Abd-ul-Mejid
Abd-ul-Mejid (April 23, 1823 – June 25, 1861) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire and succeeded his father Mahmud II on July 2 1839. Mahmud appears to have been unable to effect the reforms he desired in the mode of educating his children, so that his son received no better education than that given to Turkish princes in the harem.
When Abd-ul-Mejid succeeded to the throne, the affairs of Turkey were in an extremely critical state. At the very time his father died, the news was on its way to Constantinople that the empire army had been signally defeated at Nezib by that of the rebel Egyptian viceroy, Mehemet Ali. The empire fleet was at the same time on its way to Alexandria, where it was handed over to the same enemy by its commander Ahmed Pasha, on the pretext that the young sultan's advisers were sold to Russia. However, through the intervention of the European powers, Mehemet Ali was obliged to come to terms, and the Ottoman empire was saved.
In compliance with his father's express instructions, Abd-ul-Mejid set at once about carrying out the reforms to which Mahmud had devoted himself. In November 1839 an edict known as the Hatt-i-sherif of Dulhane was proclaimed consolidating and enforcing these reforms. The edict was supplemented at the close of the Crimean War by a similar statute issued in February 1856. By these enactments it was provided that all classes of the sultan's subjects should have security for their lives and property; that taxes should be fairly imposed and justice impartially administered; and that all should have full religious liberty and equal civil rights. The scheme met with keen opposition from the Muslim governing classes and the ulema, or religious authorities, and was but partially put in force, especially in the remoter parts of the empire; and more than one conspiracy was formed against the sultan's life on account of it.
The more important measures of reform promoted by Abd-ul-Mejid were:
- the reorganization of the army (1843–1844)
- the institution of a council of public instruction (1846)
- the abolition of an odious and unfairly imposed capitation tax
- the repression of slave trading, and
- various provisions for the better administration of the public service and for the advancement of commerce.
When Kossuth and others sought refuge in Turkey after the failure of the Hungarian rising in 1849, the sultan was called on by Austria and Russia to surrender them, but "boldly and determinedly" refused. He also would not allow the conspirators against his own life to be put to death. The 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica says of him, "He bore the character of being a kind and honourable man, if somewhat weak and easily led. Against this, however, must be set down his excessive extravagance, especially towards the end of his life."
He passed away in 1861 and succeeded by his brother, Abd-ul-Aziz, the oldest survivor of the family of Osman. He left several sons, of whom two, Murad V and Abd-ul-Hamid II, eventually succeeded to the throne. In his reign the reckless system of foreign loans began, carried to excess in the ensuing reign and culminating in default, which led to the alienation of European sympathy from Turkey and indirectly to the dethronement and death of Abd-ul-Aziz.
This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.
The Osmanli Dynasty ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1281 to 1923, beginning with Osman I (not counting his father, Ertuğrul), though the dynasty was not proclaimed until 1383 when Murad I declared himself sultan. Before that the tribe/dynasty might have been known as Söğüt but was renamed Osmanli in honour of Osman.
The sultan was the sole regent and government of the empire, at least officially. The sultan enjoyed many titles such as Sovereign of the House of Osman, Sultan of Sultans, Khan of Khans, Commander of the Faithful and Successor of the Prophet of the Lord of the Universe. Note that the first rulers never called themselves sultans, but rather beys. See the article on state organisation of the Ottoman Empire for further information on the sultan and the structure of power.
Hereditiary heads of the House of Osman since 1926:
When Mehmed II (the Conquerer) took over Constantinople on May 29, 1453, he committed a coup d'état by replacing the
Emperor of the Roman empire (a.k.a. the Eastern Roman Empire a.k.a. Byzantine Empire) with himself. He took the title Emperor (imparator)and protector of Orthodox Christianity.
He let himself be crowned Emperor by the Patriarch of Constantinople Gennadius Scholarius, whom he protected and whose stature he elevated into leader of all the Eastern Orthodox Christians.
So in addition to being Sultan of the Muslim citisens and Khan of the Turks, he was now also styled Emperor of the Romans.
As emperor of the Romans he laid claim to all the Roman territories and succesfully managed to put most of the Roman territories (except Rome and Italy) under his own control.
