The Ottoman dynasty ( tr, Osmanlı Hanedanı) consisted of the members of the imperial House of Osman ( ota, خاندان آل عثمان, Ḫānedān-ı Āl-i ʿOsmān), also known as the Ottomans ( tr, Osmanlılar). According to Ottoman tradition, the family originated from the

Kayı tribe Kayı can refer to: * Kayı (tribe) The Kayı or Kayi tribe (Middle Turkic: قَيِغْ ''qayïγ'' or simply ''qayig''; tr, Kayı boyu, tk, Gaýy taýpasy) were an Oghuz Turkic people and a sub-branch of the Bozok tribal federation. In hi ...

branch of the

Oghuz Turks The Oghuz or Ghuzz Turks (Middle Turkic languages, Middle Turkic: ٱغُز, ''Oγuz'', ota, اوغوز, Oġuz) were a western Turkic people that spoke the Oghuz languages, Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages, Turkic language family. In th ...

, under

Osman I Osman I or Osman Ghazi ( ota, عثمان غازى, translit= ʿOsmān Ġāzī; tr, I. Osman or ''Osman Gazi''; died 1323/4), sometimes transliterated archaically as Othman, was the founder of the Ottoman Empire (first known as the Ottoman Bey ...

in northwestern

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

in the district of

Bilecik Bilecik is the provincial capital of Turkey's Bilecik Province which is located in northwestern Anatolia. As of 2015 urban population of the city is 64,531. The mayor is Semih Şahin ( CHP). The town is famous for its numerous restored Turki ...

Söğüt Söğüt (, ; Greek: Θηβάσιον or Θηβάσιο, ''Thêbásion'') is a town and district in Bilecik Province, Turkey. It is in the Marmara region in the north-west of the country, with an area of , bordering Bilecik to the west, Gölpaz ...

. The Ottoman dynasty, named after Osman I, ruled the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

from c. 1299 to 1922. During much of the Empire's history, the sultan was the absolute regent, head of state, and head of government, though much of the power often shifted to other officials such as the

Grand Vizier Grand vizier ( fa, وزيرِ اعظم, vazîr-i aʾzam; ota, صدر اعظم, sadr-ı aʾzam; tr, sadrazam) was the title of the effective head of government of many sovereign states in the Islamic world. The office of Grand Vizier was first ...

. During the

First First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

(1876–78) and

Second Constitutional Era The Second Constitutional Era ( ota, ایكنجی مشروطیت دورى; tr, İkinci Meşrutiyet Devri) was the period of restored parliamentary rule in the Ottoman Empire between the 1908 Young Turk Revolution and the 1920 dissolution of the G ...

s (1908–20) of the late Empire, a shift to a constitutional monarchy was enacted, with the Grand Vizier taking on a prime ministerial role as head of government and heading an elected

General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...

. The imperial family was deposed from power and the sultanate was abolished on 1 November 1922 during the

Turkish War of Independence The Turkish War of Independence "War of Liberation", also known figuratively as ''İstiklâl Harbi'' "Independence War" or ''Millî Mücadele'' "National Struggle" (19 May 1919 – 24 July 1923) was a series of military campaigns waged by th ...

. The

Republic of Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

was declared the following year. The living members of the dynasty were initially sent into exile as ''

personae non-gratae In diplomacy, a ' (Latin: "person not welcome", plural: ') is a status applied by a host country to foreign diplomats to remove their protection of diplomatic immunity from arrest and other types of prosecution. Diplomacy Under Article 9 of the ...

'', though some have been allowed to return and live as private citizens in Turkey. In its current form, the family is known as the

Osmanoğlu family The Osmanoğlu family are the members of the historical Ottoman dynasty, House of Osman (the Ottoman dynasty), which was the namesake and sole ruling house of the Ottoman Empire from 1299 until the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 192 ...

History

The Ottoman dynasty operated under several basic premises: that the Sultan governed the empire's entire territory, that every male member of the dynastic family was hypothetically eligible to become Sultan, and that only one person at a time could be the Sultan. Such rules were fairly standard for monarchic empires of the time. The certain processes through which men rose to the Sultanate, however, were very specific to the Ottoman Empire. To go into greater detail about these processes, the history of succession between Sultans can be divided into two eras: the period between the reign of

Orhan Orhan Ghazi ( ota, اورخان غازی; tr, Orhan Gazi, also spelled Orkhan, 1281 – March 1362) was the second bey of the Ottoman Beylik from 1323/4 to 1362. He was born in Söğüt, as the son of Osman I. In the early stages of his re ...

(1323–1362), the first person to inherit the Ottoman sultanate, and the reign of

Ahmed I Ahmed I ( ota, احمد اول '; tr, I. Ahmed; 18 April 1590 – 22 November 1617) was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1603 until his death in 1617. Ahmed's reign is noteworthy for marking the first breach in the Ottoman tradition of royal f ...

