Osman Fuad was the 39th Head of the Imperial House of Osman from 1954 to 1973.
He was born as the third son of Prince Mehmed Selaheddin Efendi, by his sixth wife, Jalefer Hanım, and was a grandson of Murad V. He spent his early childhood confined to the Çırağan Palace, Ortaköy, in Constantinople. The Palace served as an enforced residence to his grandfather Murad V, who had been deposed in 1876, and replaced by his brother, Abdülhamid II. The restrictions imposed on the former Sultan extended to his entire family, and were not lifted until his death in 1904. On the death of his grandfather, Osman Fuad Efendi left this life of confinement and for a few years lived in the properties rented by his father in Feneryolu, Kuruçeşme, and Ortaköy, before returning to the Çırağan Palace to live with his grandmother Empress Şayan Kadın, the third wife of Murad V.
General of Ottoman Cavalry, Commander in Chief at Tripoli, Libya. Sometime Major à la suite of the Hussar Regt. Prussian Gardes du corps. Succeeded on the death of his elder half-brother, Ahmed Nihad Efendi, as Head of the Imperial House of Osman, 1954. Had he been the reigning Sultan he would have been Grand Sultan Osman IV.
On 26 March 1920, at the Feriye Palace, Beşiktaş, Osman married Kerime Halim of Egypt (born in Constantinople 15 March 1898, died childless 28 March 1971), the second daughter of Abbas Halim Pasha, sometime Governor-General of Bursa and Minister for Public Works, by his wife Hadice, second daughter of Mehmed Tawfik Pasha, Khedive of Egypt, GCB, GCSI. One of the people who attended the wedding in the Çırağan Palace was İsmet Bey (İnönü), who had recently stayed as a guest at Osman Fuad's house for eighteen months. At the time of the expulsion of the Ottoman Imperial family, Mustafa Kemal only felt it necessary to exile the Imperial Princes. It was İsmet İnönü, who was then Prime Minister, who insisted on having the whole family, both men and women of all ages, expelled. It is said that İnönü’s unfounded hatred for the Imperial family was the result of a complex acquired at this time. The marriage ended in divorce at Paris on 22 November 1932.
During the Second World War, Osman Fuad Efendi was living in Alexandria, Egypt, under the occupation of the British. Appreciating that he had commanded the loyalty of the Libyan people, the British offered to make him a colonel in their army and to award him full powers if he agreed to conduct a commando campaign against the Germans there. However, he refused on the grounds that he did not wish to fight against his former comrades-in-arms. When the war ended, he was given a diplomatic passport by the French government and took the opportunity to travel the world, visiting countries as far as India and Iceland.
On the death of his elder brother, Ahmed Nihad Efendi, on 4 June 1954, Osman Fuad assumed the position of head of the Ottoman family. Unlike his brother, Osman Fuad chose to adopt an extremely modern lifestyle, and was known to be fond of his pleasures and to have a natural love for life. As a young Imperial Ottoman Prince, he had been popular and well-loved, and had often been seen driving in an open-topped Mercedes in Constantinople, always dressed impeccably. He was brave, loyal, and generous, as well as being good-looking and a skilled horseman. He possessed a large number of medals and decorations awarded for his courage and service to his country, and which covered his chest when he wore his dress uniform. He was a true prince and perfectly fitted for the part he had to play. From 1911–1912 he became the fifth Chairman of Fenerbahçe SK, a club that continues to be supported by members of the Ottoman family today. Like all other members of his family, he had a talent for music. He was an accomplished violinist, and during his exile he developed his passion for music. He particularly enjoyed playing Hungarian gypsy music on his violin, much to the enthrallment of those lucky enough to hear him play.
