Abdul Hamid I

Abdülhamid I, Abdul Hamid I or Abd Al-Hamid I (, `Abdü’l-Ḥamīd-i evvel; ; 20 March 1725 – 7 April 1789) was the 27th  Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, reigning over the Ottoman Empire from 1774 to 1789.

Early life
He was born on 20 March 1725 in Constantinople, a younger son of Sultan Ahmed III (reigned 1703–1730) and his consort Şermi Kadın. Ahmed III abdicated in favor of his nephew Mahmud I, who was succeeded by his brother Osman III, and Osman by Ahmed's elder son Mustafa III. As a potential heir to the throne, Abdul Hamid was imprisoned in comfort by his cousins and older brother, as was customary. This lasted until 1767. During this period, he received his early education from his mother Rabia Şermi, who taught him history and calligraphy.

Reign

Accession
On the day of Mustafa's death on 21 January 1774 , Abdul Hamid ascended to the throne with a ceremony held in the palace.  The next day  Mustafa III's funeral procession was held. The new sultan sent a letter to the Grand Vizier and Serdar-ı Ekrem Muhsinzade Mehmed Pasha on the front and informed him to continue his duty.  On 27 January 1774, the sword was armed in Eyup Sultan.  At the time, the Ottoman-Russian front wars continued, the army was at once, and there was a shortage of food in Istanbul.

Rule
Abdul Hamid's long imprisonment had left him indifferent to state affairs and malleable to the designs of his advisors. Yet he was also very religious and a pacifist by nature. At his accession the financial straits of the treasury were such that the usual donative could not be given to the Janissary Corps. The new Sultan told the Janissaries "There are no longer gratuities in our treasury, as all of our soldier sons should learn."

Abdul Hamid now sought to reform the Empire's armed forces. He enumerated the Janissary corps and tried to renovate it, and also the navy. He established a new artillery corps. He was also credited with the creation of the Imperial Naval Engineering School.

Abdul Hamid tried to strengthen Ottoman rule over Syria, Egypt, and Iraq. However, slight successes against rebellions in Syria and the Morea could not compensate for the loss of the Crimean Peninsula, which had become nominally independent in 1774, but was in practice now controlled by Russia.

Russia repeatedly exploited its position as protector of Eastern Christians to interfere in the Ottoman Empire, and explicitly. Finally the Ottomans declared war against Russia in 1787. Austria soon joined Russia. Turkey held its own in the conflict, at first, but on 6 December 1788, Ochakov fell to Russia (all of its inhabitants being massacred). It is said that this sad defeat broke Abdul Hamid's spirit, as he died four months later.

In spite of his failures, Abdul Hamid was regarded as the most gracious Ottoman Sultan. He personally directed the fire brigade during the Constantinople fire of 1782. He was admired by the people for his religious devotion, and was even called a Veli ("saint"). He also outlined a reform policy, supervised the government closely, and worked with statesmen.

Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca
Despite his pacific inclinations, the Ottoman Empire was forced to renew the ongoing war with Russia almost immediately. This led to complete Turkish defeat at Kozludzha and the humiliating Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca, signed on 21 July 1774. The Ottomans ceded territory to Russia, and also the right to intervene on behalf of the Orthodox Christians in the Empire.

With the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca, the territory left, as well as Russia's ambassador at Istanbul level and an authorized representative, this ambassador's participation in other ceremonies at the state ceremonies, the right to pass through the Straits to Russia, as the envoys of the Russian envoy were given immunity.  Marketing opportunities for all kinds of commodities in Istanbul and other ports, as well as the full commercial rights of England and France were given.  It was also in the treaty that the Russian state had a church built in Ga lata.  Under the circumstances, this church would be open to the public, referred to as the Russo-Greek Church, and forever under the protection of Russian ambassadors in Istanbul.

Relations with Tipu Sultan
In 1789, Tipu Sultan, ruler of the Sultanate of Mysore sent an embassy to Abdul Hamid, urgently requesting assistance against the British East India Company, and proposed an offensive and defensive alliance. Abdul Hamid informed the Mysori ambassadors that the Ottomans were still entangled and exhausted from the ongoing war with Russia and Austria.

Personal life
He wrote down the troubles he saw before, to the grand vizier or to the governor of his empire.  He accepted the invitations of the  and his grand vizier and went to his mansions, followed by the reading of Quran.  He was humble and a religious Sultan. 

It is known that Abdul Hamid I was fond of his children, was interested in family life, spent the summer months in Karaağaç, Beşiktaş with his consorts, daughters and sons.  His daughter Esma Sultan's dressing styles, her passion for entertainment, her journey to the objects with her journeymen and concubines have set an example for Istanbul ladies.

Architecture
Among the works brought in Istanbul by Abdul Hamid I the Hamidiye İrem. Again, in the Hamidiye Tomb, which is named after him, some of the dynasty members of his descendants are visual.  The fountain, which complemented the complex, was moved to Sogukcesrne.

