Sultan Abdul Aziz, the 32nd ruler of the Ottoman Empire, reigned from 1861 to 1876, a period marked by significant political and economic challenges. Known for his ambitious reforms and efforts to modernize the empire, Abdul Aziz’s tenure was a pivotal era in Ottoman history. This article delves into the extra history of Sultan Abdul Aziz, exploring his initiatives, struggles, and the lasting impact of his leadership. From his unprecedented diplomatic visits to Europe to his attempts at economic stabilization, Abdul Aziz’s reign offers a fascinating glimpse into the complexities of Ottoman governance during the 19th century.
Abdul Aziz’s reign was characterized by his determination to strengthen the empire through modernization and reform. Despite facing financial difficulties and political opposition, he implemented several key initiatives aimed at revitalizing the Ottoman state. His efforts included the establishment of new administrative structures, military reforms, and the promotion of education and infrastructure development. This exploration of his extra history reveals the multifaceted nature of his rule, highlighting both his achievements and the challenges he encountered. By examining these lesser-known aspects of his reign, we gain a deeper understanding of his contributions to the Ottoman legacy.
Son of Mahmud II and brother of Abdülmecid, Abdülaziz was born on February 8, 1830. He had a comfortable princedom during the reign of his brother Abdülmecid. Like his older brother, he received education in music, literature and sports during his youth. Unlike his older brother, Abdülaziz did not like alcohol or entertainment. With his athletic build and simple life, he became a prince trusted by the people. Those who considered Abdülmecid’s innovations as imitation and his spending as wasteful were impatient for Abdülaziz to ascend to the throne. Abdülaziz ascended to the throne on June 25, 1861, after Abdülmecid died of tuberculosis. When he ascended to the throne, the state was extremely indebted. A financial crisis had emerged and the Montenegro rebellion had begun in the Balkans. Today’s Herzegovina province was also in great turmoil. The European states also wanted the problem to be solved through compromise without military intervention in Montenegro and Herzegovina. They were concerned that Abdülaziz might renounce the promises made in the Tanzimat Edict if the problem deepened. After ascending to the throne, Abdülaziz first issued a decree to alleviate the concerns of the European states.
The decree, addressed to the government, was read out ceremonially at the Sublime Porte. In his decree, the sultan stated that he wanted to continue the Tanzimat and that he would leave the old government in power as is as evidence of this. This published decree was enough to eliminate the concerns of the Western states. Abdülaziz, who began his reign by eliminating the concerns of the Western states, had his first term of office until 1871. During this term, Ali and Fuat Pashas served as grand viziers. This term was evaluated as the continuation of the Tanzimat and Islahat, the establishment of some new institutions and a highly successful foreign policy period. The second period, from 1871, when Ali Pasha passed away, to 1876, when Abdulaziz was dethroned, was the most unsuccessful period. This period was also evaluated as an unsuccessful period in which Mahmut Nedim and Mithat Pashas had a say.
He Took Savings Measures
When Abdulaziz ascended to the throne, the biggest problem he faced was the foreign debts he had incurred. The first measure taken to pay the debts and improve public finances was to make savings in state expenditures. Abdulaziz accepted cuts in his own budget and palace expenditures. He promised to end the harem tradition that had continued since Fatih Sultan Mehmet and to disband the harem in the palace and be content with a single wife. While dismissing the high-paid palace officials, he banned the use of items made of gold, silver and other precious metals in the palace. He left one-third of his own private treasury, called the private treasury, to the state treasury. In order to start a new era in the social and political fields, Abdulaziz granted a general amnesty to political prisoners and did not forgive those who committed disgraceful crimes such as bribery and extortion. He also reduced the number of officials in the ministries and especially in the Serasker Gate. The savings measures taken partially gave the financial system a breath of fresh air.
