Ahmed Nihad

Who was Ahmed Nihad?

Ahmed Nihad, 38th Head of the Imperial House of Osman from 1944 to 1954, was the 38th and second post-imperial head of the Imperial House of Osman.

He was born in Çırağan Palace, Ortaköy on 5 July 1883, as the eldest son of Prince Mehmed Selaheddin Efendi, by his wife, Naziknaz Başhanımefendi, and grandson of Sultan Mehmed V. He was educated privately. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel of Infantry of the Ottoman Army.

Ahmed Efendi received the honors of the Collar of the Hanedan-ı-Ali-Osman and the Nişan-ı-Ali-Imtiyaz. He was succeeded on the death of his cousin, Prince Abdulmecid Efendi, the last Caliph of Islam, as Head of the Imperial House of Osman on 23 August 1944, to become the first head of the Ottoman family not to hold the office of Caliph of Islam since his ancestor Sultan Selim I was granted this title in 1517. Had he been the reigning Sultan he would have been Sultan Ahmed IV.