Three years before his death, he was interviewed by a reporter from the Hürriyet newspaper named Doğan Uluç. At the time, Osman Fuad Efendi was living in Room Number 6 at the Hotel Royal Bretagne in Montparnasse, Paris. This room contained only a bed, a cracked washbasin and two chairs. His description of the life the members of the Imperial family were leading in exile was a graphic one, and shocking. “Who would have thought it would come to this? Who would have thought that General Prince Osman Fuad, the former commander of the Ottoman army in Tripoli, would one day be thrown out of a third-rate hotel in Paris as he could not afford to pay the bill? No longer can we set foot in the land which our forefathers fought for and ruled over, that land that holds so many bitter-sweet memories for us. Is it right that we should be treated thus? How shameful that the Ottoman family should be living out their days far from their native country, forced to take refuge in foreign lands. Some of us have committed suicide, unable to bear the poverty and destitution. Some of us have died whispering “Ah, Turkey! Turkey!” with our last breaths. Our children, born abroad, go to foreign schools and grow up without learning Turkish, knowing nothing of our history or our religion – just as if they were foreigners. What I would request from you is that you should print a photograph of me in your newspaper when I leave this world. Under it, write ‘Osman Fuad’ – no more than that. It may be that some people will remember me.”
Osman Fuad died in Nice, France, following a short illness on 19 May 1973 and is buried in the Moslem cemetery, Bobigny, Paris. Although he had no children, he was particularly close to his only nephew Prince Ali Vasib Efendi, and as such he treated his nephew's son Prince Osman Selaheddin Osmanoğlu as if he was his own, naming him as his heir.
He was born as the third son of Prince Mehmed Selaheddin Efendi, by his sixth wife, Jalefer Hanım, and was a grandson of Murad V. He spent his early childhood confined to the Çırağan Palace, Ortaköy, in Constantinople. The Palace served as an enforced residence to his grandfather Murad V, who had been deposed in 1876, and replaced by his brother, Abdülhamid II. The restrictions imposed on the former Sultan extended to his entire family, and were not lifted until his death in 1904. On the death of his grandfather, Osman Fuad Efendi left this life of confinement and for a few years lived in the properties rented by his father in Feneryolu, Kuruçeşme, and Ortaköy, before returning to the Çırağan Palace to live with his grandmother Empress Şayan Kadın, the third wife of Murad V.
General of Ottoman Cavalry, Commander in Chief at Tripoli, Libya. Sometime Major à la suite of the Hussar Regt. Prussian Gardes du corps. Succeeded on the death of his elder half-brother, Ahmed Nihad Efendi, as Head of the Imperial House of Osman, 1954. Had he been the reigning Sultan he would have been Grand Sultan Osman IV.
On 26 March 1920, at the Feriye Palace, Beşiktaş, Osman married Kerime Halim of Egypt (born in Constantinople 15 March 1898, died childless 28 March 1971), the second daughter of Abbas Halim Pasha, sometime Governor-General of Bursa and Minister for Public Works, by his wife Hadice, second daughter of Mehmed Tawfik Pasha, Khedive of Egypt, GCB, GCSI. One of the people who attended the wedding in the Çırağan Palace was İsmet Bey (İnönü), who had recently stayed as a guest at Osman Fuad's house for eighteen months. At the time of the expulsion of the Ottoman Imperial family, Mustafa Kemal only felt it necessary to exile the Imperial Princes. It was İsmet İnönü, who was then Prime Minister, who insisted on having the whole family, both men and women of all ages, expelled. It is said that İnönü’s unfounded hatred for the Imperial family was the result of a complex acquired at this time. The marriage ended in divorce at Paris on 22 November 1932.
During the Second World War, Osman Fuad Efendi was living in Alexandria, Egypt, under the occupation of the British. Appreciating that he had commanded the loyalty of the Libyan people, the British offered to make him a colonel in their army and to award him full powers if he agreed to conduct a commando campaign against the Germans there. However, he refused on the grounds that he did not wish to fight against his former comrades-in-arms. When the war ended, he was given a diplomatic passport by the French government and took the opportunity to travel the world, visiting countries as far as India and Iceland.
On the death of his elder brother, Ahmed Nihad Efendi, on 4 June 1954, Osman Fuad assumed the position of head of the Ottoman family. Unlike his brother, Osman Fuad chose to adopt an extremely modern lifestyle, and was known to be fond of his pleasures and to have a natural love for life. As a young Imperial Ottoman Prince, he had been popular and well-loved, and had often been seen driving in an open-topped Mercedes in Constantinople, always dressed impeccably. He was brave, loyal, and generous, as well as being good-looking and a skilled horseman. He possessed a large number of medals and decorations awarded for his courage and service to his country, and which covered his chest when he wore his dress uniform. He was a true prince and perfectly fitted for the part he had to play. From 1911–1912 he became the fifth Chairman of Fenerbahçe SK, a club that continues to be supported by members of the Ottoman family today. Like all other members of his family, he had a talent for music. He was an accomplished violinist, and during his exile he developed his passion for music. He particularly enjoyed playing Hungarian gypsy music on his violin, much to the enthrallment of those lucky enough to hear him play.
