The sun., 1918-07-05
SULTAN OF TURKEY,
MOHAMMED v, DIES
Imprisoned Thirty-three Years
Before He Was Placed
on Throne.
YOUNG TURKS CHAMPION
Weak Ruler Became Tool OF
Germany and Lost Much
of Empire.

AMSTERDAM. July 4.-Mohammed ",
Sultan of Turkey, died at Z o'clock last
night. says Constantinople despatch
received here to-day by way OF Vienna
Mohammed ", thlrty-ffth sovereign
of Turkey In direct descent of the House
of Osman, founder of the empire. came
to the throne by coup d'etat on April
~, 1903, after having been held Tor
thlrty-three years prisoner by ms
brother, Sultan Abdul IL. in the royal
palace and gardens in Constantinople.
The scheming Abdul II. intended that
his own son. Prince Durham Edine. de-
scrlbed as the most brilliant and gifted
Of the princess OF ~ House of Osman,
should succeed him. But this plan was
thwarted when Parliament deposed Alb
dul and placed his prisoner brother
Mohammed Reschad Enendi. on the
throne as Mohammed V.
The Sheik- ul- Islam, head Of the Mos
lem Church, drew up the decree OF dep
ositon, which passed Parliament with
out a dissenting voice. Five minutes
later Mohammed, who during his i'm
prisonment had had no experience in the
duties of Government, being purposelI
denied education in such matters by hi:
brother, was declared Sultan. The same
afternoon he took the oath of fidelity tc
the Turkish constitution and lOl guns
proclaimed the new sovereign.
4 Studious sultan.
Mohammed v. was born in CONSTANT
nople November 3. 1S45. He was OF
studious disposition and read widely II
| Turkish literature. His long mprison
ment with lack Of exercise and rich liv
| ing undermined his health, and severa
! times he was reported dead or seriousl!
/ Ill. His appearance showed the ravage
! OF time and the worries OF an unstead.
! throne BY his enforced seclusion h
was totally UNIT for public life. and /
reported to have said regarding It
| During my imprisonment OF thirty
three years my enemies have slandere
me and called me mailman bordering
on imbecility." He was characterize
az good natured, weak and ingenious
with an almost infantile curiosity, an
| OF religious nature.
At his accession he espoused the caus
of the Young Turks, the party whic
was in opposition to the form and cere
mony of his brothers reign. Upon tn
deposition of Abdul. Mohammed wa
welcomed by them as champion O
freedom. He promised progressiv
reign in speech from the throne rea
by the Grand Nizier. He was, however
merely a pawn OF the Young Turk party
although he sent out to the world tn
message that he had always been tn
ardent supporter OF the cause OF liberty
enlightenment and progress.
Rule Not strong.
His hand in the Government was nevt
strong. Illness, a naturally easy dispc
sition and weak will power kept hi
continually at the mercy of the Turks
; officers and the Liberal party. He feare
. deposition during the Turko- Ital!an wa
in 1911 and spent a night praying
! the various shrnes OF Constantinop!
He appealed to the army to be loyal
him and said that their reasonable d.
mands encouraged the enemy to attac
the Dardanelles He also lost most
: his European dominions in the Balkn
Q wars. The Young Turks invaded Il
= palace in 1913. when Mohammed W;
e reported to have become reconciled Wi
: his brother.
In 1914. at the outbreak OF the presc
war, Mohammed issued proclamatiC
blaming the Triple Entente with thrus
ing war on Turkey He exchanged tel
grams of greeting with the German Er
peror, from whom he later received q
Iron Cross. When England and Fran
! declared that state OF war exist
, with Turkey he arranged to send troo
: to Germany whenever needed. In r
:, turn he was appointed Field Marsh
a by the German Emperor and receiv
= the baton OF that Office from Field Ma
n shall Won Nackensen.