What was the Ottoman Caliphate?

The Ottoman Caliphate was the final major Islamic caliphate, spanning from 1517 until its abolition in 1924. Originally assumed by the Ottoman dynasty in the 14th century, the claim expanded to universal authority after Sultan Selim I conquered Mamluk Egypt and gained control of Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. The institution survived territorial losses, World War I, and changing political landscapes before it was formally dissolved during the secular reforms of the newly established Republic of Turkey.

What we know

• Ottoman rulers first assumed the style of caliph in the 14th century without initially claiming religious authority beyond their own borders. [2]
• Sultan Selim I conquered Mamluk Egypt in 1517, bringing Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem under Ottoman control and transitioning the caliphal claim to universal authority. [2]
• Abdul Hamid II attempted to strengthen the empire through a Pan-Islamist foreign policy as territorial losses accumulated in the 18th and 19th centuries. [2]
• The Grand National Assembly of Turkey officially abolished the Ottoman Caliphate on March 3, 1924, deposing the last caliph, Abdülmecid II. [2, 3]

Where to go next

• what caused itHow did Sultan Selim I conquer Mamluk Egypt?
• what followedWhat happened after the abolition of the caliphate?
• how it workedHow did Abdul Hamid II use Pan-Islamism?
• a case in pointWhat was the Sharifian Caliphate?
• the bigger pictureWhat is an Islamic caliphate?
• an unexpected connectionHow did exiled Ottoman royals receive support from their replacement?Hussein bin Ali, who claimed the subsequent Sharifian Caliphate after opposing Ottoman rule, financially supported the exiled late Ottoman dynasty to prevent them from being ruined.

Sources

• [1]Ottoman caliphate (Wikidata Q2034358) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Ottoman Caliphate · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Abolition of the Caliphate · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Caliphate · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Sharifian Caliphate · CC BY-SA 4.0

Your path

1. What lies beneath the city of Jackson, Mississippi?
2. /What was the Ottoman Caliphate?