(1603–1617); and the period following Ahmed I's reign. Sultans of the Ottoman Dynasty

The succession process during the first period was dominated by violence and intra-familial conflict, in which the various sons of the deceased Sultan fought until only one remained alive and, thus, inherited the throne. This tradition was known as fratricide in the Ottoman Empire but may have evolved from

tanistry Tanistry is a Gaelic system for passing on titles and lands. In this system the Tanist ( ga, Tánaiste; gd, Tànaiste; gv, Tanishtey) is the office of heir-apparent, or second-in-command, among the (royal) Gaelic patrilineal dynasties of Ir ...

, a similar succession procedure that existed in many Turco-Mongolian dynasties predating the Ottomans. Sons of the Sultan were often given provincial territories to govern until the Sultan's death, at which point they would each vie for the throne. Each son had to, according to historian H. Erdem Cipa, "demonstrate that his fortune was superior to the fortunes of his rivals", a demonstration that often took the form of military accomplishment and ruthlessness. This violence was not considered particularly unexpected or unusual. As Cipa has noted, the Ottoman words for "successor" and "conflict" share the same Arabic root, and indeed, all but one of the successions in this roughly 200-year period involved a resolution by combat. Over time, the combat became increasingly prevalent and recognized, especially after a

Jannissary A Janissary ( ota, یڭیچری, yeŋiçeri, , ) was a member of the elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman Sultan's household troops and the first modern standing army in Europe. The corps was most likely established under sultan Orha ...

uprising negated

Murad II Murad II ( ota, مراد ثانى, Murād-ı sānī, tr, II. Murad, 16 June 1404 – 3 February 1451) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1421 to 1444 and again from 1446 to 1451. Murad II's reign was a period of important economic deve ...

's attempt to abdicate the throne peacefully to his son,

Mehmed II Mehmed II ( ota, محمد ثانى, translit=Meḥmed-i s̱ānī; tr, II. Mehmed, ; 30 March 14323 May 1481), commonly known as Mehmed the Conqueror ( ota, ابو الفتح, Ebū'l-fetḥ, lit=the Father of Conquest, links=no; tr, Fâtih Su ...

, in 1444. During the eventual reign of Mehmed II (1451–1481), fratricide was legalized as an official practice; during the reign of

Bayezid II Bayezid II ( ota, بايزيد ثانى, Bāyezīd-i s̱ānī, 3 December 1447 – 26 May 1512, Turkish: ''II. Bayezid'') was the eldest son and successor of Mehmed II, ruling as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1481 to 1512. During his reign, ...

(1481–1512), fratricide between Bayezid II's sons occurred before Bayezid II himself died; and after the reign of

Murad III Murad III ( ota, مراد ثالث, Murād-i sālis; tr, III. Murad; 4 July 1546 – 16 January 1595) was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1574 until his death in 1595. His rule saw battles with the Habsburgs and exhausting wars with the Saf ...

(1574–1595), his successor

Mehmed III Mehmed III (, ''Meḥmed-i sālis''; tr, III. Mehmed; 26 May 1566 – 22 December 1603) was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1595 until his death in 1603. Mehmed was known for ordering the execution of his brothers and leading the army in the L ...

executed 19 brothers to claim the throne. During the second period, the tradition of fratricide was replaced by a simpler and less violent procedure. Starting with the succession from Ahmed I to

Mustafa I Mustafa I (; ‎; 1600, Constantinople – 20 January 1639, Constantinople), called Mustafa the Saint (Veli Mustafa) during his second reign, and often called Mustafa the Mad (Deli Mustafa) by historians, was the son of Sultan Mehmed III and H ...

in 1617, the Ottoman throne was inherited by the eldest male blood relative – not necessarily the son – of the Sultan, regardless of how many eligible family members were alive.Tezcan. The Second Ottoman Empire. Page 47. The change in succession procedure was likely instigated by numerous factors, including fratricide’s decline in popularity among Ottoman elites and Ahmed I’s decision not to kill Mustafa when inheriting the throne from Mehmed III in 1603. With the door open for a policy change, a political debate arose between those who supported unrestricted Sultanic privilege and those who supported a stronger, centralized law system that would supersede even the Sultan’s power to an extent. Historian Baki Tezcan has argued that the latter faction – with the help of the influential '' şeyhülislam''

Hocazade Esad Efendi Hocazade Esad Efendi ( ota, خواجه زادہ اسد افندی; 14 June 1570 – 22 May 1625) was a Şeyhülislam (Minister of Islamic Issues) of the Ottoman Empire from 1615 to 1622, and again in 1623 until his death in 1625. Early life Hoc ...

– was able to prevail in this instance. The bloodless succession from Ahmed I to Mustafa I in 1617 "provided a reference for the eventual stabilization of the rule of Ottoman succession, the very regulation of which by an outside force was in effect a constitutional check on the dynastic prerogative," Tezcan has written. The precedent set in 1617 stuck, as the eldest living family member successfully inherited the throne in each of the following 21 successions, with relatively few instances of a son inheriting the throne.