Three years before his death, he was interviewed by a reporter from the Hürriyet newspaper named Doğan Uluç. At the time, Osman Fuad Efendi was living in Room Number 6 at the Hotel Royal Bretagne in Montparnasse, Paris. This room contained only a bed, a cracked washbasin and two chairs. His description of the life the members of the Imperial family were leading in exile was a graphic one, and shocking. “Who would have thought it would come to this? Who would have thought that General Prince Osman Fuad, the former commander of the Ottoman army in Tripoli, would one day be thrown out of a third-rate hotel in Paris as he could not afford to pay the bill? No longer can we set foot in the land which our forefathers fought for and ruled over, that land that holds so many bitter-sweet memories for us. Is it right that we should be treated thus? How shameful that the Ottoman family should be living out their days far from their native country, forced to take refuge in foreign lands. Some of us have committed suicide, unable to bear the poverty and destitution. Some of us have died whispering “Ah, Turkey! Turkey!” with our last breaths. Our children, born abroad, go to foreign schools and grow up without learning Turkish, knowing nothing of our history or our religion – just as if they were foreigners. What I would request from you is that you should print a photograph of me in your newspaper when I leave this world. Under it, write ‘Osman Fuad’ – no more than that. It may be that some people will remember me.”
Osman Fuad died in Nice, France, following a short illness on 19 May 1973 and is buried in the Moslem cemetery, Bobigny, Paris. Although he had no children, he was particularly close to his only nephew Prince Ali Vasib Efendi, and as such he treated his nephew's son Prince Osman Selaheddin Osmanoğlu as if he was his own, naming him as his heir.
Osman Fuad was the 39th Head of the Imperial House of Osman from 1954 to 1973.
He was born as the third son of Prince Mehmed Selaheddin Efendi, by his sixth wife, Jalefer Hanım, and was a grandson of Murad V. He spent his early childhood confined to the Çırağan Palace, Ortaköy, in Constantinople. The Palace served as an enforced residence to his grandfather Murad V, who had been deposed in 1876, and replaced by his brother, Abdülhamid II. The restrictions imposed on the former Sultan extended to his entire family, and were not lifted until his death in 1904. On the death of his grandfather, Osman Fuad Efendi left this life of confinement and for a few years lived in the properties rented by his father in Feneryolu, Kuruçeşme, and Ortaköy, before returning to the Çırağan Palace to live with his grandmother Empress Şayan Kadın, the third wife of Murad V.
General of Ottoman Cavalry, Commander in Chief at Tripoli, Libya. Sometime Major à la suite of the Hussar Regt. Prussian Gardes du corps. Succeeded on the death of his elder half-brother, Ahmed Nihad Efendi, as Head of the Imperial House of Osman, 1954. Had he been the reigning Sultan he would have been Grand Sultan Osman IV.
On 26 March 1920, at the Feriye Palace, Beşiktaş, Osman married Kerime Halim of Egypt (born in Constantinople 15 March 1898, died childless 28 March 1971), the second daughter of Abbas Halim Pasha, sometime Governor-General of Bursa and Minister for Public Works, by his wife Hadice, second daughter of Mehmed Tawfik Pasha, Khedive of Egypt, GCB, GCSI. One of the people who attended the wedding in the Çırağan Palace was İsmet Bey (İnönü), who had recently stayed as a guest at Osman Fuad's house for eighteen months. At the time of the expulsion of the Ottoman Imperial family, Mustafa Kemal only felt it necessary to exile the Imperial Princes. It was İsmet İnönü, who was then Prime Minister, who insisted on having the whole family, both men and women of all ages, expelled. It is said that İnönü’s unfounded hatred for the Imperial family was the result of a complex acquired at this time. The marriage ended in divorce at Paris on 22 November 1932.
