- Full Name: Mehmed Reşad
- Title: Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Caliph of Islam
- Reign: April 27, 1909 – July 3, 1918
- Dynasty: Ottoman
- Predecessor: Abdul Hamid II
- Successor: Mehmed VI
- Born: November 2, 1844
- Died: July 3, 1918 (aged 73)
🧒 Early Life
Mehmed V was born in Istanbul, the son of Sultan Abdulmejid I and Gülcemal Kadın. He was educated in the palace with training in religion, literature, and state affairs, but lived much of his life as a prince in seclusion, with little influence over political matters.
He was thrust onto the throne at the age of 64 after the deposition of his older brother, Abdul Hamid II, following the 31 March Incident and the restoration of the constitution by the Young Turks.
🏛️ Reign Overview
🧭 Figurehead Monarch
- Mehmed V ruled during a period when real power lay with the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), especially leaders like Enver Pasha, Talaat Pasha, and Cemal Pasha.
- He had little personal control over state affairs and mostly performed ceremonial and religious duties as Caliph.
⚔️ World War I (1914–1918)
- In 1914, under the influence of the CUP, the Ottoman Empire entered World War I on the side of the Central Powers (Germany and Austria-Hungary).
- Mehmed V declared Jihad against the Allied Powers — a symbolic move meant to inspire Muslim unity, but with limited practical effect.
- The war devastated the empire, leading to:
- Military defeats in Gallipoli, Mesopotamia, and Palestine
- The Arab Revolt (1916–1918), in which Arabs, backed by Britain, rebelled against Ottoman rule.
- Economic collapse and severe internal strife.
⚠️ Armenian Genocide (1915)
- During his reign, the Armenian population was deported and massacred under the direction of the CUP leadership.
- Although Mehmed V was the symbolic head of the empire, he had no direct role in orchestrating the genocide, but his name was used to endorse state policies.
🕌 Religious and Ceremonial Role
- As Caliph, Mehmed V sought to reinforce Islamic solidarity, issuing religious edicts to legitimize the empire’s war.
- He made pilgrimage-related reforms and maintained symbolic ties with Muslims in British and French colonies, though these efforts had limited success.
🪦 Death and Legacy
- Died: July 3, 1918, just four months before World War I ended.
- He died as the empire was on the brink of collapse.
- His funeral was relatively modest due to war conditions.
📜 Legacy Summary
- Mehmed V was a gentle, scholarly, and religious man, but ultimately a weak figurehead who reigned during one of the most catastrophic periods in Ottoman history.
- His era is remembered not for his personal decisions but for:
- The rise of CUP rule
- World War I participation
- The Armenian Genocide
- The beginning of the empire’s disintegration