He Made His First Trip to Egypt
After becoming the ruler, Abdulaziz made his first trip to Egypt. Abdulaziz, who was warmly welcomed in Cairo on April 3, 1863, aimed to strengthen the ties between Egypt and the Ottoman Empire, which had been making progress on the path to independence since the rebellion of Kavalali Mehmet Ali Pasha. The Governor of Egypt, Ismail Pasha, managed to win Abdulaziz’s favor enough to obtain the concessions he wanted from him by organizing magnificent feasts. With these concessions, Ismail Pasha facilitated Egypt’s secession in later years. Abdulaziz, who was a supporter of simplicity in his youth and the first few years of his reign, has been shown to have been the reason for his turning to entertainment and luxury in the later periods of his reign, due to the fun days he spent in Egypt. The Governor of Egypt, Ismail Pasha, who gained Abdulaziz’s trust, obtained permission to change the inheritance system in Egypt on May 28, 1866. On June 2, 1866, he took the title of “khedive” and established the principle that the khedivate should be passed from father to son. Later, he wanted to borrow money and buy warships without permission from Istanbul, like an independent state, but he was not allowed to do so.
Separatist Uprisings Increase
One of the aims of the Tanzimat and Islahat decrees was to increase the sense of belonging of non-Muslim elements to the Ottoman State. However, these rights granted strengthened separatist tendencies. States such as Russia, England and France, which had previously assumed the protection of Christian minorities through agreements, increased their pressure on the Ottoman State, especially using the separatist movements in the Balkans as an excuse. Russia provoked the Slavs living in the Balkans, and France provoked the Maronites and Druze in Lebanon, causing bloody conflicts between them. The rebellion of the Montenegrins, who wanted to gain their independence, was suppressed in 1862. However, Russia and France prevented the military suppression of the uprisings in other places. Thereupon, with the support of Russia and France, uprisings began in Serbia, Romania and Crete.
He Became the First Sultan to Go on a European Tour
Abdulaziz was invited to the opening of the International Paris Industrial Exhibition by French Emperor Napoleon III, and to London by Queen Victoria of England. Accepting both invitations, Abdulaziz set out on a European tour on June 21, 1867. Thus, Abdulaziz became the only sultan in Ottoman history to travel to foreign countries and the first caliph to visit the Christian world as a friend. During this 1.5-month tour, Abdulaziz also visited Belgium, Prussia and Austria, and returned to Istanbul on August 7, 1867. This tour of Abdulaziz contributed greatly to the normalization of relations between the Ottoman Empire and European states. However, the Western states never gave up on their plans for Ottoman lands. For this reason, with the support of the Western states, the uprising in Romania achieved its goal.
As a result of the negotiations held in 1867, Romania was granted the status of a principality. It was agreed that the Turkish army would withdraw from Serbian fortresses and a special administration would be established in Crete. Under pressure from the Russians, who placed the separation of all elements in the Balkans from the Ottoman Empire at the center of their foreign policy, a decision was made in 1870 to allow the Bulgarians, who had wanted to separate from the Greek Orthodox Church for centuries, to establish the Independent Bulgarian Church. Thus, the ground was prepared for the Bulgarians to gain the autonomy status they had before the declaration of independence.
Germany’s Strengthening Changed the Balance in Europe
Germany, which provided political unity, changed the balance in Europe. Germany’s defeat of France also affected the Ottoman Empire. France was the Ottoman Empire’s greatest ally in implementing the provisions of the Paris Treaty signed in 1856 after the Crimean War. After France’s defeat against Germany, Russia declared in 1871 that it would not fulfill the provisions imposed on it by the 1856 Paris Treaty. Thus, the Russians became a danger to the Ottoman Empire again. The first uprising for autonomy and independence began in Herzegovina (Croatia) in 1875 and spread to Bosnia. The uprising that began there spread to Bulgaria in 1876. These uprisings were followed by the murder of the German and French consuls in Thessaloniki. Since the uprisings were not seen as internal affairs of the Ottoman Empire, the Western states decided to submit the memorandum they had prepared, called the “Berlin Memorandum”, to the Sublime Porte. However, before the memorandum could be given, Abdulaziz was dethroned.