The reconstruction, madrasa and library have been constructed.  Around 1500 manuscripts in his library are still in the Süleymaniye Library.  In Beylerbeyi, on behalf of his mother Şermi Kadın, he built a mosque with a mosque and a sanctuary on the plot of the Cardigan-i Şerif room of the former Beylerbeyi Palace, as well as a fountain in Çınarönü, Havuzbaşı, Araba Meydam and Kısıklı, and a mosque in Ernirgan.  hamarn and shops have established a fountain in İstinye and Dolrnabahçe on the Rumeli side of the Bosphorus. 

In 1784, the School of Employment was put into operation, and in these schools, Gelbevi İsmail, Kasapzade İbrahim gave lectures besides their masters and French experts and la Fayette.

Death

Abdul Hamid died on 7 April 1789, at the age of sixty-four, in Constantinople. He was buried in Bahcekapi, a tomb he had built for himself.

He bred Arabian horses with great passion. One breed of Küheylan Arabians was named "Küheylan Abdülhamid" after him.

Family
Consorts
Abdul Hamid had nine wives:
 Ayşe Kadın (died 1775, buried in New Mosque, Istanbul), Baş Kadın;
 Ruhşah Kadın alias El-Hace Hatice (died 1808, buried in Abdul Hamid I Mausoleum, Istanbul), Baş Kadın;
 Hümaşah Kadın (died 1778, buried in New Mosque, Istanbul), Ikinci Kadın;
 Sineperver Sultan alias Ayşe (died 11 December 1828, buried in Eyüp Sultan Mosque), Ikinci Kadın;
 Binnaz Kadın (died June 1823, buried in Abdul Hamid I Mausoleum, Istanbul), Üçüncü Kadın;
 Mehtabe Kadın, Dördüncü Kadın;
 Mutebere Kadın (died 16 May 1837, buried in Abdul Hamid I Mausoleum, Istanbul), Beşinci Kadın;
 Şebsefa Kadın (died 1805, buried in Şebsefa Kadın Mosque, Eminönü, Istanbul), Altıncı Kadın;

 Nakşidil Sultan (died 22 August 1817, buried in Nakşidil Sultan Mausoleum, Fatih Mosque, Istanbul), Yedinci Kadın; (A mythical legend claims her to have been Aimée du Buc de Rivéry, a distant cousin-in-law of Napoleon's wife, Empress Josephine.)

Sons
His sons were:
 Mustafa IV (reigned 1807–08) – with Sineperver;
 Mahmud II (reigned 1808–39) – with Nakşidil;
 Şehzade Sultan Abdullah (10 January 1776 – 10 January 1776);
 Şehzade Sultan Mehmed (22 August 1776 – 3 February 1781) – with Hümaşah;
 Şehzade Sultan Ahmed (12 December 1776 – 18 December 1778) – with Sineperver;
 Şehzade Sultan Abdurrahman (31 July 1777 – 2 August 1777); ;
 Şehzade Sultan Süleyman (13 March 1779 – 19 January 1786) - with Mutebere;
 Şehzade Sultan Abdülaziz (19 August 1779 – 19 August 1779) – with Ruhşah;
 Şehzade Sultan Mehmed Nusret (20 September 1782 – 23 October 1785) – with Şebsafa;
 Şehzade Sultan Seyfullah Murad (22 October 1783 – 21 January 1786) - with Nakşidil;

Daughters
His daughters were:
 Hatice Sultan (12 January 1776 – 8 November 1776);
 Ayşe Sultan (30 July 1777 – 9 September 1777);
 Esma Sultan (16 July 1778 – 4 June 1848) – with Sineperver,  married 29 May 1792, Damat Küçük Hüseyin Pasha (died 8 January 1803), foster-sister of Sultan Selim III;
 Rabia Sultan (19 April 1780 – 28 June 1780); 
 Aynişah Sultan (9 July 1780 – 28 July 1780); 
 Melikşah Sultan (29 December 1780  – 1781); 
 Rabia Sultan (10 August 1781 – 3 October 1782);
 Fatma Sultan (19 January 1782 – 11 January 1786) - with Sineperver;
 Alemşah Sultan (10 November 1784 – 10 March 1786) - with Şebsafa;
 Saliha Sultan (27 November 1786 – 10 April 1788) - with Nakşidil;
 Emine Sultan (4 February 1788 – 9 March 1791) – with Şebsafa;
 Hibetullah Sultan (16 March 1789 – 18 September 1841) – with Şebsafa, married 3 February 1804, Damat Alaeddin Pasha (died at Scutari, January 1813), son of Damat Seyid Ahmed Pasha.

Adopted daughter
Abdul Hamid had adopted a daughter when he was a prince:
 Ayşe Dürrüşehvar Hanım (1767-1826), married Damat Ahmed Nazif Bey (killed 21 May 1789), son of Hacı Selim Agha.

References

External links 

[aged 64]

Category:1725 births
Category:1789 deaths
Category:18th-century Ottoman sultans
Category:Ottoman people of the Ottoman–Persian Wars
Category:Turks of the Ottoman Empire
Category:Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
Category:People of the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774)