24 Facts About Abdulaziz

Abdulaziz was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 25 June 1861 to 30 May 1876, when he was overthrown in a government coup.

Abdulaziz was a son of Sultan Mahmud II and succeeded his brother Abdulmejid I in 1861.

Abdulaziz's reign began during the Ottoman Empire's resurgence following the Crimean War and two decades of the Tanzimat reforms, though it was still reliant on European capital.

Abdulaziz was the first Ottoman sultan who traveled to Western Europe in a diplomatic capacity, visiting a number of important European capitals including Paris, London, and Vienna in the summer of 1867.

Abdulaziz was deposed on 30 May 1876 by his ministers on the grounds of having mismanaged the economy.

Abdulaziz's death was officially ruled as suicide although there are numerous theories that he was assassinated.

Abdulaziz was born at Eyup Palace, Constantinople on 8 February 1830.

Abdulaziz's parents were Mahmud II and Pertevniyal Sultan, originally named Besime, a Circassian.

Abdulaziz received an Ottoman education but was nevertheless an ardent admirer of the material progress that was being achieved in the West.

Abdulaziz was the first Ottoman sultan who traveled to Western Europe, visiting a number of important European capitals including Paris, London, and Vienna in the summer of 1867.

Abdulaziz took a special interest in documenting the Ottoman Empire.

Abdulaziz was integral in establishing the first Ottoman civil code.

Abdulaziz cultivated good relations with France and the United Kingdom.

Abdulaziz travelled by a private rail car, which today can be found in the Rahmi M Koc Museum in Istanbul.

In 1868, Abdulaziz received visits from Eugenie de Montijo, Empress consort of Napoleon III of France and other foreign monarchs on their way to the opening of the Suez Canal.

Abdulaziz took Eugenie to see his mother in Dolmabahce Palace.

Abdulaziz reportedly slapped Eugenie across the face, which almost caused an international incident.

Also in 1867, Abdulaziz became the first Ottoman Sultan to formally recognize the title of Khedive to be used by the Governor of the Ottoman Eyalet of Egypt and Sudan, which thus became the autonomous Ottoman Khedivate of Egypt and Sudan.

The Second French Empire, the Western European model embraced by Sultan Abdulaziz, had been defeated in the Franco-Prussian War.

Abdulaziz turned to the Russian Empire for friendship, as unrest in the Balkan provinces continued.

Abdulaziz was deposed by his ministers on 30 May 1876.

Abdulaziz's request was denied for the palace was considered inconvenient for his situation and he was moved to Feriye Palace instead.

Abdulaziz nevertheless had grown increasingly nervous and paranoid about his security.

Abdulaziz's harem was known because, although slavery in the Ottoman Empire had already been abolished, his mother Pertevniyal Sultan continued to send him slave girls from the Caucasus.