Sehzade Mehmed Selim
Sehzade Mehmed Selim Efendi (Ottoman Turkish: 11 January 1870 – 5 May 1937) was an Ottoman prince, the eldest son of Sultan Abdul Hamid II and his consort Bedrifelek Kadın. Sehzade Mehmed Selim was born on 11 January 1870 in the Dolmabahçe Palace. His father was Sultan Abdul Hamid II, son of Sultan Abdulmejid I and Tirimüjgan Kadın. His mother was Bedrifelek Kadın, daughter of Prince Kerzedzh Mehmed Bey. He was the eldest son, and second child born to his father, and the eldest child of his mother. He had a sister, Zekiye Sultan, two years younger than him, and a brother Sehzade Ahmed Nuri, eight years younger than him. Abdülhamid and Mehmed Selim had a turbulent relationship, they not liked each other and notoriously disagreed. This also damaged Abdülhamid's relationship with Bedrifelek and her other children, because, in order not to see Mehmed Selim, he avoided visiting them in their rooms. His early education took place in the Prince's School, Yıldız Palace, together with his younger half-brother, Sehzade Mehmed Abdülkadir, and Sultan Abdulaziz's son Abdulmejid. His tutor was Baha Efendi. Ahmed Mazharüddin taught him Persian, and Mehmed Nuri taught him French. After graduating from the Prince's School, he was enrolled in the Ottoman
Military College. He held the rank of Brigradier of the infantry regiment in the Imperial Ottoman Army, and was later promoted to the rank of General. He had been allocated a villa on the grounds of the Yıldız Palace.
Asakir-i Mansure-i Muhammediye. The Mansure Army (Ottoman Turkish: Asâkir-i Mansûre-i Muhammediye, "The Victorious Soldiers of Muhammad") was an ocak (military unit) of the Ottoman army. It was established by Mahmud II, who also disbanded the Janissary Corps. After The Auspicious Incident and the disbandment of the Janissary Corps, Mahmud II established a new military ocak and Agha Hussein Pasha was appointed to the command of the corps. Koca Hüsrev Mehmed Pasha served as their serasker. Mahmud II was not the first sultan who started the modernisation of the Ottoman army. Despite this, the Mansure Army became the main army corps of the Ottoman Empire until the Dissolution era. The state planned to create an army based upon discipline and drill. The Ottomans invited many skilled officers from Europe to train recruits in European drill and maneuvers. In addition to infantry training, the new army developed regular cavalry squadrons which adopted the methods of Hungarian Hussars. Eventually the government devoted institutions to the study of military science and tactics. The Military School for Officers was inaugurated in 1836 and an artillery school opened soon after in 1837. In addition, the Ottomans sent cadets abroad to study at military institutions in Paris, London, Vienna, and Berlin.
The Ottoman dynasty (Turkish: Osmanlı Hanedanı) consisted of the members of the imperial House of Osman (Ottoman Turkish: Hanedan-ı Al-i ʿOsman), also known as the Ottomans (Turkish: Osmanlılar). According to Ottoman tradition, the family originated from the Kayı tribe branch of the Oghuz Turks, under Osman I in northwestern Anatolia in the district of Bilecik, Sögüt. The Ottoman dynasty, named after Osman I, ruled the Ottoman Empire from c. 1299 to 1922. In Ottoman royalty, the title sehzade designates male descendants of sovereigns in the male line. In formal address, this title is used with title sultan before a given name, reflecting the Ottoman conception of sovereign power as a family prerogative. Only a sehzade had the right to succeed to the throne. Before the reign of Murad II (1421-1444 and 1446–1451), sons of sultans used the title Çelebi after their name. The formal way of addressing a sehzade is Devletlû Najabatlu Sehzade Sultan (given name) Hazretleri Efendi, i.e., Sultan Imperial Prince (given name) or simply Imperial Prince (given name). The style of consorts of sehzades is hanımefendi. Sons of sehzades also carried the same title as their fathers, and daughters of sehzades hold the title sultan after their name. The Osmanoglu family
continues to use these titles. A designated crown prince used the title of Valiahad or Veliahd (Ottoman Turkish), meaning "the successor by virtue of a covenant", and the full style of Devletlû Najabatlu Valiahd-i Saltanat Sehzade-i Javanbahd (given name) Efendi Hazretleri. The title for consorts of crown princes was "Vali Ahad Zevcesi", with the full style of Veliahd Zevcesi (given name) (rank) Hanımefendi Hazretleri.
Imperial Standard of the Ottoman Sultan. The imperial standard displayed the sultan's tughra, often on a pink or bright red background.
Awards: Insignia of the Order of the House of Osman (Hanedan-i-Ali-Osman), Sash and star of the Order of Distinction (Nishan-e-Imtiaz) Stars of the Order of Osmanieh (Osmaniye Nisanı) and the Order of the Medjidie (Mecidiye Nisanı).
