Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1424

 1302

TURKEY

AND TRIBUTARY STATES.

(Ottoman Empire.) Reigning Sultan.

Mohammed V., born November 3, 1844 (21 Shavval 1260), son of Sultan Abdul Medjid ; succeeded to the throne on the deposition of his elder brother, Sultan Abdul Hamid 11. , April 27, 1909.

Children of the Sultan.

I. Zia-Ed-din Eflendi, born 1877. II. Nedjm-ed-Din Effendi, born

1881. III. Eumer-Hihni Effendi, born February 18, 1883. IV. Befia

Sultana, born 1887.

Brothers and Sisters of the Sultan.

Besides the deposed Sultan, Abdul Hamid, there are two surviving brothers and three sisters of the reigning Sultan.

I. Djemile Sultana, born August 18, 1843; married, June 3, 1858, to Mahmoud-D.jelal Eddin Pasha, son of Ahmet Veti Pasha ; widovvr, 1892.

II. Senihe Sultana, born November 21, 1851 ; widow of the late Mahraud Pasha, son of Halil Pasha.

III. Medihe Sultana, born 1857; married (1) 1879, to Nedjib Pasha; widow, 1885; (2) April 30, 188G. to Ferid Pasha.

IV. .SwZcmmi Effendi, born ISfiO.

V. Wahid-Ed-din Eltendi, born January 12, 18(il.

The present sovereign of Turkey is the thirty-fifth, in male descent, of the house of Othman, the founder of the Empire, and the twenty- ninth Sultan since the conquest of Constantinople. By the law of suc- cession obeyed in the reigning family, the crown is inherited according to seniority by the male descendents of Othman, sprung from the_ Imperial Harem. The Harem is considered a permanent State institution. All children born in the Harem, whether offspring of free women or of slaves, are legitimate and of equal lineage. The Sirltan is succeeded by his eldest son," but only in case there are no uncles or cousins of greater age.

It has not been the custom of the Sultans of Turkey for some centuries to contract regular marriages. The inmates of the Harem come, by pur- chase or free will, mostly from districts beyond the limits of the empire, the majority from Circassia. From among these inmates the Sultan designates a certain number, generally seven, to be ' Kadein,' or Ladies of the Palace, the rest, called 'Odalik,' remaining under them as servants. The superintendent of the Harem, always an aged Lady of the Palace, and bearing the title of • Haznadar-Kadin,' has to keep up intercourse with the outer world through the Guard of Eunuchs, whose chief, called * Kizlar-Aghasi, ' has the same rank as the Grand Vizier, but has the precedence if present on state occasions.

The following is a list of the names, with date of accession, of the thirty- four sovereigns who have ruled Turkey since the foundation of the empire and of the reigning house : —

Hoiise of Othman.

. 1299 ' Bajazet II. ... 1481

. 1326 i Selim 1 1512

. 1359 I Solyman I., 'The :Magni-

Othman. . . Orchan Murad I,. Bajazet I,, 'The Thunder- bolt' .... 1389 Interregnum. . . 1402 Mohammed I. .. . 1413

Murad II 1421

Mohammed II., Conqueror

of Constantinople. , 1451

ficent ' Selim II. Murad III. . Mohammed III. Ahmet I. Mustapha I.. Othman II. .

1520 1566 1574 1595 1603 1617 1618