Abdülmecid II or Abdulmejid II (; ; 29 May 1868 – 23 August 1944), commonly known as Abdülmecid Efendi, was the last
Ottoman caliph
The Ottoman Caliphate () was the claim of the heads of the Turkish Ottoman dynasty, rulers of the Ottoman Empire, to be the caliphs of Islam during the late medieval and early modern era.
Ottoman rulers first assumed the style of caliph in t ...
, the only caliph of the
Republic of Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, and head of the
Osmanoğlu family
Osmanoğlu is a family belonging to the historical Ottoman dynasty, which was the ruling house of the Ottoman Empire from 1299 until the abolition of the Ottoman sultanate in 1922, and the Ottoman Caliphate from 1517 until the abolition of th ...
from 1926 to 1944. Unlike previous caliphs, he used the title ''Halîfe-i Müslimîn'' ("Caliph of the Muslims"), instead of '' Emîrü'l-Mü'minîn'' ("Commander of the Faithful").
He was also a relatively famous
artist
An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating the work of art. The most common usage (in both everyday speech and academic discourse) refers to a practitioner in the visual arts o ...
and a Turkish
aesthete
Aestheticism (also known as the aesthetic movement) was an art movement in the late 19th century that valued the appearance of literature, music, fonts and the arts over their functions. According to Aestheticism, art should be produced to b ...
, interested in art, mainly
literature
Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially novels, Play (theatre), plays, and poetry, poems. It includes both print and Electroni ...
,
painting
Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...
, and
music
Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...
, and ways to promote it in the
Republic of Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
Arab world
The Arab world ( '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, comprises a large group of countries, mainly located in West Asia and North Africa. While the majority of people in ...
.
He died in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
in 1944 and was buried as a caliph in
Medina
Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...
.
Biography
Early years
Abdulmejid was born on 30 May 1868, at
Dolmabahçe Palace
Dolmabahçe Palace ( ) is a 19th-century imperial palace located in Istanbul, Turkey, along the European shore of the Bosporus, which served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1887 and from 1909 to 1922.
Histor ...
to Sultan
Abdulaziz
Abdulaziz (; ; 8 February 18304 June 1876) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 25 June 1861 to 30 May 1876, when he was overthrown in a government coup. He was a son of Sultan Mahmud II and succeeded his brother Abdulmejid I in 1861.
Ab ...
Nazime Sultan
Nazime Sultan (; "''clouds''" or "''poetic''"; 25 February 1867 – 9 November 1947) was an Ottoman princess, the daughter of Ottoman Sultan Abdulaziz and Hayranidil Kadın, and the full-sister of Ottoman Caliphate, Ottoman Caliph Abdülmecid II. ...
. He spent his early years at the Feriye Palace complex, before moving to a palace in Çamlıca. He received private education. He was about eight years old when his father died after the 1876 coup d'état, either by suicide or murder. He believed his father died from the latter cause, and took offense from those that believed he killed himself.
He was proud of having joined artillery classes at the age of four. He considered himself, Şerif Ali Haydar Bey, and his brother-in-law Halid Pasha the best horseback riders of Istanbul. Abdulmejid had a robust physique and was one of the strongest of his siblings, he claimed to be able to hold people weighing to 100kg on each arm. He often went hunting with his cousin, Şehzade Mehmed Vahdeddin, in the hills of Çengelköy, and when returning, they would listen to a
fasıl
The ''fasıl'' is a suite in Ottoman classical music. It is similar to the Arabic '' nawba'' and '' waslah''.
A classical ''fasıl'' generally includes movements such as '' taksim'', '' peşrev'', '' kâr'', '' beste'', ''ağır semâ'î'', '' ...
orchestra into the night. Other hobbies of his included wrestling, mounted shooting, swimming, and fencing -his sparring partner was an Austrian officer he happened to know.
