His Imperial Majesty, The Sultan Abdülhamid II, Emperor of the Ottomans, Caliph of the Faithful (also known as Abdul Hamid II, Abd Al-Hamid II Khan Ghazi and The Crimson Sultan) (September 21/22, 1842 – February 10. 1918) is the 34th sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

He is the last Sultan to exert effective control over the Ottoman Empire.

He oversees a period of decline in the power and extent of the Empire, ruling from 31 August 1876 until he is deposed on 27 April 1909.

He is succeeded by Mehmed V. His deposition following the Young Turk Revolution is hailed by most Ottoman citizens, who welcome the return to constitutional rule.

During his tenure, he is responsible for both modernization of the Ottoman Empire, as well as exerting maximum control over its affairs.

Changes include: rationalization of the bureaucracy; the ambitious Hijaz Railway project; the creation of a modern system of personnel records (1896); establishment of an elaborate system for population registration and control over the press; systematization of officials salaries (1880); first modern law school (1898).

Between the period 1871-1908, the Sublime Porte thus reaches a new degree of organizational elaboration and articulation.