Succession practices

From the fourteenth through the late sixteenth centuries, the Ottomans practiced open succession – something historian

Donald Quataert Donald George Quataert (September 10, 1941 – February 10, 2011) was a historian at Binghamton University. He taught courses on Middle East/Ottoman history, with an interest in labor, social and economics, during the early and modern periods. H ...

has described as "

survival of the fittest "Survival of the fittest" is a phrase that originated from Darwinian evolutionary theory as a way of describing the mechanism of natural selection. The biological concept of fitness is defined as reproductive success. In Darwinian terms, th ...

, not

eldest ''Eldest'' is the second novel in the ''Inheritance Cycle'' by Christopher Paolini and the sequel to ''Eragon''. It was first published in hardcover on August 23, 2005, and was released in paperback in September 2006. ''Eldest'' has been released ...

, son." During their father's lifetime, all adult sons of the reigning

's sultan were given provincial governorships in order to gain experience in administration (a practice commonly found in Central Asian tradition), accompanied and mentored by their retinues and tutors. Upon the death of their father, the reigning sultan, these sons would fight amongst themselves for the succession until one emerged triumphant. The first son to reach the capital and seize control of the court would usually become the new ruler. The proximity of a Şehzade (=Prince) to

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...

improved his chances of success, simply because he could hear of his father's death, seize control of the Ottoman court in the capital, and declare himself Sultan first. A Sultan could thus hint at his preferred successor by giving a favourite son a closer governorship.

, for instance, had to fight his brother

Cem Sultan Cem Sultan (also spelled Djem or Jem) or Sultan Cem or Şehzade Cem (December 22, 1459 – February 25, 1495, ; ota, جم سلطان, Cem sulṭān; tr, Cem Sultan; french: Zizim), was a claimant to the Ottoman throne in the 15th century. Ce ...

in the 1480s for the right to rule. Occasionally, the half-brothers would begin the struggle even before the death of their father. Under

Suleiman the Magnificent Suleiman I ( ota, سليمان اول, Süleyman-ı Evvel; tr, I. Süleyman; 6 November 14946 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent in the West and Suleiman the Lawgiver ( ota, قانونى سلطان سليمان, Ḳ� ...

(1520–1566), strife between his sons

Şehzade Mustafa Şehzade Mustafa (Ottoman Turkish: شهزاده مصطفى; 6 August 1515 – 6 October 1553) was an Ottoman prince and the son of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and his consort Mahidevran Sultan. He was the prince-governor of Manisa from 1532 ...

and Şehzade Selim (later

Selim II Selim II ( Ottoman Turkish: سليم ثانى ''Selīm-i sānī'', tr, II. Selim; 28 May 1524 – 15 December 1574), also known as Selim the Blond ( tr, Sarı Selim) or Selim the Drunk ( tr, Sarhoş Selim), was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire ...

) caused such internal turmoil that Suleiman ordered the deaths of both Şehzade Mustafa and another son,

Şehzade Bayezid Şehzade Bayezid ( ota, شهزاده بايزيد; 1525 – 25 September 1561) was an Ottoman prince as the son of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and Hurrem Sultan. After the execution of Şehzade Mustafa (who had been the heir apparent to the ...

, leaving Şehzade Selim the sole heir. During the reigns of Suleiman I and

, the '' Haseki Sultan'' (Ottoman Turkish: خاصکى سلطان) or chief consort rose to greater prominence. Gaining power within the

Imperial Harem The Imperial Harem ( ota, حرم همايون, ) of the Ottoman Empire was the Ottoman sultan's harem – composed of the wives, servants (both female slaves and eunuchs), female relatives and the sultan's concubines – occupying a secluded po ...

, the

favourite A favourite (British English) or favorite (American English) was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In post-classical and early-modern Europe, among other times and places, the term was used of individuals delegated si ...

was able to manoeuvre to ensure the succession for one of her sons. This led to a short period of effective

primogeniture Primogeniture ( ) is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...

. However, unlike in the earlier period, when the sultan had already defeated his brothers and potential rivals for the throne in battle, these sultans had the problem of many half-brothers who could act as the focus for rival factions. Thus, to prevent attempts at seizing the throne, reigning sultans practiced

fratricide Fratricide (, from the Latin words ' "brother" and the assimilated root of ' "to kill, to cut down") is the act of killing one's own brother. It can either be done directly or via the use of either a hired or an indoctrinated intermediary (a ...

upon accession, starting with

Murad I Murad I ( ota, مراد اول; tr, I. Murad, Murad-ı Hüdavendigâr (nicknamed ''Hüdavendigâr'', from fa, خداوندگار, translit=Khodāvandgār, lit=the devotee of God – meaning "sovereign" in this context); 29 June 1326 – 15 Jun ...

in 1362. Both

and his son

had their half-brothers murdered. The killing of all the new sultan's brothers and half-brothers (who were usually quite numerous) was traditionally done by manual strangling with a

silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the coc ...

cord. As the centuries passed, the ritual killing was gradually replaced by lifetime solitary confinement in the "Golden Cage" or ''

kafes The Kafes ( ota, قفس, kafes, from ), literally "cage", was the part of the Imperial Harem of the Ottoman Palace where possible successors to the throne were kept under a form of house-arrest and constant surveillance by the palace guards. Th ...

