Mehmed Cemaleddin Efendi

Şehzade Mehmed Cemaleddin Efendi (; 1 March 1891 – 18 November 1947) was an Ottoman prince, the son of Şehzade Mehmed Şevket and the grandson of Sultan Abdulaziz.

Early life Şehzade Mehmed Cemaleddin was born on 1 March 1891 in the Yıldız Palace. His father was Şehzade Mehmed Şevket, son of Sultan Abdulaziz and Neşerek Kadın, and his mother was Fatma Ruyinaz Hanım. He was the only child of his parents. His father died when he was eight. In 1899, he was circumcised together with Şehzade Abdurrahim Hayri, son of Sultan Abdul Hamid II and Şehzade Mehmed Abdülhalim, son of Şehzade Selim Süleyman.

Military career Cemaleddin worked on the Libyan Front. He carried out guerrilla activities against the British in Egypt. He saw active service during the First World War, in which he participated with the rank of major general and fought on various fronts. He first served during the Gallipoli campaign. He played a role in suppressing the Revolt of Ahmet Anzavur. Kâzım Karabekir mentions Cemaleddin in his diaries. Cemaleddin was an idealist soldier, and did not like the state of the officers.

Cemaleddin, who had won the hearts of the soldiers and the people with his kindness and honest treatment, wanted to go to Anatolia, but the presence of a popular and powerful prince at the beginning of the resistance movement was not accepted by the Ankara government. However, at the end of 1919, the Ankara government thought of declaring him as the regent of the Ottoman Empire and Sheikh Sünûsî as Shaykh al-Islām.

Personal life His only wife was Cemile Destaviz Hanım. She was born on 13 August 1895 in Batumi, Adjara. They married on 2 March 1913 in the Ortaköy Palace. She was the mother of Şehzade Mahmud Hüsameddin, born on 1 September 1916 and Şehzade Süleyman Saadeddin, born on 20 November 1917.

Exile and death Upon the exile of the Imperial family in March 1924, Cemaleddin and his family settled in Beirut, Lebanon, where he died on 18 November 1947.

Honours Order of Glory, Jeweled Order of Distinction, Jeweled Order of Osmanieh, Jeweled Order of the Medjidie, Jeweled Liakat War Medal Navy Medal in Gold Liakat War Medal in Gold Greek War Medal

Military appointments Military ranks and army appointments 1915: Major General of the Infantry, Ottoman Army

Honorary appointments 1918: Aide-de-Camp to the Sultan

Issue Name Birth Death Notes Şehzade Mahmud Hüsameddin 1 September 1916 7 August 1966 Born in Ortaköy Palace; Died unmarried in Beirut, Lebanon; Şehzade Süleyman Saadeddin 20 November 1917 8 May 1995 Born in Ortaköy Palace; Married Lamia Baba Saoui (born 1930 in Beirut, Lebanon) on 1 April 1956 in Beirut, Lebanon, and had three children, one son (Şehzade Orhan Suleiman, born on 16 July 1959, Beirut. Married Rita Eid on 2003) and two daughters (Perihan Sleiman Hanımsultan, born 2 October 1963, Beirut; and Gülhan Sleiman Hanımsultan, born 30 January 1968, Beirut); Died in Saudi Arabia;

Ancestry