Tried to Increase Army’s Firepower
The greatest enemy of the Ottoman Empire was the Russians. A strong army was needed to combat the Russians. For this reason, Abdülaziz attached great importance to equipping the army with new weapons. The straits and the castles along the border were fortified with large-scale cannons purchased from Europe, and the armory was modernized. In 1866, the Mekteb-i Harbiye (War Academy) was reorganized with expert officers brought from Prussia. Military laws were reorganized in 1869 according to the conditions of the day, and military junior high schools were opened. New barracks such as Taşkışla, Gümüşsuyu Barracks, and Taksim Barracks were built. The campus of Istanbul University in Beyazıt was built by Abdülaziz as the Ministry of War.
He Rebuilt the Navy
Taking the superiority of England and France at sea as an example, Abdülaziz spent more than the state’s financial means to renew the Ottoman navy. He reorganized the shipyards and focused on the production of ships with domestic resources. He also imported armored ships that could not be built with domestic resources. Thus, with the special efforts of Abdülaziz, the Turkish naval force became the third largest naval force of its time, with 20 armored ships, 4 galleons, 5 frigates, 7 corvettes and 43 transport ships. The Englishman Hubart Pasha was assigned to the Naval School to train naval officers. The Naval Ministry was established.
Transportation Infrastructure Improved
When Abdülaziz became the ruler, the total railway network of the Ottoman Empire was 452 kilometers. The railway network, the majority of which was in Thrace and the Balkans, reached 1344 kilometers during his reign. The 2000-kilometer railway concession connecting Istanbul to Paris was granted to Austria. Although the fact that this line would pass through the gardens of Topkapı Palace caused various objections, Abdülaziz showed the importance he gave to the issue by saying, “Let the railway pass through and pass over my back if he wants!” The section of the Istanbul-Paris railway line up to Sofia was put into operation in 1874. On the other hand, railway construction was also started by the state as much as the budget allowed.
Within this framework, the 99-kilometer Haydarpaşa-İzmit railway line was opened in 1873. With the construction of foreigners in Anatolia, the length of the railway increased to 329 kilometers during this period. The Galata Tunnel, which was tendered to a foreign company, was put into operation in 1874. In the same year, a Hungarian expert was commissioned to establish a fire department in Istanbul. During this period, when the emphasis was on renewing the existing highway network, foreigners did not show much interest in highway construction. For this reason, new roads were opened in Nis, Bosnia and Vidin in 1863 with local resources. Similarly, new roads were built in Anatolia – Amasya, Samsun and Kastamonu – in an unplanned manner with limited resources.
Communication Network Established
The establishment of telegraph lines, which began during the reign of Abdülmecid, who attached great importance to innovation like his father, reached 76 centers in 1864. By the end of Abdülaziz’s reign, the entire empire, including the districts, was connected by a telegraph network. In the meantime, passenger and cargo transportation operations were started on the Danube and Tigris rivers. Again during this period, the construction of the ports of Istanbul, Constanta, Varna and the Izmir Dock were tendered to foreign companies. A “navigation administration” called the Administration was established, and a privilege was granted to Şirket-i Hayriyye to operate ships on the Bosphorus.
Importance Given to Education
In 1862, Mekteb-i Mahrec-i Aklâm, which could be attended by those who completed the secondary school to train clerks for government offices, was established; this school continued education until 1874. A language school was opened in 1864. İnas Rüştiyesi, which was established in 1858, began operating in 1861. From 1867 onwards, Christian children were also accepted to the secondary schools on the condition that they pass the Turkish exam. As a result of a note given by France in 1867 and their constant insistence, Mekteb-i Sultani (Galatasaray High School), which provided education entirely according to the French education system, was opened in 1868. In this school, Muslim and non-Muslim children would study together, education would be in French and the administration would be in the hands of the French.
