Mehmed VI

Sultan Mehmed Vahdeddin is the thirty-sixth and last Ottoman sultan. His father was Sultan Abdulmejid, his mother Gülistu Kadın Efendi. He was born in Istanbul on 2 February 1861. His father Abdulmejid died in the year Vahdeddin was born, and his mother Gülistu Kadın Efendi while he was still very small. Left both fatherless and motherless at an age when he was still a child, Vahdeddin was brought up by Şayeste Kadın, one of the women of his father Abdulmejid.

Since he was still a child during the reign of Abdulaziz, he was raised freely. His elder brother Abdul Hamid II concerned himself closely with his education and schooling even before becoming sultan, and did not change that attitude during his own reign: he always valued and protected him. For that reason Vahdeddin lived comfortably through his brother's years on the throne.

Mehmed Vahdeddin read a great deal and understood well what he read. Works on Islamic jurisprudence particularly drew his interest. His penmanship and spelling were sound. He was an intelligent man who had no difficulty putting his thoughts on paper. A very courteous man, during his journey to Vienna he left both his companions and foreign observers admiring his good manners. He spoke little, preferred to listen, and gave his whole attention to whoever was speaking.

When Mehmed Reşad became sultan, the heir apparent was Yusuf İzzeddin, son of Sultan Abdulaziz, who was older than Vahdeddin. On the death of Yusuf İzzeddin, Mehmed Vahdeddin was made heir.

During his years as heir apparent the First World War broke out. In the course of the war he made an official visit to Germany as heir to the Ottoman state; Mustafa Kemal was among those who accompanied him. On the death of Mehmed Reşad he became sultan with the style of Mehmed VI Vahdeddin.

Source: Osmanlı Tarihi Interaktif CD-ROM (Türk Tarih Kurumu Yayınları XXXI. Dizi-Sa.2)