Mehmet 6 Vahdettin

The war started in Europe on July 28,1914 and widened to various countries and colonies, therefore received the name the first “World War”.

The World War I was between Central Powers of Europe (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottomans) and the Allies (Britain, France, Russia, the United States of America, Italy, Serbia, Belgium, Australia, New Zeland ).

The main reasons were;

The killing of the Austria-Hungary Kingdom’s heir, Ferdinand, by a Serbian nationalist namely Gavrilo Princip.

The Eastern question

The economical and political competition between European countries (e.g. Germany /Britain)

The Stirrings of nationalism

Colonialism in search of raw material and market

The arms race

The Ottomans sided with Germany by signing a confidential agreement on August 2,1914

The Ottoman forces showed a successful defence at Canakkale War and did not let the enemy sail through the Straits. But the success did not affect enough the outcome of the war.

MEHMET VI VAHDETTIN (1918 -1922)

As the son of Abdulmecid and brother of Murat V, Abdulhamit II and Mehmet V Resat, Mehmet VI Vahdettin was enthroned on July 3, 1918 at the age of 57 “unexpectedly”, also as expressed by himself.

On one hand Mehmet VI had to deal with the disastrous World War I consequences and strived to end the war with a minimum loss. On the other hand the regime of “Ittihat ve Terakki” ”(Union and Progress) had to be controlled and therefore, he designated Mustafa Kemal Pasha, a well-known opponent to the “Ittihat and Terakki” as the Commander of Syria Front.

When it was well understood that the war might be ended against the Ottomans the Cabinet of “Ittihat ve Terakki” under the presidency of Talat Pasha was resigned on October 8, 1918. After the governance of The Cabinet of Izzet Pasha for a very short time, Mehmet VI designated Tevfik Pasha on November 13 as the Grand-vizier, which was not welcomed by Mustafa Kemal, and therefore ending their corporation.

The passive administration of the new cabinet was forced Mehmet VI to assign Damat Ferit Pasha,his sister’s husband, in order to assemble the government as a solution (March 4 1919).

Unfortunately the insensitive character of Damat Ferit Pasha worsened the conditions.

The Cabinet of Damat Ferit Pasha quarrelled with Mustafa Kemal Pasha after June 1919 and became ineffective with Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s “Sivas Congress” on September 1919.

The cabinet obtained a fetwa for the death sentence of Mustafa Kemal and his supporters on April 11 1920 and constrained to resign on July 1920.

The cabinet of the old Tevfik Pasha existed until November 1922 as neutral and ineffective.

With the end of War Of Independence on September 9,1922, the army of Turkey’s National Assembly under the command of Refet (Bele) Pasha, entered Istanbul with his units. The growing demonstrations violently against sultanate feared Mehmet VI.

The last sultan of the Ottomans was announced as traitor to the motherland and dethroned by the Grand National Assembly with a two-article law on November 1, 1922. Mehmet VI then took refuge in British battleship “Malaya” with his little son “Ertugrul Efendi” and harem members in the morning of November 17,1922. He was not accepted by Britain and had to stay in Malta for a short time. He went to pilgrimage at the end of 1922 with the invitation of the king of Hejaz. Having stayed until April 20, 1923 he was forced to leave under the pressure from Britain. After a short shell in Genoa, he moved to San Remo and stayed at a villa rented by an Egyptian Prince as aid. Mehmet VI Vahdettin died in San Remo on May 16, 1926 from a heart-attack.

His remains were taken by his son-in-law, Omer Faruk Efendi to Beirut and then to Damascus where he was buried at the Suleymaniye (Selimiye) Mosque in an official ceremony of the Syrian government.