Mustafa Murad (November 3, 1868 – February 15, 1918) was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1907 until his death in 1918. His reign was marked by progressive policies towards science, education, technology, and military affairs, as well as expansion of the empire.
Mustafa Murad was born in Constantinople, the son of Sultan Murad V and Sultana Şevkefza Kadın. Raised in the court, he received a modern education and developed a keen interest in science and technology. He entered military service and rose to the rank of kaymakam (lieutenant). Following his father's forced abdication in 1876, Abdulhamid II was enthroned; fearing for their lives, Mustafa and his mother were exiled to Manisa.
After Abdulhamid II's overthrow by the 1908 Young Turk Revolution, the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) reinstated the constitutional monarchy. Murad was asked to ascend the throne, as his moderate views were deemed favorable to both the CUP and the deposed sultan's loyalists.
As Sultan, Mustafa Murad enacted wide-ranging reforms to modernize the empire. He established a more efficient, professional bureaucracy and improved the quality of public education with greater focus on science, technology, and engineering. He also encouraged free speech and an open press, granting more editorial freedom than under his predecessor.
Mustafa Murad sponsored and encouraged numerous scientific and technological endeavors, fostering a culture of progress in the empire. Under his rule, the empire saw rapid advances in railway, telegraph, telephone, radio and automobile technologies. Major infrastructure projects, such as the Constantinople Canal, were also initiated during his reign.
The Ottoman Empire became a pioneer in aeronautics, with the Ottoman Air Force (or ''Havacılık Kuvvet-i Umumiye'') established in 1911. The air force, one of the first in the world, quickly grew in size and aided in scouting, communication, and tactical support.
Under Mustafa Murad's rule, the empire's borders expanded significantly due to military campaigns and alliances with other nations. The Ottomans annexed Tunisia and Libya in 1912. Italy's defeat in World War I facilitated Ottoman annexation of Calabria and Sicily.
Prior to the outbreak of war, the empire formed alliances with the German Empire and Austria-Hungary, as well as some Central Asian khanates, to counteract increasing hostility from Western powers. These alliances helped the empire survive the Turkish War of Independence.
In 1913, Mustafa Murad endeavored to create a more unified Islamic world by declaring a Union of Islamic Caliphates (''İttihad-i Alilik''), in which the Caliph would oversee religious and spiritual matters. This alliance strengthened ties between nations and was a strategic move against the growing influence of Christian nations in the Middle East.
Under Mustafa Murad's rule, the Ottoman Army underwent significant reforms. He modernized armaments, training, and organization, while adopting the German military model. He also invested in naval technology, with the Ottoman Navy (''Bahriye Havacılık Komutanlığı-Biçer Kandıralı'') becoming one of the strongest in the Mediterranean.
These military reforms proved crucial for the empire during World War I. Despite heavy casualties, the Ottoman Army managed to resist Allied advances until 1918.
Mustafa Murad died on February 15, 1918, leaving a lasting legacy of reform and progress. Due to the empire's weakened state, the Treaty of Sèvres ended his son Abdulmajid Murad's reign in 1922. However, the technological, scientific, and educational advancements brought about under Mustafa Murad's rule remain, as does his vision for a unified Islamic world.
Following Mustafa Murad's death, he was succeeded by his son Abdulmajid Murad, with the empire eventually succumbing to Allied troops and entering a tumultuous transitional period. Modern Turkey was founded after the Turkish War of Independence, but traces of Mustafa Murad's progressive policies can still be seen in various aspects of contemporary Turkish society.