From a young age, he showed interest in the arts. His mansion was a kind of salon or academy for Constantinople's artists and musicians. He would compose three or four movement chamber pieces to be played by his wives, '' kalfa''s, and apprentices, and while officially confined to the palaces, he often skirted this restriction as he enjoyed talking with the people. He had an interest in
painting
Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...
as well, and was a himself a painter, and developed realist art in the Ottoman Empire. After the
Young Turk Revolution
The Young Turk Revolution (July 1908; ) was a constitutionalist revolution in the Ottoman Empire. Revolutionaries belonging to the Internal Committee of Union and Progress, an organization of the Young Turks movement, forced Sultan Abdul Hamid II ...
he was free from confinement, and he was a benefactor to the Ottoman Artist's Society. He was also a talented pianist. He was interested in literature and founded the
Pierre Loti
Pierre Loti (; pseudonym of Louis Marie-Julien Viaud ; 14 January 1850 – 10 June 1923) was a French naval officer and novelist, known for his exotic novels and short stories.This article is derived largely from the ''Encyclopædia Britannica Ele ...
Society in 1920 to promote the works of the author and translate them into Turkish.
According to testimonies, he agreed with marriages between cousins within the Ottoman dynasty to reduce tensions within the dynasty.
Crown Prince
On 4 July 1918, his first cousin
Mehmed VI
Mehmed VI Vahideddin ( ''Meḥmed-i sâdis'' or ''Vaḥîdü'd-Dîn''; or /; 14 January 1861 – 16 May 1926), also known as ''Şahbaba'' () among the Osmanoğlu family, was the last sultan of the Ottoman Empire and the penultimate Ottoman Cal ...
became sultan and Abdulmejid was named crown prince.
British intelligence reported him to be a moderate man popular with the people with eloquent French. While his sympathies for the Kemalists were well known, he was also an
Anglophile
An Anglophile is a person who admires or loves England, its people, its culture, its language, and/or its various accents.
In some cases, Anglophilia refers to an individual's appreciation of English history and traditional English cultural ico ...
who had hired an English tutor for his son and had a portrait of
Lord Palmerston
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (20 October 1784 – 18 October 1865), known as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman and politician who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1855 to 1858 and from 1859 to 1865. A m ...
hanging in one of his rooms. Though he sympathized with the Turkish Nationalist Movement, in an interview with ''
The Morning Post
''The Morning Post'' was a conservative daily newspaper published in London from 1772 to 1937, when it was acquired by ''The Daily Telegraph''.
History
The paper was founded by John Bell. According to historian Robert Darnton, ''The Morning ...
'' he requested assistance from the international community lest Unionist dictatorship return to the Ottoman Empire, even though most of the Turkish nationalists were ex-Unionists. He held a deep personal enmity with
Damat Ferid Pasha
" Damat" Mehmed Adil Ferid Pasha ( ; 1853 – 6 October 1923), known simply as Damat Ferid Pasha, was an Ottoman liberal statesman, who held the office of Grand Vizier, the ''de facto'' prime minister of the Ottoman Empire, during two ...
, whose appointments to the Grand Vizierate was greatly affecting his once close relationship with his cousin the Sultan.
British intelligence were suspicious he was going to defect to the nationalists. Mustafa Kemal eventually attempted to recruit Abdulmejid to his cause, inviting him to lead the nationalist movement. Abdulmejid's prestige would increase the legitimacy of the nationalists' cause and decrease the pressure the nationalists faced by royalists. Initially, the crown prince was excited of the possibility to potentially be the face of the nationalist movement. But after consulting trusted friends for a few days, including Ahmed İzzet Pasha, he believed his defection would cause much bloodshed and instability in the Ottoman family.On 7 September 1920, Ottoman police blockaded his residence of
Dolmabahçe Palace
Dolmabahçe Palace ( ) is a 19th-century imperial palace located in Istanbul, Turkey, along the European shore of the Bosporus, which served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1887 and from 1909 to 1922.
Histor ...
, cutting supplies and communication to the outside world. His daughter, six-year-old Princess Dürrüşehvar had whooping cough, but was not allowed medicine or a doctor. Grand Vizier
Damat Ferid Pasha
" Damat" Mehmed Adil Ferid Pasha ( ; 1853 – 6 October 1923), known simply as Damat Ferid Pasha, was an Ottoman liberal statesman, who held the office of Grand Vizier, the ''de facto'' prime minister of the Ottoman Empire, during two ...
claimed the crown prince was going to escape to Anatolia on that day on his yacht, so under British pressure he was forced to cordon off his palace, but no order came from Occupation authorities and the move surprised even the Allied powers. On 23 September, High Commissioner De Robeck permitted Ferid to lift the siege, as they believed Abdulmejid was no longer interested in defecting. The siege continued for another month, only being lifted as a result of British shuttle diplomacy. Abdulmejid sent a scathing letter to his cousin for putting such trust in Ferid Pasha and the British that was destroying the state. The Sultan's and the Crown Princes' once close relationship was effectively over, and mutual resentment would define their relationship from then on.