'', a room in the harem from where the sultan's brothers could never escape, unless perchance they became heir presumptive. Some had already become mentally unstable by the time they were asked to reign. Mehmed III was the last sultan to have previously held a provincial governorship. Sons now remained within the harem until the death of their father. This not only denied them the ability to form powerful factions capable of usurping their father but also denied them the opportunity to have children while their father remained alive. Thus, when Mehmet's son came to the throne as

, he had no children of his own. Moreover, as a minor, there was no evidence he could have children. This had the potential to create a crisis of succession and led to a gradual end to fratricide. Ahmed had some of his brothers killed, but not Mustafa (later

). Similarly,

Osman II Osman II ( ota, عثمان ثانى ''‘Osmān-i sānī''; tr, II. Osman; 3 November 1604 – 20 May 1622), also known as Osman the Young ( tr, Genç Osman), was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 26 February 1618 until his regicide on 20 May 162 ...

allowed his half-brothers

Murad IV Murad IV ( ota, مراد رابع, ''Murād-ı Rābiʿ''; tr, IV. Murad, was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1623 to 1640, known both for restoring the authority of the state and for the brutality of his methods. Murad IV was born in Cons ...

and

Ibrahim Ibrahim ( ar, إبراهيم, links=no ') is the Arabic name for Abraham, a Biblical patriarch and prophet in Islam. For the Islamic view of Ibrahim, see Abraham in Islam. Ibrahim may also refer to: * Ibrahim (name), a name (and list of people ...

to live. This led to a shift in the 17th century from a system of primogeniture to one based on

agnatic seniority Agnatic seniority is a patrilineal principle of inheritance where the order of succession to the throne prefers the monarch's younger brother over the monarch's own sons. A monarch's children (the next generation) succeed only after the males o ...

, in which the eldest male within the dynasty succeeded, also to guarantee adult sultans and prevent both fratricides as well as the

sultanate of women The Sultanate of Women ( Turkish: ''Kadınlar saltanatı'') was a period when wives and mothers of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire exerted extraordinary political influence. This phenomenon took place from roughly 1528-30 to 1715, beginning in ...

. Thus, Mustafa succeeded his brother Ahmed; Suleiman II and

Ahmed II Ahmad ( ar, أحمد, ʾAḥmad) is an Arabic male given name common in most parts of the Muslim world. Other spellings of the name include Ahmed and Ahmet. Etymology The word derives from the root (ḥ-m-d), from the Arabic (), from the ve ...

succeeded their brother

Mehmed IV Mehmed IV ( ota, محمد رابع, Meḥmed-i rābi; tr, IV. Mehmed; 2 January 1642 – 6 January 1693) also known as Mehmed the Hunter ( tr, Avcı Mehmed) was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1648 to 1687. He came to the throne at the a ...

before being succeeded in turn by Mehmed's son

Mustafa II Mustafa II (; ota, مصطفى ثانى ''Muṣṭafā-yi sānī''; 6 February 1664 – 29 December 1703) was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1695 to 1703. Early life He was born at Edirne Palace on 6 February 1664. He was the son of Sult ...

. Agnatic seniority explains why from the 17th century onwards a deceased sultan was rarely succeeded by his son, but usually by an uncle or brother. It also meant that potential rulers had to wait a long time in the ''kafes'' before ascending the throne, hence the old age of certain sultans upon their enthronement. Although attempts were made in the 19th century to replace agnatic seniority with

, they were unsuccessful, and seniority was retained until the abolition of the sultanate in 1922. Karateke 2005, p. 37–54

Chronology of sultans

{, class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" border="1" style="width:100%; text-align:center;" !The genealogy of the

Ottoman Sultan The sultans of the Ottoman Empire ( tr, Osmanlı padişahları), who were all members of the Ottoman dynasty (House of Osman), ruled over the transcontinental empire from its perceived inception in 1299 to its dissolution in 1922. At its hei ...

s including their mothers , - , Imperial standard of the Ottoman Sultan

List of heirs since 1922

The Ottoman dynasty was expelled from Turkey in 1924 and most members took on the surname Osmanoğlu, meaning "son of

Osman Osman is the Persian transliteration and derived from the Arabic masculine given name Uthman ( ar, عُثْمان, , link=no ''‘uthmān'') or an English surname. It may refer to: People * Osman (name), people with the name * Osman I (1258–132 ...