Due to the multi-headedness in the education system, the educational organization was reorganized by publishing the Maarif-i Umumiyye Nizamnamesi in 1869. In this period when national education services were accepted as a state duty, a Meclis-i Kebir-i Maarif was established under the presidency of the Minister of Education in order to establish and run various educational levels outside of the religious education madrasahs. In 1870, regulations were prepared for the implementation of this regulation in all provinces. The copyright and translation regulations were published in the same year. In 1870, the first girls’ teacher training school was opened under the name of Darülmuallimat.
The darülfünun, which was recommended to be opened in the French note of 1867, which led to the opening of Galatasaray High School, was included in the Maarif-i Umumiyye Regulation published in 1869. After long-term studies, the first university, Darülfünun-ı Osmani, was officially opened in the newly constructed building in Çemberlitaş (today’s Press Museum) on February 8, 1870. However, it was closed again by Abdülaziz towards the end of 1871. During Cevdet Pasha’s term as Minister of Education, the school started operating again in the Mekteb-i Sultani (Galatasaray High School) building in 1874.
Vocational Schools Opened for the Orphans and the Helpless
While Mithat Pasha was the governor of Nis, he established the first art school, called “islahhane”, in 1860, where orphans and orphans were admitted. In 1864, vocational schools were opened in Sofia and Rusçuk. In the same year, an industrial exhibition was opened by the Ministry of Education in Istanbul. On this occasion, an Industrial Reform Commission was also established. In the Ottoman Empire, which was under the invasion of European goods, an industrial school was opened in Sultanahmet in order to train qualified personnel who could carry out domestic production. Various professions were taught here. In 1869, a girls’ industrial school was opened, and the following year, a civilian captain’s school was opened in the Naval Academy on Heybeliada.
Darüşşafaka was established
The Islamic Society of Education, founded in 1865 by Yusuf Ziya Pasha, Gazi Ahmet Muhtar Pasha and Tevfik Pasha and giving free lessons to apprentices of the Grand Bazaar tradesmen, was very popular and the members of the society decided to establish Darüşşafaka to educate only orphaned Muslim children. The construction of Darüşşafaka was started with 35 thousand gold coins given by the leading figures of the state, especially Abdulaziz, the governor of Egypt and some organizations. This school, which continues its educational activities today, thus started high school education in 1873.
The First Museum Opened
The Byzantine inscriptions that Abdülmecit saw during his Yalova trip were collected in the Hagia Irene Church, which had previously been used as a wine depot, in 1846 with the initiative of Ahmet Fethi Pasha. In 1869, it was developed under the name Müze-i Hümayun (Imperial Museum). During the same period, research on ancient artifacts in Ottoman lands was subject to the permission of the Ministry of Education. It was made mandatory that one-third of the objects to be unearthed from the excavations be handed over to the state. In 1866, the first civilian medical school was opened under the name Mekteb-i Tıbbiyye-i Şahane and began education in a separate classroom in the Military Medical School building. A year later, a pharmacy school was opened.
The Administrative Organization of the State Was Reorganized
During the reign of Sultan Abdul Aziz, important steps were taken in the administrative and legal fields. The administrative organization law, most of whose articles were taken from the French system, was first implemented in the Tuna province by Mithat Pasha. The deficiencies were corrected and the first provincial law was issued in 1864. The provincial organization applied in the Ottomans until this date was abandoned and the provincial system was adopted. In 1868, the Meclis-i Vala-yı Ahkam-ı Adliyye was divided into two as the Council of State (Şûra-yı Devlet) and the Divan-ı Ahkam-ı Adliyye (Court of Cassation). Thus, administrative and judicial affairs within this assembly were completely separated from each other. In the meantime, some of the sultan’s powers were also restricted.
This was an important step towards constitutional monarchy in the Ottoman Empire. The Council of State was also responsible for the preparation of the budget in addition to its legislative authority. The Assembly was opened on May 10, 1868, with a speech by Abdülaziz. In his speech, Abdulaziz stated that he wanted those who had a say, regardless of their nationality, to participate in this assembly and assist the state administrators, and said that the new organization was based on the principle of separating the executive power from the judicial power. The Divan-ı Ahkam-ı Adliyye had the characteristics of a high court. It consisted of Muslim and non-Muslim members and was divided into two parts in terms of organization.
