Sultan Abdulaziz was the 32nd Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, reigning from 1861 to 1876. His reign was a significant period marked by continued reforms and major financial troubles. He oversaw significant modernization efforts, particularly in infrastructure and the military, and engaged directly with Europe in an unprecedented way for an Ottoman Sultan. However, his reign was ultimately overshadowed by disastrous financial policies that led to state bankruptcy and deep internal crises. His dramatic deposition and mysterious death marked a turbulent end to his rule, paving the way for further instability and the brief First Constitutional Era.
Abdulaziz was the son of Sultan Mahmud II and the younger brother of his predecessor, Sultan Abdulmecid I. He ascended the throne upon Abdulmecid's death in 1861. Unlike his brother, who was seen as somewhat frail and Western-oriented, Abdulaziz was perceived as more vigorous, traditional, and physically imposing. He was known for his interest in wrestling and hunting. He was a patron of the arts and was himself an amateur composer of classical Ottoman music.
Sultan Abdulaziz continued the Tanzimat reforms initiated by his father and brother, aimed at modernizing the Ottoman state and society. He invested heavily in the Ottoman Navy, making it one of the largest in the world at the time. During his rule, significant railway construction projects were undertaken, new schools were established, and codification of laws continued, blending Islamic and European legal principles.
Abdulaziz was the first Ottoman Sultan ever to travel to Western Europe. He visited Paris, London, and Vienna, meeting with leaders like Napoleon III, Queen Victoria, and Emperor Franz Joseph I. The trip aimed to foster diplomatic ties, secure financial support, and showcase Ottoman modernity.
His lavish personal spending, expensive palace constructions such as the Ciragan Palace and Beylerbeyi Palace on the Bosphorus, heavy military investments (especially the navy), and costly infrastructure projects, combined with inefficient tax collection and existing debts, pushed the Ottoman state towards bankruptcy. The Empire became heavily reliant on foreign loans at high interest rates. In 1875, the Ottoman government effectively declared sovereign default, unable to meet its debt payments. This severely damaged the Empire's international standing and caused widespread internal hardship and discontent.
His perceived mismanagement, the disastrous financial situation, poor harvests, growing nationalist unrest in the Balkans (especially the Herzegovina uprising in 1875), and resistance from reformist bureaucrats created a volatile political climate. On 30th of May, 1876, a coalition of ministers and military leaders deposed Abdulaziz in a coup d'état. They cited his mental instability and mismanagement as reasons. He was replaced by his nephew, Murad V (son of Abdulmecid I). Just a few days later, on June 4, 1876, Abdulaziz was found dead in his chamber at Feriye Palace. The official cause of death was suicide, however it has always been widely suspected and debated and remain controversial among historians.