostered with railway and loan concessions. In 1899 a significant German desire, the Baghdad Railway, was given to them. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the Ottoman Empire planned to construct a Baghdad Railway under German control

Assassination Attempt

In July 21, 1905, Abdülhamid was subjected to an assassination attempt. Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Abdülhamid was regularly using only the mosque for Friday prayers. This routine gave Armenian separatists, in the command of Belgian anarchist Edward Jorris, Kristofor Mikaelyan which was the field responsible, Robina, Nishan Minasian, Migirdic Serkis Garibyan, Karabet Ohanesyan, Vahram Sabun Kendiryan, Silviyorici, Sari Torkom and Trase Yuvanovic the chance to place a clock operated bomb in a car with over 80 kg explosives with 20 kg iron pieces to act as sharapnels in front of the mosque. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Anarchism is a Political philosophy encompassing theories and attitudes which support the elimination of all compulsory Government, i ^[10] Two of the assassins, Kristofor Mikaelyan and his so-called daughter Robina, has observed Abdülhamid's routine for weeks. Christapor Mikaelian ( Armenian: hy Քրիստափոր Միքայէլեան also known by his noms de guerre Hellen (hy Էլլէն Topal The distance between the point Sultan gets on his car and the first stairs of the mosque was walked about 1 minute 42 seconds, and the bomb was set according to this figure. In the day of the action, Abdülhamid started chatting with Seyhulislam Cemalettin Efendi, and was late to arrive to the explosion point. Abdülhamid II His Imperial Majesty Sultan of the Ottoman Empire ( Ottoman Turkish: عبد الحميد ثانی `Abdü’l-Ḥamīd-i sânî, İkinci Abdülhamit The bomb exploded at the right time, killing 26, wounding 58 and crushing 17 cars and 20 horses. Abdülhamid got away without a scratch.

2^nd Constitutional Era, 1908

See also: Young Turk Revolution, Second Constitutional Era (Ottoman Empire), and Young Turks

The national humiliation of the situation in Macedonia, together with the resentment in the army against the palace spies and informers, at last brought matters to a crisis. The Young Turk Revolution of 1908 reversed the suspension of the Ottoman parliament by Sultan Abdul Hamid II, marking the onset of the Second Constitutional The Second Constitutional Era (ايکنجى مشروطيت دورى İkinci Meşrûtiyyet Devri) of the Ottoman Empire began shortly after Sultan Abdülhamid The Young Turks ( Turkish: Jön Türkler (plural from French: Jeunes Turcs) were a coalition of various groups favoring reforming the Macedonia is a Geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe whose area was re-defined in the early 20th century A palace is a grand residence especially the home of a Head of state or some other high-ranking Public figure.

In the summer of 1908 the Young Turk revolution broke out and Abdülhamid, upon learning that the troops in Salonica were marching on Istanbul (July 23), at once capitulated. The Young Turks ( Turkish: Jön Türkler (plural from French: Jeunes Turcs) were a coalition of various groups favoring reforming the Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη), Thessalonica, or Salonica is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Macedonia Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey Events 1632 - Three hundred colonists bound for New France depart from Dieppe France. On the 24th an irade announced the restoration of the suspended constitution of 1876; the next day, further irades abolished espionage and censorship, and ordered the release of political prisoners. Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. Censorship is the suppression of speech or deletion of communicative material which may be considered objectionable harmful or sensitive as determined by a censor A political prisoner is someone held in Prison or otherwise detained perhaps under House arrest, for his or her involvement in political activity

On December 17, Abdülhamid opened the Turkish parliament with a speech from the throne in which he said that the first parliament had been "temporarily dissolved until the education of the people had been brought to a sufficiently high level by the extension of instruction throughout the empire. Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila TalkParliament#Screen-size. -->A  parliament is a Legislature, especially in those "

