Abdul Mejid II
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Abd-ul-Mejid II (lived May 29, 1868 – August 23, 1944, reigned November 19, 1922 – March 3, 1924). He was the last Caliph of the Ottoman Dynasty, the 101st Caliph in line from Caliph Abu Bakr and nominally the 37th and last Head of the Imperial House of Osman I.
On May 29, 1868 he was born at Dolmabahçe (dolmabahche) Palace of Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) to then Sultan Abd-ul-Aziz. 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. A painter himself, his portraits of Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Selim I were displayed at the Vienna Exhibition of 1918.
On December 23, 1896 he was first married at the Ortaköy Palace to HH Shahsuvar Bash Kadin Effendi (Istanbul May 2, 1881 – Paris 1945). They had a son, Prince Shehzade Ömer Faruk Effendi (February 27, 1898 – 1969/1971).
On June 18, 1902 he was married secondly at the Ortaköy Palace to Hair un-nisa 2nd Kadin Effendi (born: Panderma, March 2, 1876; died: Nice, September 3, 1936). They had a daughter, Princess Hadice Hayriye Ayshe Dürrühsehvar (January 26, 1914 –).
On April 16, 1912 he was married thirdly at Çamlica (chamlidcha) Palace to HH Atiya Mihisti 3rd Kadin Effendi (born at Adapazari, January 27, 1892 – London, 1964). She was sister of Kamil Bey.
On March 21, 1921 he was married fourthly at Çamlica (chamlidcha) Palace to Bihruz 4th Kadin Effendi (born: Izmir, May 24, 1903).
On August 23, 1944 Abdul Mejid II died at his house in the Boulevard Suchet, Paris XVIe, France. He was buried at Haram-i-Sharif, Medina, Saudi Arabia.
| Preceded by: Mehmed VI (1918–1922) |
Ottoman Caliphs | Abdul Medjit II was the last historical Caliph in a line that had started with Abu Bakr in 632. |