Sultan Abdulhamid I (1725-1789) ascended the throne at the age of 49. He was the 27th Ottoman Sultan and the 106th Islamic Caliph. His father was Sultan Ahmed III, and his mother was Rabia Sherimi Sultan.
Upon taking the throne on January 21, 1774, he found himself amidst the aftermath of the Russian disaster. The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca was reluctantly signed with the Russians. Exploiting the situation, the Austrians also occupied the Balkans.
In the East, a war broke out with Iran, resulting in the loss of Basra in 1776. Meanwhile, an alliance was formed between the Russians and Iranians. Just as the eastern borders were on the brink of collapse, internal turmoil in Iran came to the rescue, allowing the Ottomans to reclaim Basra three years later (1779).
Subsequently, the Treaty of Aynalıkavak was signed with the Russians, resolving some disputed clauses from the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca and recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea. During this period, the military was restructured, and a war was waged against the Russians. However, when the Austrians sided with the Russians in the war, the forts of Hotin, Yaş, and Ozi fell, deeply saddening Sultan Abdulhamid I. After a period of illness, he passed away in 1789.
He is known as a pure, devout, and compassionate ruler. He was viewed as a saintly figure by the people. Although he sought to implement reforms in some institutions with good intentions, circumstances did not allow it. Particularly, the war to reclaim Crimea from the Russians further strained the already precarious economic balance of the state, depleting the treasury.
Sultan Abdulhamid I, who had a penchant for science and art, is known as one of the sultans who sponsored the most charitable works. Devout and deeply devoted to the love of Prophet Muhammad, Abdulhamid I personally penned a famous ode that he sent to Medina to be placed in the Prophet's Mosque. During his reign, numerous fires broke out in Istanbul, many of them due to arson. The Cibali fire of 1780, in particular, is known as the largest fire in Istanbul's history, lasting for 50 hours and resulting in the destruction of nearly 20,000 buildings. Sultan Abdulhamid I personally participated in firefighting efforts and won the affection of the people. It is known that he would wander through Istanbul in disguise, listening to the problems of the public and tradesmen. He also conducted a census of the Janissary Corps during his reign, preventing unjust receipt of salaries.
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