Countercoup, 1909

See also: Countercoup (1909), 31 March Incident, and Adana massacre

The new attitude of the sultan did not save him from the suspicion of intriguing with the powerful reactionary elements in the state, a suspicion confirmed by his attitude towards the counter-revolution of April 13, 1909 known as 31 Mart Vakası, when an insurrection of the soldiers backed by a conservative public upheaval in the capital overthrew the cabinet. The Countercoup of 1909 was an attempt to dismantle the Second Constitutional Era of the Ottoman Empire and replace it with a Monarchy under Sultan The 31 March Incident (31 Mart Vakası was a 1909 rebellion of reactionaries in İstanbul toward the Countercoup (1909, who attempted to put an end to The Adana massacre occurred in Adana Province, in the Ottoman Empire, in April 1909 Events 1111 - Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1204 - The Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople Year 1909 ( MCMIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting The 31 March Incident (31 Mart Vakası was a 1909 rebellion of reactionaries in İstanbul toward the Countercoup (1909, who attempted to put an end to The government, restored by soldiers from Salonica, decided on Abdülhamid's deposition, and on April 27 his brother Reshad Efendi was proclaimed as Sultan Mehmed V. Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated Mehmed V ( Turkish: Mehmed V Reşad or Reşat Mehmet) ( November 2, 1844 – July 3, 1918) was the 35th Ottoman

The Sultan's countercoup, which had appealed to conservative Islamists in the context of the Young Turks' liberal reforms, resulted in the massacre of tens of thousands of Christians in Adana province. ^[11]

Ideology and Progress

Reforms

At his accession, some commentators were impressed by the fact that he rode practically unattended to the Eyüp Sultan Mosque where he was given the sword of Osman. The Eyüp Sultan Mosque is situated outside the Walls of Constantinople, near the Golden Horn, in the district of Eyüp on the European side of Osman I (1258 Sogut, Anatolia, Turkey &ndash1326 Sogut) Ottoman: عثمان بن أرطغرل Turkish: Osman Most people expected Abdülhamid II to have liberal ideas, and some conservatives were inclined to regard him with suspicion as a dangerous reformer. In the event, like many other would-be reformers of the Ottoman Empire, change proved to be nearly impossible. Default in the public funds, an empty treasury, the 1875 insurrection in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the war with Serbia and Montenegro and the feeling aroused throughout Europe by the cruelty used in stamping out the Bulgarian rebellion all proved good reasons not to undertake any significant changes. In Finance, default occurs when a debtor has not met its legal obligations according to the debt contract e The Herzegovinian Rebellion of 1875 ( Serbian and Croatian: Hercegovački ustanak, Cyrillic: Херцеговачки устанак Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE! The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian

There were many setbacks:

• Financial embarrassments forced him to consent to a foreign control over the national debt. In a decree issued in December 1881, a large portion of the empire's revenues were handed over to the Public Debt Administration for the benefit of (mostly foreign) bondholders. The Ottoman Public Debt Administration (OPDA established 1881 was a European-controlled organization was set up to collect the payments that Ottoman Empire owned to companies

Over the years Abdülhamid succeeded in reducing his ministers to the position of secretaries, and he concentrated much of the administration of the Empire into his own hands at Yıldız Palace. Yıldız (literally "a star" in Turkish) is a neighbourhood located in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, Turkey. But internal dissension was not reduced. Crete was constantly in turmoil. Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the The Greeks living within the Ottoman Empire's borders were dissatisfied, as were the Armenians.

His distrust for the reformist admirals of the Ottoman navy (whom he suspected of plotting against him and trying to bring back the 1876 constitution) and his subsequent decision to lock the Ottoman fleet (which ranked as the 3rd largest fleet in the world during the reign of his predecessor Abdülaziz) inside the Golden Horn caused the loss of Ottoman overseas territories and islands in North Africa, the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea during and after his reign. Abdülaziz ( Ottoman Turkish: عبد العزيز ( February 9, 1830 June 4 1876) was the 32nd Sultan of the Ottoman The Golden Horn ( Turkish: Haliç or Altın Boynuz, Greek: Χρυσόν Κέρας – Chrysón Kéras is an inlet of the North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Etymology In ancient times there were various explanations for the name Aegean. ^[12]

