Sultan Mehmed V Resad (spelled Reshad) was the 35th Ottoman Sultan. He reigned from 1909 to 1918, a period dominated by immense turmoil, war, and the final decline of the Ottoman Empire. He had an interest in Persian literature and Mevlevi Sufism.
Born in 1844, he was the son of Sultan Abdulmecid I and a younger brother of both Sultan Murad V and Sultan Abdulhamid II. He had very little practical political or administrative experience when he came to the throne at an advanced age (64) on April 27, 1909, following the deposition of his autocratic brother, Abdulhamid II. His accession marked the firm establishment of the Second Constitutional Era under the control of the Committee of Union and Progress (Ittihak ve Terakki), often known as the "Young Turks". Effective political control rested firmly with the Committee leadership. His role was primarily symbolic and ceremonial; he approved appointments and legislation put forward by the Committee-dominated government.
Mehmed V's reign was plagued by continuous warfare and territorial losses:
- Italo-Turkish War (1911-1912): Resulted in the loss of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica (modern Libya) and the Dodecanese Islands to Italy.
- Balkan Wars (1912-1913): The Empire lost almost all of its remaining European territories, including Albania, Macedonia, Epirus, and Thrace.
- World War I (1914-1918): The defining event of his later reign and end of the Empire.
The decision to enter the World War I on the side of the Central Powers (Germany and Austria-Hungary) was made by the Committee leadership, primarily by Enver Pasha. As Sultan-Caliph, Mehmed V formally declared Jihad (Holy War) in November 1914, calling on Muslims worldwide to fight against the Allied powers (Britain, France, Russia). The war brought immense hardship, military defeats (despite victories like Gallipoli), and the Arab Revolt, further fragmenting the Empire.
Sultan Mehmed V died on July 3, 1918, at the age of 73, just four months before the Armistice of Mudros (Mondros) ended Ottoman participation in World War I and signaled the Empire's final defeat. He was succeeded by his younger brother, Mehmed VI Vahdeddin.