." The female members of the dynasty were allowed to return after 1951, and the male members after 1973. Below is a list of people who would have been heirs to the Ottoman throne following the abolition of the sultanate on 1 November 1922. These people have not necessarily made any claim to the throne; for example,

Ertuğrul Osman Şehzade Ertuğrul Osman Efendi ( ota, ارطغرل عثمان), also known as Osman Ertuğrul Osmanoğlu with a Surname Law, surname as required by the Turkish Republic (18 August 1912 – 23 September 2009), was a Shah#Shahzada, Prince of the Ot ...

said "Democracy works well in Turkey." Rukiye Sabiha Sultan wedding

{, class="wikitable" , - ! Name ! Title ! Relationship to predecessor and Sultan ! Head of the House of Osman ! Duration as Head of the House of Osman , - ,

Mehmed VI Mehmed VI Vahideddin ( ota, محمد سادس ''Meḥmed-i sâdis'' or ''Vaḥîdü'd-Dîn''; tr, VI. Mehmed or /; 14 January 1861 – 16 May 1926), also known as Şahbaba () among the Osmanoğlu family, was the 36th and last Sultan of the O ...

, Last Ottoman Sultan and Caliph (1918–1922)
36th Head of the House of Osman (1922–1926) , Son of Sultan

Abdulmejid I Abdulmejid I ( ota, عبد المجيد اول, ʿAbdü'l-Mecîd-i evvel, tr, I. Abdülmecid; 25 April 182325 June 1861) was the 31st Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and succeeded his father Mahmud II on 2 July 1839. His reign was notable for the ...

, grandson of Sultan

Mahmud II Mahmud II ( ota, محمود ثانى, Maḥmûd-u s̠ânî, tr, II. Mahmud; 20 July 1785 – 1 July 1839) was the 30th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. His reign is recognized for the extensive administrative, ...

, younger brother of

Murad V Murad V ( ota, مراد خامس, translit=Murâd-ı ḫâmis; tr, V. Murad; 21 September 1840 – 29 August 1904) was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire who reigned from 30 May to 31 August 1876. The son of Abdulmejid I, he supported the ...

Abdul Hamid II Abdülhamid or Abdul Hamid II ( ota, عبد الحميد ثانی, Abd ül-Hamid-i Sani; tr, II. Abdülhamid; 21 September 1842 10 February 1918) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 31 August 1876 to 27 April 1909, and the last sultan to ...

and

Mehmed V Mehmed V Reşâd ( ota, محمد خامس, Meḥmed-i ḫâmis; tr, V. Mehmed or ; 2 November 1844 – 3 July 1918) reigned as the 35th and penultimate Ottoman Sultan (). He was the son of Sultan Abdulmejid I. He succeeded his half-brother ...

. , 1 November 1922 – 16 May 1926 , , - ,

Abdulmejid II Abdulmejid II ( ota, عبد المجید ثانی, ʿAbdü'l-Mecîd-i sânî, tr, II. Abdülmecid, 29 May 1868 – 23 August 1944) was the last Caliph of the Ottoman Dynasty, the only Caliph of the Republic of Turkey, and nominally the 3 ...

, Last Ottoman Caliph (1922–1924)
37th Head of the House of Osman following Mehmed VI's death (1926–1944) , First cousin of Mehmed VI, son of Sultan

Abdülaziz Abdulaziz ( ota, عبد العزيز, ʿAbdü'l-ʿAzîz; tr, Abdülaziz; 8 February 18304 June 1876) was the 32nd List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and reigned from 25 June 1861 to 30 May 1876, when he was 187 ...

. , 16 May 1926 – 23 August 1944 , , - ,

Ahmed Nihad Ahmad ( ar, أحمد, ʾAḥmad) is an Arabic male given name common in most parts of the Muslim world. Other spellings of the name include Ahmed and Ahmet. Etymology The word derives from the root (ḥ-m-d), from the Arabic (), from the ve ...

, 38th Head of the House of Osman (1944–1954) , First cousin twice removed of

, grandson of Sultan

. , 23 August 1944 – 4 June 1954 , , - ,

Osman Fuad Osman is the Persian transliteration and derived from the Arabic masculine given name Uthman ( ar, عُثْمان, , link=no ''‘uthmān'') or an English surname. It may refer to: People * Osman (name), people with the name * Osman I (1258–13 ...

, 39th Head of the House of Osman (1954–1973) , Younger half-brother of Ahmed Nihad, grandson of Sultan

. , 4 June 1954 – 19 May 1973 , , - ,

Mehmed Abdulaziz Mehmed (modern Turkish: Mehmet) is the most common Bosnian and Turkish form of the Arabic name Muhammad ( ar, محمد) (''Muhammed'' and ''Muhammet'' are also used, though considerably less) and gains its significance from being the name of Muh ...