Question of Islam

See also: Ottoman Caliphate

Abdülhamid recognized that the ideas Tanzimat could not bring the disparate peoples of the empire to common identity, such as Ottomanism. The Ottoman Caliphate was the self-declared " Caliphate " under the Ottoman Dynasty of the Ottoman Empire. The Tanzimat ( Ottoman Turkish: تنظيمات meaning reorganization of the Ottoman Empire, was a period of reformation that began in 1839 Ottomanism ( Osmanlılık or Osmanlıcılık) was a concept which developed prior to the First Constitutional Era of the Ottoman Empire. The Russia's pan-Slavism, pan-Hellennism, was stronger than Ottomanism, in the Ottoman Empire. Ottomanism ( Osmanlılık or Osmanlıcılık) was a concept which developed prior to the First Constitutional Era of the Ottoman Empire. Abdülhamid tried to hold on formulation of a new and more relevant ideological principle. Ottoman sultans beginning with 1517 were also Caliphs. He wanted to put forward that fact, so he emphasized the Ottoman Caliphate. The Ottoman Caliphate was the self-declared " Caliphate " under the Ottoman Dynasty of the Ottoman Empire.

Abdülhamid always resisted the pressure of the European powers to the last moment, in order to seem to yield only to overwhelming force, while posing as the champion of Islam against aggressive Christendom. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Christendom usually refers to Christianity as a territorial phenomenon Panislamic propaganda was encouraged; the privileges of foreigners in the Ottoman Empire, which were often seen as an obstacle to government, were curtailed. Along with the strategically important Istanbul-Baghdad Railway, the Istanbul-Medina Railway was also completed -making the Hajj somewhat easier- though there was still a 160-mile (260 km) camel ride to get to Mecca. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the Ottoman Empire planned to construct a Baghdad Railway under German control History A railway had been suggested in 1864 to relieve the suffering of the hajis on their forty day journey through the wilderness of Midian the Nafud and the Hejaz Mountains The Hajj (حج is a pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah It is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world Mecca ˈmɛkə also spelled Makkah ˈmækə (in full Makkah Al-Mukarramah (Arabic mækːæ(t ælmʊkarˑamæ مكّة المكرمة, literally Honored Emissaries were sent to distant countries preaching Islam and the Caliph's supremacy. The Caliph is the Head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the leader of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah During his rule, Abdülhamid refused Theodor Herzl's offers to pay down a substantial portion of the Ottoman debt in exchange for a charter allowing the Zionists to colonize Palestine. Theodor Herzl (בנימין זאב הרצל ( Binyamin Ze'ev Herzl) (May 2 1860&ndashJuly 3 1904 was an Austrian Jewish journalist who founded modern History of Zionism|Timeline of Zionism|World Zionist Organization|Zionist political violence Zionism is an international political movement that originally supported the Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.

"to have the scalpel cut my body is less painful than to witness Palestine being detached from the Khilafah state and this is not going to happen …let the Jews keep their millions and once the Khilafah is torn apart one day, then they can take Palestine without a price. "

Abdülhamid's appeals to Muslim sentiment were powerless against widespread disaffection within his Empire due to perennial misgovernment. In Mesopotamia and Yemen disturbance was endemic; nearer home, a semblance of loyalty was maintained in the army and among the Muslim population only by a system of delation and espionage, and by wholesale arrests. Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion After his rule began, Abdülhamid became obsessed with the paranoia of being assassinated and withdrew himself into the fortified seclusion of the Yıldız Palace.

Armenian Question

Main articles: Yildiz Attempt, Armenian Rebellions, and Hamidian massacres

Starting around 1890 the Armenians began clamoring to obtain the reforms which were promised at Berlin. Yıldız Attempt ( Armenian: hy Եըլտըզի Մահափորձը Turkish: Yıldız suikast teşebbüsü) was an assassination attempted on Sultan See also Armenian nationalism Armenian national awakening covers the activities of ethnic Armenian to obtain independence similar to other non-Ottoman ethnic The Hamidian massacres, also referred to as the Armenian Massacres of 1894-1896, refers to the massacring of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, with estimates of the ^[13] Unrest occurred in 1892 and 1893 at Merzifon and Tokat. Armenian groups staged protests and were met by violence. Sultan Abdülhamid did not hesitate to put down these revolts with harsh methods, possibly to show the unshakable power of the monarch, and often used the local Muslims (in most cases the Kurds) against the Armenians. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion ^[14]. According to Turkish scholar Taner Akçam, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany claimed that eighty thousand Armenians had been killed, and French reports claimed that two hundred thousand had been killed. Altuğ Taner Akçam (born October 23 1953) is a Turkish Historian and sociologist. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. ^[15] In 1907, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation attempted to assassinate him. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation ( ARF or ՀՅԴ) (Հայ Յեղափոխական Դաշնակցութիւն — Hay Heghapokhakan Dashnaktsutiun Surviving the assassination, he eased his orders of purges against the Armenians.

