• Share
• Tweet
• Share
• Share

Sultan Abdulhamid II: Pioneer of modern education in the Ottoman Empire

SULTAN II. ABDÜLHAMID

• - Sultan Abdulhamid II, the 34th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and the 99th Islamic Caliph, accomplished many significant feats for the state and the people during his 33-year reign.
• - Despite ascending the throne during a turbulent period, Sultan Abdulhamid made strides in various fields, especially education, science, arts, industry, and technology, to contribute to the advancement of the Ottoman Empire.

• Turkey
• Published Date: 02:32 | 11 February 2025
• Modified Date: 03:05 | 11 February 2025

SULTAN II. ABDÜLHAMID'S COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION

• - One of Sultan Abdulhamid II's main goals, as the ruler of three continents, was to modernize institutions. The Sultan, who commissioned numerous works, laid the foundations of modern education in the Ottoman Empire with the higher education institutions he revitalized.
• - Sultan Abdulhamid, who played a pivotal role in shaping the fate of the state, placed great importance on education. With schools where he personally prepared the curricula, he aimed to raise generations well-versed in Islamic ethics.

EDUCATION DURING THE REIGN OF SULTAN II. ABDÜLHAMID

• - One of the most important educational reforms in Ottoman history took place during Sultan Abdulhamid II's reign. A strong advocate for education, Abdulhamid followed a policy based on centralization and balancing institutions in the field of education.
• - The state provided financial support for the opening of new schools, with a particular focus on ensuring that education reached every corner of Anatolia. From 1878 onwards, educational activities began to spread widely across the entire empire.

WORKS TRANSLATED INTO TURKISH BY SULTAN II. ABDÜLHAMID

• - Sultan Abdulhamid II, who opened schools in almost every field of education, from primary schools to universities, demonstrated how much he valued education for the future of the country.
• - Seeing how the leading countries in the world became great powers through education, the Sultan took a major step towards achieving widespread schooling throughout the country. This was a significant move for the development of the country and its ability to compete with great powers.
• - Schools established during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid aimed to educate students in all fields. As a result, educational institutions were established in various areas such as the School of Commerce, the School of Law, the Veterinary School, and the Civil Service School.

• - By establishing schools in different fields, the Ottoman Empire aimed to meet the needs of its state institutions and address the shortage of Muslim human resources. The Sultan believed that the restoration of the empire's former power and its recognition among leading countries of the world could only be achieved through this strategy.
• - Abdulhamid, who blended modern education with Islamic sensitivities in the curriculum, prepared detailed regulations regarding textbooks and teachers' conduct within schools. His goal was to ensure that young people receiving education in state schools would grow up to be loyal individuals to Islam, the state, and its institutions.
• - When evaluating the political, social, and economic conditions of the time, it is important to remember that Sultan Abdulhamid's era was also a period when the Tanzimat reforms, based on modernization efforts, were implemented. In 1869, the education system was attempted to be modernized with the Maarif-Umumye Regulations to bring about a reorganization in the education system.

SCHOOLS DURING THE REIGN OF SULTAN II. ABDÜLHAMID

• - During the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II, the Ottoman Empire reached the peak of schooling. In the year he ascended to the throne, there were 250 Rüştiye (secondary schools), and by 1909, this number increased to 900. Similarly, the number of Madrasas (Islamic schools) rose from 6 to 109.
• - In 1877, there were only 200 modern primary schools in Istanbul, but by 1905, this number had risen to 9,000. Throughout his 33-year reign, Abdulhamid opened an average of 400 primary schools each year. With the number of schools he established, he set a historic record.

DARÜLFÜNUN-I ŞAHANE

• - Sultan Abdulhamid II, who viewed education as a top priority regardless of the state's conditions, made significant changes in the field of education through the schools he opened. Many prestigious universities were established during his reign.
• - Darülfünun-ı Şahane, which laid the foundation for universities in Türkiye, is one of the prime examples of schools opened during Sultan II. Abdülhamid's era. The school officially opened on August 31, 1900, the 25th anniversary of his ascension to the throne. It operated with three faculties: the Faculty of Literature and Philosophy, the Faculty of Science and Mathematics, and the Faculty of Theology (Ulum- Alye-Dünye, also known as Ilahiyat).
• From the year it began its operations, Darülfünun-ı Şahane remained the center of education for 33 years. In 1933, it was reformed and continued its existence under the name Istanbul University.

HAMİDİYE COMMERCE SCHOOL

• - There are many universities built during the reign of Sultan II. Abdülhamid. One of them is the Hamidiye Commerce School, recognized as the first commerce school in the Ottoman Empire. The school, which still exists today, is known as Marmara University.
• - Sultan Abdülhamid, aiming to make the steps taken in the economic field permanent and ensuring its expansion, also took action in education and teaching. The school's founding regulations clearly stated that the purpose was to "train skilled individuals in trade."
• - Historically, in the Ottoman Empire, it was mostly non-Muslim citizens who were involved in trade, while Muslims tended to pursue military, administrative, and civil service roles, leaving them in the background. Given this, the establishment of this school to meet such a need was inevitable. The school played an important role in the development of trade in the country and in ensuring that Muslims took an active role in commerce.

SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, DUMB, AND BLIND

• - One of the schools established with the donations of Sultan II. Abdülhamid is the School for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind, which was initially set up as a special section within the Hamidiye Commerce School. The primary focus of the school was to educate the deaf and dumb. In 1891, blind students also began to join the education program.
• - The curriculum included lessons in reading and writing Turkish and French, pronunciation of frequently used words, calligraphy, geometry, geography, and arithmetic. No distinction was made in the acceptance of students. Deaf and blind students assisted each other while going to and from school.