, 40th Head of the House of Osman (1973–1977) , Second cousin twice removed of Osman Fuad, grandson of Sultan

. , 19 May 1973 – 19 January 1977 , , - , Ali Vâsib , 41st Head of the House of Osman (1977–1983) , Second cousin twice removed of Mehmed Abdulaziz, great-grandson of Sultan

. , 19 January 1977 – 9 December 1983 , , - , Mehmed Orhan , 42nd Head of the House of Osman (1983–1994) , Second cousin once removed of Ali Vâsib, grandson of Sultan

.Pope, Hugh.
Oldest Ottoman to come home at last
, ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' (22 July 1992). , 9 December 1983 – 12 March 1994 , , - ,

, 43rd Head of the House of Osman (1994–2009) , First cousin of Mehmed Orhan, grandson of Sultan

.Bernstein, Fred. �
Ertugrul Osman, Link to Ottoman Dynasty, Dies at 97
��, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' (24 September 2009). , 12 March 1994 – 23 September 2009 , , - ,

Bayezid Osman Bayezid Osman, also known as Osman Bayezid Osmanoğlu with a surname as required by the Republic of Turkey, or known by the Ottoman imperial name as Şehzade (Prince) Bayezid Osman Efendi ( ota, بایزید عثمان; 23 June 1924 – 6 Janua ...

, 44th Head of the House of Osman (2009–2017) , Second cousin of Ertuğrul Osman, great-grandson of Sultan

.'Osmanoğulları'na insanlık şehadet edecek'
", '' Zaman'' (27 September 2009). , 23 September 2009 – 6 January 2017 , , - , Dündar Ali Osman , 45th Head of the House of Osman (2017–2021) , Second cousin once removed of Bayezid Osman, great-grandson of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. , 6 January 2017 – 18 January 2021 , , - ,

Harun Osman Harun Osman Osmanoğlu (born 22 January 1932) is the 46th Head of the House of Osman, which ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1299 until the abolition of the Sultanate in 1922. He is known by the Ottoman imperial name as Şehzade (Prince) Harun Osm ...

, 46th Head of the House of Osman (2021–present) , Younger brother of Dündar Ali Osman, great-grandson of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. , 18 January 2021–present , , -

Family tree, showing relationships among the heads of the Ottoman dynasty

* ''

(1785–1839; 30th Sultan and 23rd Ottoman Caliph: 1808–1839)'' ** ''

(1823–1861; 31st Sultan and 24th Ottoman Caliph: 1839–1861)'' *** ''

(1840–1904; 33rd Sultan and 26th Ottoman Caliph: 1876)'' **** ''

Şehzade Mehmed Selaheddin Şehzade Mehmed Selaheddin ( ota, شہزادہ محمد صلاح الدین; 12 August 1861 – 29 April 1915) was an Ottoman prince, the only son of Sultan Murad V, and his second wife Reftarıdil Kadın. Early life Şehzade Mehmed Selahedd ...

(1861–1915)'' *****''

(1883–1954; 38th Head of the House of Osman: 1944–1954)'' ****** '' Ali Vâsib (1903–1983; 41st Head of the House of Osman: 1977–1983)'' ***** ''

(1895–1973; 39th Head of the House of Osman: 1954–1973)'' *** ''

(1842–1918; 34th Sultan and 27th Ottoman Caliph: 1876–1909)'' ****''

Şehzade Mehmed Selim Şehzade Mehmed Selim ( ota, شہزادہ محمد سلیم; 11 January 1870 – 5 May 1937) was an Ottoman prince, the eldest son of Sultan Abdul Hamid II and his wife Bedrifelek Kadın. Early life Şehzade Mehmed Selim was born on 11 Janua ...

(1870–1937)'' ***** ''

Şehzade Mehmed Abdülkerim Şehzade Mehmed Abdülkerim ( ota, شهزادہ محمد عبدالکریم; 27 June 1906 – 3 August 1935) was an Ottoman prince, the son of Şehzade Mehmed Selim and Nilüfer Hanım. He was the grandson of Abdul Hamid II and Bedrifelek Kadın. ...

(1906–1935)'' ******'' Dündar Ali Osman (1930–2021): 45th Head of the House of Osman: 2017–2021)'' ******

(born 1932): 46th Head of the House of Osman: (2021–present) ****''

Şehzade Mehmed Abdülkadir Şehzade Mehmed Abdülkadir ( ota, شہزادہ محمد عبدالقادر; 16 January 1878 – 16 March 1944) was an Ottoman prince, the son of Sultan Abdul Hamid II and his wife Bidar Kadın. Early life Şehzade Mehmed Abdülkadir was born on ...