The first of these was the Court of Cassation, which was responsible for appealing the decisions of the nizamiye courts established outside the sharia courts, and the other was the Court of Appeal. The decisions of the Divan-ı Ahkam-ı Adliyye could not be interfered with in any way, and its members could not be changed without a court decision. In this way, the independence of the judicial power against the executive power was strengthened.
Civil Code Prepared
At that time, when preparations were being made for the transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy, upon the commencement of translation work for the French Civil Code, the Mecelle Society was established with the proposal of Cevdet Pasha in order to prepare an original civil law by taking the books of fiqh as a source. This society prepared Mecelle-i Ahkam-ı Adliye, which would serve as a civil law, at the end of its 10-year work. The civil law called Mecelle was an effort to create a legal text suitable for contemporary needs of Islamic jurisprudence with the aim of creating an analytical and positive legal system in its time.
Foreigners Granted the Right to Own Property
An important step was taken during the reign of Sultan Abdul Aziz regarding the issue of foreigners owning property, which is still a subject of much debate today, and foreigners were granted the right to own property. This issue, which was touched upon in the Reform Edict of 1856, was resolved with a five-article law on June 10, 1868, after long-term pressure from Western states. Accordingly, foreigners gained the right to own property in the Ottoman Empire, except for the Hejaz Region. In the same context, a law issued in 1873 permitted the sale of foundation properties to foreigners. The first studies on banking services also began during the reign of Abdülaziz.
As a result of the studies initiated by Mithat Pasha in Nis in 1863 to organize agricultural credits and support farmers, the “homeland funds” were established in 1867 and the Security Fund in 1868. In addition, a joint French and British group was allowed to establish a bank under the name of the Ottoman Bank in 1863. This bank also undertook the printing of paper and iron money later used in the Ottoman Empire. Until 1930, the Ottoman Bank performed the function of the Central Bank in Turkey.
The New Ottomans Movement Has Begun
The renovation efforts carried out by Sultan Abdul Aziz were met with backlash from some Turkish intellectuals. Following criticisms made through the press by intellectuals such as Ziya Pasha, Namık Kemal and Ali Süavi, the first censorship regulation, the Decree-i Ali, was published on March 5, 1867. These intellectuals, who would later be called the New Ottomans, were forced to continue their activities from Europe. In the meantime, important works that still retain their value today, especially the Çırağan Palace and the Beylerbeyi Palace, were built during Abdülaziz’s reign. In addition to these, the Kağıthane Mansion was repaired and the Çekmece and İzmit hunting lodges were also built during this period. The Valide Mosque in Aksaray, commissioned by Abdülaziz’s mother, Pertevniyal Valide Sultan, was completed in 1871. The Cami-i Kebir in Kasımpaşa was also commissioned by Abdülaziz.
The State Has Been Dragged Into Debt
In the early years of his reign, Sultan Abdul Aziz, who made savings in state expenses in order to reduce the debts he inherited from his elder brother Abdülmecid, the debts reached 200 million gold coins during his time. The amount the state paid annually in debt and interest was 14 million gold coins. At that time, the Ottoman Empire paid its debts with debt. In cases where it was not possible to borrow from abroad, loans were taken from Galata money changers at high interest rates. This policy that was followed eventually brought the state to the brink of bankruptcy. In 1875, there was a deficit of 5 million gold coins and there was no longer any possibility of domestic or foreign borrowing. Following the advice of the Russian Ambassador General Ignatiyev, Grand Vizier Mahmut Nedim Pasha resorted to a measure that drew the wrath of all Europe on the Ottoman Empire.