Caliphate
Once his cousin was deposed on 1 November 1922, the Ottoman Sultanate was abolished. But on 19 November 1922, Abdülmecid was elected
caliph
A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...
Ankara
Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...
. The caliph was nominally the supreme religious and political leader of all Muslims across the world, with the main goal to prevent extremism or protect the religion from corruption. He held his biat ceremony in
Topkapı Palace
The Topkapı Palace (; ), or the Seraglio, is a large museum and library in the east of the Fatih List of districts of Istanbul, district of Istanbul in Turkey. From the 1460s to the completion of Dolmabahçe Palace in 1856, it served as the ad ...
, but the city's
sharif
Sharīf or Sherif (, 'noble', 'highborn'), also spelled shareef, feminine sharīfa (), plural ashrāf (), shurafāʾ (), or (in the Maghreb) shurfāʾ, is a title used to designate a person descended, or claiming to be descended, from the fami ...
s didn't attend. A march was composed for him called the "Medhiye-i Hazret-i Hilâfetpenâhi" by Kemani Eyüplü Mustafa Bey. He established himself in Istanbul on 24 November 1922.
The choice of Abdulmejid as caliph was not evident for all Muslims, and there was significant criticism from within and outside the Ottoman Empire. There was indeed a conflict among Muslims, especially in
Palestine
Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
, over whether to pledge allegiance to King Hussein's
Sharifian Caliphate
The Sharifian Caliphate () was a Caliphate proclaimed by the Sharifian leaders of the Hejaz in 1924, replacing the Ottoman Caliphate, which was abolished by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Even though the Banu Hashim held the caliphate at various points ...
or the much shaken
Ottoman Caliphate
The Ottoman Caliphate () was the claim of the heads of the Turkish Ottoman dynasty, rulers of the Ottoman Empire, to be the caliphs of Islam during the Late Middle Ages, late medieval and Early Modern period, early modern era.
Ottoman rulers ...
. Western colonial powers, such as France or the United Kingdom, were very attentive to these developments. Noteworthy critics of Abdul Mejid included Muhammad Rashid Rida, who claimed that he lacked some of the qualities needed to be the caliph, and the exiled Sheikh-ul-Islam
Mustafa Sabri Efendi
Mustafa Sabri Effendi (; 1869 – 1954) was the second last Shaykh al-Islām of the Ottoman Empire. He is known for his opinions condemning the Turkish nationalist movement under Kemal Atatürk. Due to his resistance to Atatürk, he lived ha ...
. The vast majority of Muslims seem to have chosen to recognize him, especially in
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
.As Caliph Abdulmejid was unhappy about the transfer of certain responsibilities from
Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
to
Ankara
Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...
; for instance, he was angry about the relocation of a
military band
A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind instrument, wind and percussion instruments. The conducting, conductor of a ...
unit. He soon requested a raise in his allowance, making his position a political issue. He received support from the conservatives in the parliament, and in December 1923, an open letter authored by the
Aga Khan
Aga Khan (; ; also transliterated as ''Aqa Khan'' and ''Agha Khan'') is a title held by the Imamate in Nizari doctrine, Imām of the Nizari Isma'ilism, Nizari Isma'ilism, Ismāʿīli Shia Islam, Shias. The current holder of the title is the ...
and Ameer Ali was published in the press requesting support for the Caliphate, else an Islamic world without a Caliphate would create discord. Prime minister İsmet İnönü did not have a chance to review the petition before its publication in the newspapers and the government attacked Abdulmejid's supporters as promoting foreign interests.