(1878–1944)'' *****'' Mehmed Orhan (1909–1994; 42nd Head of the House of Osman: 1983–1994)'' **** ''

Şehzade Mehmed Burhaneddin ''Şehzade'' ( fa, شهزاده) is the Ottoman form of the Persian title '' Shahzadeh'', and refers to the male descendants of an Ottoman sovereign in the male line. This title is equivalent to " prince of the blood imperial" in English. Origi ...

(1885–1949)'' ***** ''

(1912–2009; 43rd Head of the House of Osman: 1994–2009)'' *** ''

(1844–1918; 35th Sultan and 28th Ottoman Caliph: 1909–1918)'' ***''

(1849–1876)'' **** ''

Şehzade Ibrahim Tevfik Şehzade Ibrahim Tevfik Efendi ( ota, شهزادہ ابراهیم توفیق; 6November 1874 – 31 December 1931) was an Ottoman prince, the son of Şehzade Mehmed Burhaneddin, and grandson of Sultan Abdulmejid I. Early life Şehzade Ibrahim Tev ...

(1874–1931)'' ***** ''

(1924–2017; 44th Head of the House of Osman: 2009–2017)'' *** '' Mehmed VI Vahideddin (1861–1926; 36th and last Sultan and 29th Ottoman Caliph: 1918–1922; 36th Head of the House of Osman: 1922–1926)'' ** ''

Abdulaziz Abdulaziz ( ota, عبد العزيز, ʿAbdü'l-ʿAzîz; tr, Abdülaziz; 8 February 18304 June 1876) was the 32nd List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and reigned from 25 June 1861 to 30 May 1876, when he was 187 ...

(1830–1876; 32nd Sultan and 25th Ottoman Caliph: 1861–1876)'' ***''

(1868–1944; 30th and last Ottoman Caliph: 1922–1924; 37th Head of the House of Osman: 1926–1944)'' *** ''

Şehzade Mehmed Seyfeddin Şehzade Mehmed Seyfeddin ( ota, شهزاده محمد سیف الدین; 21 September 1874 – 19 October 1927) was an Ottoman prince, the son of Sultan Abdulaziz and Gevheri Kadın. Early life Şehzade Mehmed Seyfeddin was born on 21 Septembe ...

(1874–1927)'' **** ''

(1901–1977; 40th Head of the House of Osman: 1973–1977)''

Line of succession in November 1922

* ''

(1785–1839; 30th Sultan and 23rd Ottoman Caliph: 1808–1839)'' ** ''

(1823–1861; 31st Sultan and 24th Ottoman Caliph: 1839–1861)'' *** ''

(1840–1904; 33rd Sultan and 26th Ottoman Caliph: 1876)'' **** ''

(1861–1915)'' *****(8) Şehzade

(born 6 July 1883) ******(19) Şehzade Ali Vâsib (born 14 October 1903) *****(14) Şehzade

(born 26 September 1895) *** ''

(1842–1918; 34th Sultan and 27th Ottoman Caliph: 1876–1909)'' ****(2)

(born 11 January 1870) *****(23)

(born 27 June 1906) ****(6)

(born 16 January 1878) *****(25) Şehzade Mehmed Orhan (born 11 July 1909) *****(32) Şehzade Necib Ertuğrul (born 1914 (or 27 March 1915) *****(34) Şehzade Alaeddin Kadir (born 2 January 1917) ****(7)

Şehzade Ahmed Nuri Şehzade Ahmed Nuri ( ota, شہزادہ احمد نوری; 19 December 1878 – 7 August 1944) was an Ottoman prince, the third son of Sultan Abdul Hamid II and his wife Bedrifelek Kadın. Early years Şehzade Ahmed Nuri was born on 19 Decemb ...

(born 12 February 1878) ****(9)

(born 19 December 1885) *****(27) Şehzade Mehmed Fahreddin (born 14 November 1911) *****(28) Şehzade

Efendi (born 18 August 1912) ****(12)

Şehzade Abdurrahim Hayri Şehzade Abdurrahim Hayri ( ota, شهزاده عبدالرحيم خيرى ;14 August 1894 – 1 January 1952) was an Ottoman prince, son of Sultan Abdul Hamid II and Peyveste Hanım. Early life Şehzade Abdurrahim Hayri was born on 14 August 18 ...

(born 15 August 1894) ****(16) Şehzade Ahmed Nureddin (born 22 June 1901) ****(22)

Şehzade Mehmed Abid Şehzade Mehmed Abid ( ota, شهزادہ محمد عابد; 17 September 1905 – 8 December 1973) was an Ottoman prince, the son of Sultan Abdul Hamid II and Saliha Naciye Hanım. Early years Şehzade Mehmed Abid was born on 17 September 1905 ...

(born 17 September 1905) *** '' Mehmed V Reşâd (1844–1918; 35th Sultan and 28th Ottoman Caliph: 1909–1918)'' ****(3)

Şehzade Mehmed Ziyaeddin Şehzade Mehmed Ziyaeddin ( ota, شهزادہ محمد ضیاالدین; 26 August 1873 – 30 January 1938) was an Ottoman prince, eldest son of Sultan Mehmed V and his senior consort Kamures Kadın. Early life Şehzade Mehmed Ziyaeddin was bor ...

