Abdil-Aziz, sultan of Turkey, second son of Mahmoud II., born Feb. 9, 1830. He succeeded his brother Abdul-Medjid, June 25, 1861. Like all heirs to the Turkish throne, his life until his accession was passed in seclusion, and little is known of him during that period except that he was fond of agricultural studies, and established a model farm at Scutari. On mounting the throne he was prodigal with promises of reform, dismissed the corrupt minister of finance, Riza Pasha, reduced his civil list, got rid of the seraglio, declared that he would not indulge in polygamy, and seemed to take a lively interest in ameliorating the condition of the people, and in purging public affairs from fraud and corruption. His intentions were excellent, and he was determined to give to his empire the benefits of European civilization. Hence his journey to France, England, and Austria in 1867, which tended to make him popular in those countries, but alienated from him the sympathies of orthodox Mussulmans. Disregarding the fanatical spirit of the opposition, he allowed foreigners, for the first time in Turkey, to hold real estate, established a public high school after a French model, enriched the capital with various scientific institutions, and endeavored to place the administration of justice upon a more solid basis by ordering the supreme court (1869) to draw up a civil code.

In many respects, however, his good intentions were soon overborne by opposition, the power of ancient usages, and. his own weakness. He recognized the independence and unity of Italy, negotiated treaties of commerce with England and France, crushed rebellion in Montenegro (1862) and in Crete (1868), and signed in 1871 the treaty of London deneutralizing the Black sea. He tolerated the accession to the Roumanian throne of Prince Charles of Hohenzollern as a matter of policy, but found much trouble in his relations with Egypt. In 1866, in consideration of a vast sum of money, he had, contrary to the Mohammedan law, granted to Ismail Pasha the right of succession to the viceregal throne in a direct line from father to son, while, instead of the title of viceroy, that of khedive was conferred upon him. A similar change was proposed for Turkey, so as to enable Yusuf, the eldest son of Abdul-Aziz, born in 1857 before his accession to the throne, to succeed him, contrary to the ancient institutions of the empire; but it was found impracticable, and the presumptive heir is consequently the sultan's eldest nephew, Mehemet Murad, born in 1840. Besides Yusuf, the sultan has four recognized children: Sultana Sa-likhe, born in 1862; Mahmoud Jemil, born in the same year; Mehmed Selim, 1866; and Abdul-Medjid, 1868.