During the Second World War, Osman Fuad Efendi was living in Alexandria, Egypt, under the occupation of the British. Appreciating that he had commanded the loyalty of the Libyan people, the British offered to make him a colonel in their army and to award him full powers if he agreed to conduct a commando campaign against the Germans there. However, he refused on the grounds that he did not wish to fight against his former comrades-in-arms. When the war ended, he was given a diplomatic passport by the French government and took the opportunity to travel the world, visiting countries as far as India and Iceland.
On the death of his elder brother, Ahmed Nihad Efendi, on 4 June 1954, Osman Fuad assumed the position of head of the Ottoman family. Unlike his brother, Osman Fuad chose to adopt an extremely modern lifestyle, and was known to be fond of his pleasures and to have a natural love for life. As a young Imperial Ottoman Prince, he had been popular and well-loved, and had often been seen driving in an open-topped Mercedes in Constantinople, always dressed impeccably. He was brave, loyal, and generous, as well as being good-looking and a skilled horseman. He possessed a large number of medals and decorations awarded for his courage and service to his country, and which covered his chest when he wore his dress uniform. He was a true prince and perfectly fitted for the part he had to play. From 1911–1912 he became the fifth Chairman of Fenerbahçe SK, a club that continues to be supported by members of the Ottoman family today. Like all other members of his family, he had a talent for music. He was an accomplished violinist, and during his exile he developed his passion for music. He particularly enjoyed playing Hungarian gypsy music on his violin, much to the enthrallment of those lucky enough to hear him play.
Three years before his death, he was interviewed by a reporter from the Hürriyet newspaper named Doğan Uluç. At the time, Osman Fuad Efendi was living in Room Number 6 at the Hotel Royal Bretagne in Montparnasse, Paris. This room contained only a bed, a cracked washbasin and two chairs. His description of the life the members of the Imperial family were leading in exile was a graphic one, and shocking. “Who would have thought it would come to this? Who would have thought that General Prince Osman Fuad, the former commander of the Ottoman army in Tripoli, would one day be thrown out of a third-rate hotel in Paris as he could not afford to pay the bill? No longer can we set foot in the land which our forefathers fought for and ruled over, that land that holds so many bitter-sweet memories for us. Is it right that we should be treated thus? How shameful that the Ottoman family should be living out their days far from their native country, forced to take refuge in foreign lands. Some of us have committed suicide, unable to bear the poverty and destitution. Some of us have died whispering “Ah, Turkey! Turkey!” with our last breaths. Our children, born abroad, go to foreign schools and grow up without learning Turkish, knowing nothing of our history or our religion – just as if they were foreigners. What I would request from you is that you should print a photograph of me in your newspaper when I leave this world. Under it, write ‘Osman Fuad’ – no more than that. It may be that some people will remember me.”
Osman Fuad died in Nice, France, following a short illness on 19 May 1973 and is buried in the Moslem cemetery, Bobigny, Paris. Although he had no children, he was particularly close to his only nephew Prince Ali Vasib Efendi, and as such he treated his nephew's son Prince Osman Selaheddin Osmanoğlu as if he was his own, naming him as his heir.
He was born as the third son of Prince Mehmed Selaheddin Efendi, by his sixth wife, Jalefer Hanım, and was a grandson of Murad V. He spent his early childhood confined to the Çırağan Palace, Ortaköy, in Constantinople. The Palace served as an enforced residence to his grandfather Murad V, who had been deposed in 1876, and replaced by his brother, Abdülhamid II. The restrictions imposed on the former Sultan extended to his entire family, and were not lifted until his death in 1904. On the death of his grandfather, Osman Fuad Efendi left this life of confinement and for a few years lived in the properties rented by his father in Feneryolu, Kuruçeşme, and Ortaköy, before returning to the Çırağan Palace to live with his grandmother Empress Şayan Kadın, the third wife of Murad V.
General of Ottoman Cavalry, Commander in Chief at Tripoli, Libya. Sometime Major à la suite of the Hussar Regt. Prussian Gardes du corps. Succeeded on the death of his elder half-brother, Ahmed Nihad Efendi, as Head of the Imperial House of Osman, 1954. Had he been the reigning Sultan he would have been Grand Sultan Osman IV.