Deposition and aftermath

A rare picture showing Abdülhamid and the four people when he was told he was removed from office

The ex-sultan was conveyed into dignified captivity at Salonica. Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη), Thessalonica, or Salonica is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Macedonia In 1912, when Salonica fell to Greece, he was returned to captivity in Istanbul. He spent his last days studying, carpentering and writing his memoirs in custody at Beylerbeyi Palace, where he died on February 10, 1918, just a few months before his brother, the sultan. " Beylerbeyi " redirects here Beylerbey (from Beylerbeyi, Ottoman Turkish for " Bey of Beys" meaning "Commander Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Abdülhamid was the last relatively autonomous sultan of the Ottoman Empire. He presided over thirty three years of decline. The Ottoman Empire had long been acknowledged as the Sick Man of Europe. The term "Sick man of Europe" is a Nickname associated with a European country experiencing a time of economic difficulty and/or poverty While its European neighbours were making railroads, automobiles, electric lights and even airplanes, the Ottoman Empire was unable to develop such advanced industry. The Ottoman subjects rarely saw the benefits of the attempted reforms carried out under the Sultan's reign.

Pictures from Empire

Abdulhamid II color

Abdülhamid commissioned thousands of photographs of his empire. Fearful of assassination, he did not travel often (though still more than many previous rulers) and photographs provided visual evidence of what was taking place in his realm. The Sultan presented large gift albums of photographs to various governments and heads of state, including the United States (William Allen, "The Abdul Hamid II Collection," History of Photography eight (1984): 119-45. Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ) and Great Britain (M. I. Waley and British Library, "Sultan Abdulhamid II Early Turkish Photographs in 51 Albums from the British Library on Microfiche" (Zug, Switzerland: IDC, 1987). The American collection is housed in the Library of Congress and has been digitized. The Library of Congress is the De facto National library of the United States and the research arm of the United States Congress *Ottoman Empire photographs at the Library of Congress

Policies in caricatures

Abdülhamid's era had seen an upsurge of political satire. Political satire is a significant part of Satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politicsusing political cartoons politicians and public affairs Inside and outside the empire, Abdülhamid's cunning but harsh policies, or propaganda against Abdülhamid's activities, were reflected in many caricatures.

Caricature; "Forcing the Sultan to change": British government forces Abdülhamid for reforms	"Consultative Menagerie", January 1885; see image detail for explication; regarding the Turkish sentiment for foreign intervention in the Ottoman state's affairs	Caricature; "changes in the form, not in the mind"; regarding the superficial reforms of Abdülhamid	Abdülhamid as the butcher of Armenians, see Hamidian massacres
Abdülhamid looks worriedly at Turkey's shrinking European territories, while the Morean peninsula in Greece is a hand extending towards Crete	Little Greece, encouraged and backed by Europe's powers, bullies Turkey for Crete	Europe throws a bone (Crete) to her dog (Greece)	Europe (with "France, England, Austria" written on her skirt) punishes the spoilt kid (Greece) for asking too much and not feeling happy with what he got (Crete)
Abdülhamid celebrates the Turkish victory at the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and the addition of Thessaly to the Ottoman Empire by asking "who says Sick Man now?"	"Turkey Limited": Russia, France and England agree on the "reorganisation" of the Ottoman Empire, i. The Hamidian massacres, also referred to as the Armenian Massacres of 1894-1896, refers to the massacring of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, with estimates of the The Greco-Turkish War of 1897, also called the Thirty Days' War and known as the black '97 in Greece was a war fought between the Kingdom of Greece e. the resolution of the Eastern Question	Abdülhamid's rule inspired much opposition among the Ottoman population

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone

• Adbul Hamid II Biography

See also

• List of nicknames of European Royalty and Nobility