Biography
Abdulaziz was born in Constantinople in 1830, a son of Sultan Mahmud II and Pertevniyal Sultan. He received a traditional Ottoman education but admired Western material progress, wrote poetry and composed music. He succeeded his brother Abdulmejid I as sultan on 25 June 1861.
During his first decade the Tanzimat reforms continued under his chief ministers Fuad Pasha and Aali Pasha: new provinces (vilayets) were created in 1864, a Council of State was set up in 1868, education was reorganised on the French model, and work began on the Mecelle civil code. He built up the navy into one of the largest in the world and began the first Ottoman railway networks. In 1867 he became the first sultan to travel to Western Europe on a diplomatic visit, touring Paris, London and Vienna, and he recognised Egypt's ruler as khedive.
After Fuad and Aali died in 1871 he turned to more personal rule and closer ties with Russia. Heavy spending on the navy and palaces, a famine in Anatolia and mounting foreign debt led to default in 1875, while revolts in Herzegovina and Bulgaria opened the Great Eastern Crisis. His ministers deposed him on 30 May 1876, and six days later he was found dead in Feriye Palace; physicians at the time ruled it a suicide.