Kemalist
Kemalism (, also archaically ''Kamâlizm'') or Atatürkism () is a political ideology based on the ideas of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of the Turkey, Republic of Turkey.Eric J. Zurcher, Turkey: A Modern History. Ne ...
propaganda used the fact that he occupied the infamous
Yıldız Palace
Yıldız Palace (, ) is a vast complex of former imperial Ottoman Empire, Ottoman pavilions and villas in Beşiktaş, Istanbul, Turkey, built in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was used as a residence by the List of sultans of the Ottoman ...
in Istanbul, and he was subsequently portrayed as having unjustly claimed it for himself.
In the last session of the budget negotiations on 3 March 1924,
Urfa
Urfa, officially called Şanlıurfa (), is a city in southeastern Turkey and the capital of Şanlıurfa Province. The city was known as Edessa from Hellenistic period, Hellenistic times and into Christian times. Urfa is situated on a plain abo ...
Deputy Sheikh Saffet Efendi and his 53 peers demanded the
abolition of the caliphate
The Ottoman Caliphate, the world's last widely recognized caliphate, was abolished on 3 March 1924 (Rumi calendar, R.C. 1340) by decree of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The process was one of Atatürk's reforms following the replacemen ...
, arguing it was not necessary any more. This was approved by majority of the votes and Law 431 was established. With the same law, it was decided to expel all members of the Ottoman family, and confiscate their property. Princesses were allowed 10 days to leave the country, princes 24 hours, and Abdulmejid was informed he was to leave immeadiatly. For the second time, he had to deal with his residence being cordoned and communications cut by the government. When he was informed of the decision he said the following: "I am not a traitor. I will not leave here even if I die. How can they forcibly remove me from these lands that my ancestor
Fatih
Fatih () is a municipality and district of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 15 km2, and its population is 368,227 (2022). It is home to almost all of the provincial authorities (including the mayor's office, police headquarters, metro ...
conquered?"
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk ( 1881 – 10 November 1938) was a Turkish field marshal and revolutionary statesman who was the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, serving as its first President of Turkey, president from 1923 until Death an ...
, however, offered the caliphate to Ahmed Sharif as-Senussi, on the condition that he reside outside Turkey; Senussi declined the offer and confirmed his support for Abdulmejid. He was succeeded by Hussein bin Ali in the Arab world, with the support of his cousin,
Mehmed VI
Mehmed VI Vahideddin ( ''Meḥmed-i sâdis'' or ''Vaḥîdü'd-Dîn''; or /; 14 January 1861 – 16 May 1926), also known as ''Şahbaba'' () among the Osmanoğlu family, was the last sultan of the Ottoman Empire and the penultimate Ottoman Cal ...
but that attempt ended fast as well.
Exile and death
Although Abdulmejid and his family were upset about this decision, they did not want the people to revolt, so with his wives Şehsuvar, Hayrünisa, and Mehistî, and his son Ömer Faruk, and daughtor Dürrüşehvar, they secretly went to
Çatalca
Çatalca () is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Istanbul Province, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 1142 km2, making it the largest district in Istanbul Province by area. Its population is 77,468 (2022). It is in Eas ...
by car from the Dolmabahçe Palace at 5:00 the next morning. Here, after being hosted by the head of the Rumeli Railways Company for a while, they were put on the Simplon Express. When he left Turkey, he traveled to
Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
. However, contrary to expectations, he was not greeted by a delegation or ceremony but simply as an ordinary traveler. When Abdulmejid II arrived in Switzerland, he was detained at the border for a while, but was admitted to the country after a delay. In Switzerland, he said multiple times that the abolition of the caliphate was contrary to Sharia and illegitimate since it was abolished without the consent of all Muslims, and that this would bring chaos to the Islamic world and a rise of extremism. But after the Turkish government put pressure on the Swiss government, Abdulmejid was never allowed to give such speeches in Switzerland again. After staying in Switzerland for a while, he moved to
Nice
Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one million
Abdulmejid lived a quiet life in
Nice, France
Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department in France. The Nice urban unit, agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one million
Nizam of Hyderabad
Nizam of Hyderabad was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad State ( part of the Indian state of Telangana, and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka). ''Nizam'' is a shortened form of (; ), and was the title bestowed upon Asaf Jah I wh ...
