Sehzade Mehmed Seyfeddin

Şehzade Mehmed Seyfeddin Efendi (; 22 September 1874 – 19 October 1927) was an Ottoman prince, the son of Sultan Abdulaziz and Gevheri Kadın.

Early life Şehzade Mehmed Seyfeddin was born on 22 September 1874 in the Çırağan Palace. His father was Abdulaziz, son of Mahmud II and Pertevniyal Sultan, and his mother was Gevheri Kadın. He was the youngest son of his father and the second child of his mother. He was the younger full brother of Esma Sultan.

Abdulaziz was deposed on 30 May 1876 and was succeeded by his nephew Murad V. However Abdulaziz's entourage didn't want to leave the Dolmabahçe Palace. He was transferred to Feriye Palace the next day. On 4 June 1876, Abdulaziz died under mysterious circumstances.

Seyfeddin began his education at Ilhamur Mansion in 1879, along with his siblings Esma Sultan and Şehzade Mehmed Şevket and Sultan Abdul Hamid II's children Şehzade Mehmed Selim and Zekiye Sultan. He spent his childhood and early youth in Feriye Palace along with his sister and mother. He took art and painting lessons at a young age, and was known to be a great composer. His music teachers were Tanbûrî Cemil Bey and Santûrî Edhem Efendi. Besides music he was known for his paintings, poetry and revelation. also known as Necmifelek. She was born on 5 January 1880. They married on 4 December 1899. She was the mother of Şehzade Mehmed Abdulaziz, born on 26 September 1901. She died in 1930 in Nice, France.

His second wife was Nervaliter Hanım.

His fourth consort was Muruvverid Hanım. They did not have children. He composed classical religious and non-religious songs.

Apart from music, he also set mahya lights on the minarets of mosques of Istanbul in Ramadan. He personally measured the minarets.

Military career Mehmed Seyfeddin was enlisted in the imperial Ottoman Navy during the reign of his cousin, Sultan Mehmed V. He was given the rank of honorary captain on 7 February 1916. Two years later, on 28 July 1918, he was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral, and later to the rank of vice-admiral.

After the Armistice of Mudros was concluded in October 1918, chaos and invasions emerged in Anatolia. The government sent counselling committees to Anatolia under the leadership of princes and invited the people to peace. For this purpose, two delegations with princes serving head were formed. One of them was sent to Anatolia and the other to Thrace. In April 1919, Seyfeddin serving as the head of one of the delegations, went to Thrace. In the delegation, there were former Minister of War Ferik Cevad Pasha, Chief of the General Staff Ferik Fevzi Pasha and two lieutenants. Scholar Ziyaeddin Efendi a representative from the Foreign Translation Office was also included in the delegation.

For the purpose of bringing the Ottoman navy to a good level during the campaign carried out by the Naval Society during the First World War, Seyfeddin donated 60,000 kuruş to the society. Seyfeddin who was keen on maritime and shipbuilding, went to Vienna and Karsbald thermal springs for treatment in 1918.

Exile and death

Upon the exile of the imperial family in March 1924, Seyfeddin and his family moved to Cimiez, Nice, France. They bought a villa near the Villa Carabacel which belonged to his cousin Seniha Sultan. He died on 19 October 1927 at the age of fifty-three and was buried in the cemetery of the Sulaymaniyya Takiyya, Damascus, Syria. Order of Glory, Jeweled

Military appointments Honorary military appointments 7 February 1916: Captain, Ottoman Navy 28 July 1918: Rear-Admiral, Ottoman Navy Vice-Admiral, Ottoman Navy

Issue Name Birth Death Notes By Neşefelek Hanım (married 4 December 1899; 5 January 1880 – 1930) Şehzade Mehmed Abdulaziz 26 September 1901 19 January 1977 born in Feriye Palace; married once, and had issue, a daughter; died in Nice, France, and buried there By Nervaliter Hanım (married 23 February 1902; 27 March 1885 – 1935) Şehzade Mahmud Şevket 30 July 1903 31 January 1973 born in Suadiye Villa; married in 1922 and divorced in 1928 Adile Hanımsultan, daughter of Naime Sultan, and had issue, a daughter; died in exile in Bagnols-sur-Cèze, Gard, France, and buried there Şehzade Ahmed Tevhid 2 December 1904 24 April 1966 born in Küçük Çamlıca Villa, Üsküdar, twin brother of Gevheri Sultan; died unmarried in exile in Beirut, Lebanon Fatma Gevheri Sultan 2 December 1904 10 December 1980 born in Küçük Çamlıca Villa, Üsküdar, twin sister of Şehzade Ahmed Tevhid; died unmarried in Taksim Square, Istanbul, and buried in tomb of Sultan Mahmud II

Ancestry