Early Life and Ascension to the Throne Birth and Background : Abdul Hamid II was born on September 21, 1842, in Istanbul. He was the son of Sultan Abdulmejid I and Tirimüjgan Sultan, of Circassian descent. Education : He received a traditional Ottoman education, including studies in Arabic, Persian, and French, as well as Islamic theology and governance. Ascension : Abdul Hamid II ascended to the throne on August 31, 1876, after the deposition of his brother, Sultan Murad V, who was deemed mentally unfit to rule. Early Reign and the Constitution of 1876 First Ottoman Constitution : One of Abdul Hamid's earliest acts was the promulgation of the Ottoman Constitution on December 23, 1876. This established a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliament, aiming to modernize the empire and address internal discontent. Suspension of the Constitution : Despite initially supporting the constitution, Abdul Hamid II suspended it in 1878, following the Russo-Turkish War (18...