, one of the richest people in the world; thanks to this, his financial situation improved. As he did not get the anticipated support from the Islamic world for the restoration of the caliphate, he started to focus more on worship, painting, and music.
Abdulmejid, who later settled in Paris, used to perform Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque of Paris with other Muslims in the region. After the departure of his very fond grandchildren and son, who left France to marry the Kavala princes of Egypt, he spent painful days alone. He wrote a 12-volume book of memoirs, preserved by his daughter Dürrüşehvar Sultan.
On 23 August 1944, Abdulmejid II died at his house in the 15th Avenue du Maréchal Mounoury,
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, due to a heart attack. His death coincided with the
Liberation of Paris
The liberation of Paris () was a battle that took place during World War II from 19 August 1944 until the German garrison surrendered the French capital on 25 August 1944. Paris had been occupied by Nazi Germany since the signing of the Armisti ...
from the German occupation. Despite the efforts of Dürrüşehvar Sultan, the Turkish government did not permit his funeral to be held in Turkey. Subsequently, his remains were preserved at the
Grand Mosque of Paris
The Grand Mosque of Paris (, ; ), also known as the Great Mosque of Paris or simply the Paris Mosque, located in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, is one of the largest mosques in France. It comprises prayer rooms, an outdoor garden, a small lib ...
for ten years. Finally, when the mosque could no longer maintain his body, his body was subsequently moved to
Medina
Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...
, where he was then buried. His predecessor, Mehmed VI, was buried in
Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
, by
Faisal I
Faisal I bin Hussein bin Ali Al-Hashemi (, ''Fayṣal al-Awwal bin Ḥusayn bin ʻAlī al-Hāshimī''; 20 May 1885 – 8 September 1933) was King of Iraq from 23 August 1921 until his death in 1933. A member of the Hashemites, Hashemite family, ...
. This is explained by the prohibition imposed by the Kemalists, Atatürk and then İnönü, who prohibited the former caliph from being buried in Turkey.
His daughter had hoped to bury him in her in-laws' princely state of
Aurangabad
Aurangabad (), officially renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2023, is a city in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarters of Aurangabad district and is the largest city in the Marathwada region. Located on a ...
, India. However, due to circumstances arising from World War II, transporting his remains proved difficult. He was eventually laid to rest in Jannat al-Baqi. Dürrüşehvar Sultan remained deeply resentful that the Turkish Republic did not allow her father to be laid to rest on Turkish soil, and towards the end of her life, she expressed her wishes not to be buried in Turkey.
As artist
Abdulmejid was given the title of General in the
Ottoman Army
The Military of the Ottoman Empire () was the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire. It was founded in 1299 and dissolved in 1922.
Army
The Military of the Ottoman Empire can be divided in five main periods. The foundation era covers the years ...
, but did not have strong military inclinations. He had a more significant role as Chairman of the Ottoman Artists' Society and was a personal friend of some Western painters, such as Fausto Zonaro, who was influential in art in the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
. He was also connected to the French artist Adolphe Thalasso, who dedicated some works to him.
He is considered one of the most important painters of late period Ottoman art. His paintings of the
Harem
A harem is a domestic space that is reserved for the women of the house in a Muslim family. A harem may house a man's wife or wives, their pre-pubescent male children, unmarried daughters, female domestic Domestic worker, servants, and other un ...
, showing a modern musical gathering, and of his wife, Şehsuvar Hanım, reading
Goethe
Johann Wolfgang (von) Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German polymath who is widely regarded as the most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a wide-ranging influence on Western literature, literary, Polit ...
's novel ''Faust'', express the influence of western Europe in his elite circle. These were displayed at a 1918 exhibition of Ottoman paintings in
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
. His personal self-portrait can be seen at Istanbul Modern.
Abdulmejid was also an avid collector of
butterflies
Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...
, an activity that he pursued during the last 20 years of his life. His favourite magazine was '' Revue des deux Mondes''.
İstanbul State Art and Sculpture Museum
The Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum () is a museum in the Tophane area of European Istanbul, Turkey. It is part of the large Galataport complex.
The museum was originally housed in the mansion of the crown prince attached to the Dolmabahç ...