In a decision dated October 6, 1875, it was announced that half of the 14 million liras the state paid annually in debt installments and interest would be cut for five years, and in return, “esham” with a five percent interest would be given. This was shown as the equivalent of customs, salt, tobacco revenues and Egyptian taxes. The government would cover the budget deficit with 5 million of this 7 million, and cover the military campaign expenses in Rumelia with 2 million. The decision had a great impact both at home and abroad. In Europe, those who held Ottoman bonds began to demonstrate in front of Turkish embassies. Harsh articles against the Turks appeared in European newspapers. This situation not only lowered the reputation of the state but also made the British and French people hostile to the Ottomans. This was essentially the aim of the Russian ambassador. This situation led to an increase in support for separatist movements.
Dethroned by a Coup
The state’s sinking into debt also caused unrest within the country. Suitable grounds had been created for the pashas who were disturbed by the administration of Abdülaziz. On May 10, 1876, students studying at the Fatih, Bayezid and Süleymaniye madrasahs boycotted classes and began demonstrations. Mithat and Hüseyin Avni pashas also covertly supported these demonstrations. It is recorded in historical records that Mithat Pasha sent money to be distributed to the students. These demonstrations were also supported by the madrasah teachers. The demonstrators came to the front of the Yıldız Palace and demanded the dismissal of the Şeyhülislam and Grand Vizier Mahmut Nedim Pasha.
On Friday, May 12, Sultan Abdul Aziz announced that he had appointed Mütercim Rüştü Pasha as the Grand Vizier, Hasan Hayrullah Efendi as the Şeyhülislam, and Hüseyin Avni Pasha as the Serasker, and that Mithat Pasha had been assigned as a member of the Council of Ministers. Thus, the student movements came to an end. After the team of translator Rüştü, Mithat and Hüseyin Avni Pashas and Hasan Hayrullah Efendi came to power, they started planning the second phase of their plan, namely the dethronement of Abdulaziz. In order to show that this work was legal, a fatwa had to be obtained. They invited the Fatwa Emini Kara Halil Efendi to Mithat Pasha’s mansion through the Sheikh-ul-Islam. Mithat Pasha asked him, “The Sultan destroyed the property and the people and wasted the Muslim treasury. He is being considered to be dethroned in order to improve the people’s situation.
Is this permissible according to the Sharia?” Kara Halil Efendi said, “I will give a fatwa as big as a sheet for this auspicious work.” Thereupon, Hüseyin Avni Pasha surrounded Dolmabahçe Palace with soldiers and took the crown prince Murat Efendi to the Serasker Gate, which is currently used as the Beyazıt campus of Istanbul University, where they swore allegiance to Murat and decided to depose Abdülaziz, who was unaware of what was happening. Due to some unexpected events, the implementation of the decision to dethrone Abdülaziz was brought forward a day. On May 31, Abdülaziz was first brought from Dolmabahçe Palace to Topkapı Palace. He was upset when he saw that Selim III’s apartment had been allocated to him. “They want to end me here like my uncle Sultan Selim!” he said. Moreover, there was no place to sit in the apartment. Abdülaziz was very hurt that he and his children were left soaked from the rain at the time. He wrote a letter to the crown prince Murat, who had replaced him shortly after, and was transferred to Feriye Palace a day later, on June 1, 1876. However, three days after he was transferred here, he was found in his room with his wrists cut.
The first to arrive at the scene was Serasker Hüseyin Avni Pasha, who was responsible for the events. On his orders, Abdülaziz’s body was carried to the coffee house of the Feriye Police Station, laid on a straw bed and covered with a curtain. It was decided that a committee of 19 doctors, including the embassy doctors, would perform an autopsy on Abdülaziz. However, Hüseyin Avni Pasha prevented a detailed autopsy.After the superficially prepared autopsy report, Abdülaziz’s body was transported to Topkapı Palace, washed there and buried in the Tomb of Mahmud II. His death was reported as a suicide in the newspaper “Ceride-i Havadis” dated 6 June 1876.
