Abdülmecid II

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The last Caliph Abdülmecid II
The last Caliph Abdülmecid II

Abdülmecid II (also with various alternate spellings, including Abdul Mejid, Aakhir Khalifatul Muslimeen Sultan Abd-ul-Mejid, Abdul Medjit, and in modern Turkish: Abdülmecit; in Ottoman Turkish: عبد المجيد الثانى (lived May 29, 1868August 23, 1944; reigned November 19, 1922March 3, 1924) was the last Caliph of the Ottoman Dynasty, the 101st Caliph in line from Caliph Abu Bakr and nominally the 37th Head of the Ottoman Imperial House.

[edit] Life

On May 29, 1868 he was born at Dolmabahçe Palace of Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) to then Sultan Abdülaziz. He was educated privately. On July 4, 1918 his first cousin Mehmed VI became Sultan and Abdul Mejid was named Crown Prince. Following the deposition of his cousin on November 1, 1922 the Sultanate was abolished. But on November 19, 1922 the Crown Prince was elected Caliph by the Turkish National Assembly at Ankara. He established himself in Istanbul, on November 24, 1922. On March 3, 1924 he was deposed and expelled from the shores of Turkey with the rest of his family. He was given the title of General of Ottoman Army and served as Chairman of the Ottoman Artist's Society. He is considered as one of the most important painters of late period Ottoman art. His paintings of the Harem, showing a modern musical gathering, and of a woman reading Goethe's Faust were displayed at an exhibition of Ottoman paintings in Vienna in 1918. His personal self-portrait can be seen at Istanbul Modern.

On December 23, 1896 he was married for the first time at the Ortaköy Palace to Shahsuvar Bash Kadin Effendi (Istanbul May 2, 1881Paris 1945). They had a son, Prince Shehzade Ömer Faruk Effendi (February 27, 1898March 28, 1969). On June 18, 1902 he was married for the second time at the Ortaköy Palace to Hair un-nisa Kadin Effendi (born: Panderma, March 2, 1876; died: Nice, September 3, 1936). They had a daughter, Princess Hadice Hayriye Ayshe Dürrühsehvar (January 26, 1914February 7, 2006) who was married to Azam Jah, son of the last Nizam of Hyderabad. On April 16, 1912 he was married for the third time at Çamlica Palace to Atiya Mihisti Kadin Effendi (born at Adapazarı, January 27, 1892London, 1964). She was sister of Kamil Bey. On March 21, 1921 he was married for the fourth time at Çamlica Palace to Bihruz Kadin Effendi (born: İzmir, May 24, 1903).

There seems to be a discrepancy with the parentage of Durruhsehvar. An extremely reputable source: http://www.4dw.net/royalark/India/hyder11.htm states that she was "the only daughter of H.I.M. Sultan Abdu'l-Majid Khan II, Caliph of the Faithful, by his third wife H.H. Atiya Mihisti, 3rd Kadin Effendi," - i.e. not from Hair un-nisa kadin Effendi.

On August 23, 1944 Abdul Mejid II passed away at his house in the Boulevard Suchet, Paris XVIe, France. He was buried at Medina, Saudi Arabia.

Abdülmecid II
Born: 29 May 1868 Died: 23 August 1944
Sunni Islam titles
Preceded by
Mehmed VI
Caliph of Islam
Nov 19, 1922Mar 3, 1924
Vacant
Caliphate abolished
Titles in pretence
Preceded by
Mehmed VI
— TITULAR —
Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Nov 19, 1922Aug 23, 1944
Reason for succession failure:
Empire abolished in 1922
Succeeded by
Ahmed Nihad
Loss of title
Title dissolved
— TITULAR —
Caliph of Islam
Mar 3, 1924Aug 23, 1944
Reason for succession failure:
Caliphate abolished in 1924
Coat of Arms of the Ottoman Empire
Claimants to the Ottoman
throne since 1922

Mehmed VI (1922)
Abdülmecid II (1922-1944)
Ahmed Nihad (1944-1954)
Osman Fuad (1954-1973)
Mehmed Abdulaziz (1973-1977)
Ali Vâsib (1977-1983)
Mehmed Orhan (1983-1994)
Ertuğrul Osman (1994-)

See also Ottoman dynasty