File:Abdulmecid-camikapisi.JPG, '' Cami Kapısı'', 1920,
Sakıp Sabancı Museum
The Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum () is a private fine arts museum in Istanbul, Turkey, dedicated to Islamic calligraphy, calligraphic art, religious and state documents, as well as paintings of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman era. The ...
File:Abdülmecit Efendi'nin imzaladığı Abdülhak Hâmit Tarhan resmi.png, Painting of Abdülhak Hamit Tarhan, with the text in
Ottoman Turkish
Ottoman Turkish (, ; ) was the standardized register of the Turkish language in the Ottoman Empire (14th to 20th centuries CE). It borrowed extensively, in all aspects, from Arabic and Persian. It was written in the Ottoman Turkish alphabet. ...
File:Coat of Arms of Abdulmejid II, the last Ottoman Caliph.svg, Coat of Arms of the Caliph
Family
Consorts
Abdülmejid II had four consorts:
* Şehsuvar Hanım (2 May 1881 – 1945). They married on 22 December 1896 and had a son.
* Hayrünnisa Hanım (2 March 1876 – 3 September 1936). She was born in Bandirma, Turkey. They married on 18 June 1902 in Ortakoy Palace. She died in Nice. Hayrünisa was extremely well educated and a cello virtuoso. She was portrayed by her husband while playing.
* Atiye Mehisti Hanım (27 January 1892 – 1964). She was born in Adapadari. They married on 16 April 1912 in Bağlarbaşı Palace and had a daughter. She died in London.
* Mihrimah Bihruz Hanım (24 May 1903 – 1955). She was born in
İzmit
İzmit () is a municipality and the capital Districts of Turkey, district of Kocaeli Province, Turkey. Its area is 480 km2, and its population is 376,056 (2022). The capital of Kocaeli Province, it is located at the Gulf of İzmit in the Sea ...
. They married on 21 March 1921 in Çamlıca Palace. She died in Istanbul.
Issue
Abdülmejid II had a son and a daughter:
* Şehzade Ömer Faruk (27 February 1898 - 28 March 1969) - with Şehsuvar Hanım. Married twice with two his cousins and had three daughters by his first marriage.
* Hatice Hayriye Ayşe Dürrüşehvar Sultan (26 January 1914 - 7 February 2006) - with Mehisti Hanım. She married an Indian prince and had two sons.
File:Durrusehvar.jpg, Abdulmejid II with his daughter Dürrüşehvar and fourth wife Mehisti Hanım
File:Halife Abdülmecid Efendi ve kızı Dürrüşehvar Sultan.jpg, Abdulmejid II and Dürrüşehvar in
Promenade des Anglais
The ''Promenade des Anglais'' (; Niçard: ''Camin dei Anglés''; meaning "Walkway of the English") is a promenade along the Mediterranean coast of Nice, France. It extends from the airport on the west to the ("United States Quay") on the eas ...
, Nice, France
File:Abdül Mecid II.jpg, Abdulmejid II
File:Portrait of Abdülmecid II in Topkapı Saray Museum.jpg, Portrait of Abdulmejid II in
Topkapı Palace
The Topkapı Palace (; ), or the Seraglio, is a large museum and library in the east of the Fatih List of districts of Istanbul, district of Istanbul in Turkey. From the 1460s to the completion of Dolmabahçe Palace in 1856, it served as the ad ...
Museum
File:AbdulmecidII.jpg, Abdulmejid II
File:The chief Eunuch of the Caliph. Formerly this man was the most dangerous in the Kingdom and could order the execution of the unfaithful or jealous wives. To-day his job is less important as the wives LCCN2011649924.jpg, ''Top:'' The Chief Eunuch of the Caliph ''Bottom:'' The Caliph enters his Royal Barge
File:Caliph Abdülmecid walking with entourage of soldiers, officials and a brass band as women watch LCCN2011649919 (cropped).tif, The Caliph walking with entourage of soldiers, officials and a brass band as women watch
See also
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Line of succession to the former Ottoman throne
The Ottoman dynasty () consisted of the members of the imperial House of Osman (), also known as the Ottomans (). According to Ottoman tradition, the family originated from the Kayı tribe branch of the Oghuz Turks, under the leadership of ...