On 26 March 1920, at the Feriye Palace, Beşiktaş, Osman married Kerime Halim of Egypt (born in Constantinople 15 March 1898, died childless 28 March 1971), the second daughter of Abbas Halim Pasha, sometime Governor-General of Bursa and Minister for Public Works, by his wife Hadice, second daughter of Mehmed Tawfik Pasha, Khedive of Egypt, GCB, GCSI. One of the people who attended the wedding in the Çırağan Palace was İsmet Bey (İnönü), who had recently stayed as a guest at Osman Fuad's house for eighteen months. At the time of the expulsion of the Ottoman Imperial family, Mustafa Kemal only felt it necessary to exile the Imperial Princes. It was İsmet İnönü, who was then Prime Minister, who insisted on having the whole family, both men and women of all ages, expelled. It is said that İnönü’s unfounded hatred for the Imperial family was the result of a complex acquired at this time. The marriage ended in divorce at Paris on 22 November 1932.
During the Second World War, Osman Fuad Efendi was living in Alexandria, Egypt, under the occupation of the British. Appreciating that he had commanded the loyalty of the Libyan people, the British offered to make him a colonel in their army and to award him full powers if he agreed to conduct a commando campaign against the Germans there. However, he refused on the grounds that he did not wish to fight against his former comrades-in-arms. When the war ended, he was given a diplomatic passport by the French government and took the opportunity to travel the world, visiting countries as far as India and Iceland.
On the death of his elder brother, Ahmed Nihad Efendi, on 4 June 1954, Osman Fuad assumed the position of head of the Ottoman family. Unlike his brother, Osman Fuad chose to adopt an extremely modern lifestyle, and was known to be fond of his pleasures and to have a natural love for life. As a young Imperial Ottoman Prince, he had been popular and well-loved, and had often been seen driving in an open-topped Mercedes in Constantinople, always dressed impeccably. He was brave, loyal, and generous, as well as being good-looking and a skilled horseman. He possessed a large number of medals and decorations awarded for his courage and service to his country, and which covered his chest when he wore his dress uniform. He was a true prince and perfectly fitted for the part he had to play. From 1911–1912 he became the fifth Chairman of Fenerbahçe SK, a club that continues to be supported by members of the Ottoman family today. Like all other members of his family, he had a talent for music. He was an accomplished violinist, and during his exile he developed his passion for music. He particularly enjoyed playing Hungarian gypsy music on his violin, much to the enthrallment of those lucky enough to hear him play.
Three years before his death, he was interviewed by a reporter from the Hürriyet newspaper named Doğan Uluç. At the time, Osman Fuad Efendi was living in Room Number 6 at the Hotel Royal Bretagne in Montparnasse, Paris. This room contained only a bed, a cracked washbasin and two chairs. His description of the life the members of the Imperial family were leading in exile was a graphic one, and shocking. “Who would have thought it would come to this? Who would have thought that General Prince Osman Fuad, the former commander of the Ottoman army in Tripoli, would one day be thrown out of a third-rate hotel in Paris as he could not afford to pay the bill? No longer can we set foot in the land which our forefathers fought for and ruled over, that land that holds so many bitter-sweet memories for us. Is it right that we should be treated thus? How shameful that the Ottoman family should be living out their days far from their native country, forced to take refuge in foreign lands. Some of us have committed suicide, unable to bear the poverty and destitution. Some of us have died whispering “Ah, Turkey! Turkey!” with our last breaths. Our children, born abroad, go to foreign schools and grow up without learning Turkish, knowing nothing of our history or our religion – just as if they were foreigners. What I would request from you is that you should print a photograph of me in your newspaper when I leave this world. Under it, write ‘Osman Fuad’ – no more than that. It may be that some people will remember me.”
Osman Fuad died in Nice, France, following a short illness on 19 May 1973 and is buried in the Moslem cemetery, Bobigny, Paris. Although he had no children, he was particularly close to his only nephew Prince Ali Vasib Efendi, and as such he treated his nephew's son Prince Osman Selaheddin Osmanoğlu as if he was his own, naming him as his heir.
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