Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-05
V,Su|tan
 of Turkey, is Dead
a5TH SOVEREIGN OF THE HOUSE
 OF OSMAN
B YEARS A PRISONER
Sultan Was Born in ConstantinopIe, Nov. 8, 1s45-Was Never Strong in the Government.

Amsterdam, July 4-Mohammed V, sultan of Turkey, died at o'clock last night, says Constantinople despatch received here today by way of Vienna.
 Held Prisoner for 33 Years.
 Mohammed V. thirty fifth sovereign of Turkey in direct descent of the House of Osman, founder of the em- pire. came to the throne by coupetat on April 27. 1909, after having been held for thirty three years prisoner by his brother Sultan Abdul IT. in the royal palace and gardens in Constan- tlnople The Scheming Abdul II in tended that his own son. Prince Bur han Edine, described as the most brilliant and gifted of the princes of the House of Osman should succeed him. But this plan was thwarted when parliament deposed Abdul and placed his prisoner brother. Moham- med Reschad Effedi, on the throne as Mohammed "
 Took Oath of Fidelity.
 The Sheik-ul- Yslam. head of the Ntoslem church. drew up the decree of deposition, which passed parliament without a dissenting voice. Five min utes later. Mohammed. who during his imprisonment had had no experience in the duties of government. being pur- poselv denied education in such mat ters hy his brother, was declared sul- tan The same afternoon he took the oath of fidelity to the Turkish consti- tuition and 1O1 guns proclaimed the new sovereign.
 Mohammed V was horn in Constan- tinople. November 3. 1S45 He was of a studious disposition and read wide ly in the Turkish literature His long | imprisonment with lack of exercise and rich living undermined his health | and several times he was reported ] dead or seriously i'll. His appearance ! showed the ravages of time and the worries of an unsteady throne By i his enforced secrlsion he was totally | unfit for public life ard is reported to | have said regarding it: During my imprisonment of thirty three years
 my enemies have slan5nred me and called me a madman bordering on i'm becility." He was characterized as eood-ratured. weak and ingenious with an almost jnfantile curiosity, and of a religious nature.
 Favored Young Turks.
 At his accession he espoused the cause of Young Turks the party whicf
 
 emonv of his brothers reign Upor the deposition Of Abdul Mohammet was welcomed by them as champion of freedom. He promised a progressive reign in a speech from the throne reat by the grand vizier. He was how ever. merely pawn Of the Youns Turk party. although he sent out tt the world the messa ge that he haC always been the ardent supporter O
 the cause of liberty. enlightenment anC progress.
 Weak in Government.
 His hand in the government wa never strong. Illness a na turalIy easy
 disposition and weak Will-power kep
 him continually at the mercy of tn Turkish officers and the liberal party
 He feared deposition during the Tur lSo-Ttalian war in 1911 and spent | night praying in the various shrine f of Constantinople. He appealed f l the army to be loyal to him and sai , that their reasonable demands en 7 coura eed the enemy to attack the Oar , danelles. He also lost most of hi l European d0minions in the Balka, t wars. The Young Turks invaded tn ? palace in 1913 when Mohammed wa l reDorted 10 have become reconcile
 with his brother
 : Blamed Triple Entente. Tn 1914, at the outbreak of the pres ent war. Mohammed issued a procIa nation blaming the triple Entente wit
 thrusting war on Turkey. He ex
 changed telegrams of greeting wit
 the German emperor from whom h Il later received the Iron Cross Whe
 England and France declared that ', state of war existed with Turkey | ' arranged to send troops to German g whenever needed. In return he wa ], | appointed field marshal by the Ger Il man emperor and received the baton ( that office from Field Marshal Vo 5 Mackensen.
 : In February, 1917, in a speech i t n1rliament. the sultan promised Turk Il ish participa tion in the war until II = end. and declared the alliance force a him to break relations with the Uni V ed States
 # Paid Dearly For Entering War. l. The Turkish empire paid dearly f q his entry into the great war. Russ d overrar Armenia a dthe British drov ,t the Turks far up the valleys of U tt Euphrates and the Tigris and toc q Jerusalem. Bagdad and. other impor IS ant cities from them with great loss e life and treasure. Under him Turkt h has become virtually 8 German vass Tt in the autocratic scheme of the Ge h man powers for Teutonic ascendenC 1f in central Europe.
 The next heir to the throne. Yusse
 Izzeduno, is the son of the late Sults
 Abdul Aziz and was therefore. fir II cousin of Mohammed " Mohammed IL eldest son Zia Eddine, a man now ov al thirty, is ninth in the line of succe ,- sion.