(born 26 August 1873) *****(26) Şehzade Mehmed Nazım (born 26 October 1910) *****(30) Şehzade Ömer Fevzi (born 13 November 1912) ****(10)

Şehzade Ömer Hilmi Şehzade Ömer Hilmi ( ota, شہزادہ عمر حلمى; 2 March 1886 – 6 April 1935) was an Ottoman prince, the third son of Sultan Mehmed V, and his consort Mihrengiz Kadın. Early years Şehzade Ömer Hilmi was born in the apartment of the ...

(born 2 March 1888) *****(31) Şehzade Mahmud Namık (born 1913 (or 25 February 1914) ***''

(1849–1876)'' ****(5)

(born 25 September 1874) *****(36) Şehzade Burhaneddin Cem (born 1920) ***''

Şehzade Selim Süleyman Şehzade Selim Süleyman ( ota, شهزاده سلیم سلیمان; 25 July 1860 – 12 July 1909) was an Ottoman prince, the son of Sultan Abdulmejid I, and his wife Serfiraz Hanım. Early life Şehzade Selim Süleyman was born on 25 July ...

(1860–1909)'' ****(13)

Şehzade Mehmed Abdülhalim Şehzade Mehmed Abdülhalim Efendi ( ota, شهزادہ محمد عبدالحلیم; 28 September 1894 – 26 May 1926) was an Ottoman prince, the son of Şehzade Selim Süleyman, and the grandson of Sultan Abdulmejid I. Early life Şehzade Mehmed ...

(born 28 September 1894) ****(20) Şehzade Mehmed Şerafeddin (born 19 May 1904) *** Mehmed VI Vahideddin (born 2 February 1861) ****(29)

Şehzade Mehmed Ertuğrul Şehzade Mehmed Ertuğrul ( ota, شہزادہ محمد ارطغرل; 5 November 1912 – 2 July 1944) was an Ottoman prince, the only son of Sultan Mehmed VI and his wife Müveddet Kadın. Early life Şehzade Mehmed Ertuğrul was born on 5 J ...

(born 10 September 1912) ** ''

(1830–1876; 32nd Sultan and 25th Ottoman Caliph: 1861–1876)'' ***''

Şehzade Yusuf Izzeddin Şehzade Yusuf Izzeddin ( ota, شهزادہ یوسف عزالدین; 29 September 1857 – 1 February 1916) was an Ottoman prince, the eldest son of Sultan Abdulaziz and his first wife Dürrünev Kadın. Early life and education Şehzade Yusuf I ...

(1857–1916)'' ****(24) Şehzade Mehmed Nizameddin (born 18 December 1908) ***(1)

(born 29 May 1868) ****(15)

Şehzade Ömer Faruk Şehzade Ömer Faruk ( ota, شهزادہ عمر فاروق; 27 February 1898 – 28 March 1969) was an Ottoman prince, the son of last caliph of Muslim world Abdulmejid II and Şehsuvar Hanım. He was the imperial son-in-law of Sultan Mehmed VI ...

(born 29 February 1898) ***''

Şehzade Mehmed Şevket Şehzade Mehmed Şevket (; 10 June 1869 – 22 October 1899) was an Ottoman prince, the son of Sultan Abdulaziz and Nesrin Kadın. Early life Şehzade Mehmed Şevket was born on 10 June 1869 in the Dolmabahçe Palace. His father was Abdulaziz, s ...

(1872–1899)'' ****(11) Şehzade Mehmed Cemaleddin (born 1 March 1891) *****(33) Şehzade Mahmud Hüsameddin (born 25 August 1916) *****(35) Şehzade Süleyman Sadeddin (born 20 November 1917) ***(4)

(born 22 September 1874) ****(17) Şehzade

(born 26 September 1901) ****(18) Şehzade Mahmud Şevket (born 30 July 1903) ****(21) Şehzade Ahmed Tevhid (born 2 December 1904)

Notes

References

External links

* * * In English
Official website of the immediate living descendants of the Ottoman dynastyEverything about Ottoman Empire
Everything about the history, culture and civilization of Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire – The Family
In Turkish
Osmanlı Hanedanlığı, Ottoman dynastyOsmanlı SultanlarıTarihvemedeniyet.org
In French * , - , - , - {{Authority control

Line of succession An order of succession or right of succession is the line of individuals necessitated to hold a high office when it becomes vacated such as head of state or an honour such as a title of nobility.Line of succession An order of succession or right of succession is the line of individuals necessitated to hold a high office when it becomes vacated such as head of state or an honour such as a title of nobility.1281 establishments in Europe 1281 establishments in Asia Maturidis