There Were Two Different Abdulazizs
Sultan Abdul Aziz, who did not learn French, the most popular language of the period, tried to renew the state in accordance with the requirements of the age, but kept his distance from European culture. Abdülaziz, who was interested in calligraphy, knew Turkish music very well and took his place as a composer among the Ottoman sultans, after becoming sultan, abolished the palace orchestras and bands established by Abdülmecid and replaced them with a Turkish music instrument group. However, the 1.5-month trip he made to Europe in 1867 caused a great change in him. Captivated by the attraction of the prosperity in Europe, he tended to superficially copy the industry, technology and culture that created that prosperity. For this reason, on the one hand, he had palaces and mansions built that would compete with their examples in Europe.
On the other hand, he abolished the Turkish music instrument group in the palace and established an orchestra and a band group and increased the number of army bands. Parallel to the general tendency in Europe, Abdülaziz also believed in constitutional government. However, he argued that he should be free and independent in his decisions. He pointed to Babıali as the address for solving social and political problems. While he signed innovations at the level of imitation to reach European living standards, his considering Westernization as atheism was Abdülaziz’s greatest contradiction. Discussions about his suicide or being killed still remain a mystery today. These discussions began immediately after his burial. For this reason, after Abdülaziz was dethroned, those who were on close guard duty and those who were assigned to his service were identified and questioned one by one. As a result, when it was concluded that Abdülaziz’s death was not a suicide but a murder, Abdülhamid II was forced to file a lawsuit as the “victim of the deceased.” The sultan referred the decision of what should be done legally and religiously regarding Sultan Murat, who had given the order to kill, to a committee composed of Şeyhülislam Uryanizade Ahmet Esat, Minister of the Interior Mahmut Nedim, Tunislu Hayrettin Pashas and Mahmut Celâlettin Pasha.
The committee decided on April 16, 1881 that Sultan Murat would be arrested immediately and tried by an extraordinary court. The court, which went down in history as the Yıldız Court and was established on June 27, 1881 in Yıldız Palace, began its work in a tent. The President of the Court of Appeal, Ali Süruri, was appointed as the president, Hristo Forides Efendi as the vice president, and Latif Bey as the prosecutor. The trial continued in six sessions over three days and ended without prejudice to the defendants’ rights to appeal. According to the decision, Pehlivan Mustafa, Hacı Mehmet and Cezayirli Mustafa, as well as Chamberlain Fahri Bey, were sentenced for participating in the premeditated murder; Mithat Pasha, Mahmut Pasha, Nuri Pasha, Major Necip and Major Namık, Pashazade Ali Bey were also considered as accomplices and were sentenced to death, while the others were sentenced to various punishments. Regarding the execution of the decision, Abdulhamid II held a meeting at the Yıldız Palace on July 20, 1881,He convened an extraordinary council of 25 people, consisting of retired and current statesmen and soldiers.
Fifteen people wanted the death sentence to be confirmed, and ten people wanted the sentence to be commuted. Although the majority of the participants wanted the death sentences to be carried out, Abdulhamid II commuted the death sentences to life imprisonment. It was decided that the prisoners would serve their sentences in Taif.
Final Words
Sultan Abdul Aziz’s reign was a period of significant transformation and resilience. His efforts to modernize the Ottoman Empire, despite numerous challenges, underscore his commitment to progress and reform. The initiatives he introduced not only addressed immediate issues but also laid the groundwork for future advancements. Abdul Aziz’s legacy is a testament to his vision and determination, making him a pivotal figure in Ottoman history.
Reflecting on the extra history of Sultan Abdul Aziz, it becomes evident that his contributions were instrumental in shaping the Ottoman Empire’s path. His reign, marked by both achievements and difficulties, highlights his dedication to strengthening the empire. By understanding the nuances of his leadership, we gain a deeper appreciation for the complexities of Ottoman governance and the enduring impact of Abdul Aziz’s efforts. This article honors his legacy, celebrating his role in the empire’s rich history.
Source: The Most Powerful Dynasty of History, from Ertuğrul Bey to Sultan Vahdettin, The Ottomans, Masters of Three Continents, Hasan Yılmaz, Elips Kitap, 1st Edition May 2015, Ankara.