Turkish professor angers Ottoman family, public after controversial post on X
The photo (on the right) of the descendants of the Ottoman family in the UK, which sparked controversy, and a similar photo taken years ago, Jul 3, 2021. (Photo via Ayse Gulnev Osmanoglu's X account)
On Dec. 2, 2024, renowned finance expert Professor Ozgur Demirtas posted- then subsequently deleted- a controversial comment on X, simply sharing a photo of Ayse Gulnev Osmanoglu’s children with the laughing emoji.
Many social media users accused Demirtas of making fun of the Ottoman descendants, igniting culture wars between the conservative and secular sides of Türkiye’s political spectrum. According to many users, Demirtas intended to portray the Ottoman family members as ‘rich, modern, out-of-touch, Western-looking’ individuals with no connection to their past,’ the sad story of the Ottoman dynasty is overlooked.
The image of the children, who are descendants of Sultan Murad V (one of the Ottoman Empire’s last Sultans), sparked a wave of criticism. Demirtas eventually deleted his tweet due to backlash on Dec. 4.
Ayse Gulnev Osmanoglu, the great-granddaughter of Murad V, currently resides in the United Kingdom with her British husband.
Family member responds: Abdulhamid Kayihan Osmanoglu defends his relatives’ honor
The first to respond to Demirtas’s post was Ayse Gulnev Osmanoglu’s cousin, Abdulhamid Kayihan Osmanoglu.
In a statement made through his X account, he defended the family, saying: “We are the descendants of an Ottoman dynasty that served our proud nation for six centuries! Whether on the plains of Kosovo, the deserts of Yemen, or before the gates of Vienna, the Turkish flag waved proudly in the hands of the Ottoman dynasty, which bore the divine blessings of the Turks! We were exiled from our homeland; many of us perished from hunger or neglect, but we never turned our backs on our state or our fate. We lived with dignity and did not allow ourselves to be mocked by the soulless like you. Thank God.”
Ayse Gulnev Osmanoglu responds, calling out Demirtas for mocking her children
In her statement, Ayse Gulnev Osmanoglu responded directly to Ozgur Demirtas’s X post, expressing her displeasure. “Firstly, I don’t understand why Professor Demirtas is laughing at my children! They look the way Allah created them.”
“Secondly, I own the rights to this photograph, and he doesn’t have my permission to use the image! Thank you to my cousin Kayihan Efendi for defending their honor,” she wrote on X.
Social media divided: Public reactions and growing tension
The incident has created a divide on social media, with many defending Osmanoglu’s family and criticizing Demirtas for his insensitive comment. Others have pointed out the cultural significance of respecting the descendants of historical figures, particularly those with such a rich legacy as the Ottoman dynasty.
This dispute has highlighted ongoing discussions about cultural respect, the legacy of historical families, and the ethics of social media posts. As public figures like Ozgur Demirtas continue to influence online discourse, the case of Ayse Gulnev Osmanoglu and her family underscores the importance of respecting personal boundaries and cultural heritage in a rapidly connected world.
Ottoman family dynasty’s lost properties and legal struggles
According to Professor Ekrem Bugra Ekinci, before their exile, the Ottoman dynasty was forced to sell or pledge their possessions at incredibly low prices, with many items looted under police supervision.
As the new political regime rose to power in 1908, the focus shifted to accumulating wealth, often by taking assets from the royal family, minorities who became wealthy under Western-imposed capitulations, and other sources.
In 1924, a law mandated the liquidation of the dynasty’s properties, but these were not state-owned and should have been protected by the Constitution.
The exiled royals were given a limited time to sell or distribute their property. Many tried to transfer their assets to trusted individuals or agents, but very few succeeded in recovering them after exile.
Some properties were plundered or sold for minimal amounts, with opportunistic figures taking advantage of the situation. For instance, Prince Ziyaeddin Efendi’s mansion was stolen, and Sultan Vahideddin’s properties were sold off by agents who did not honor the family’s interests.
Ekinci pointed out that despite some legal attempts to reclaim the properties, the dynasty’s claims were blocked, and the legal system supported the state’s seizure of these assets.
As a result, the royal family was left without their wealth, while the assets of the Ottoman Empire were effectively distributed among the state and those in power.
Historian Yusa Bayramoglu replied to Demirtas’s Tweet by highlighting the eventual destitute of the Ottoman family. “Prince Ahmet Nureddin Efendi died of starvation in a park in France. A note was found in his pocket that read, ‘I am dying of starvation; do not blame anyone.’ Prince Sabahattin’s 80-year-old mother, Seniha Sultan, slept in parks. Bidar Sultan froze to death.”
Moreover, Ekinci noted that the laws enacted to manage the exile and liquidation of the dynasty’s properties violated universal legal principles, stripping the heirs of their rights and missing the opportunity for a just resolution.
The descendants of the Ottoman dynasty today are in the U.S., the U.K., France, Lebanon, and Türkiye. The family’s legacy and interpretation of the role of the current generation continue to be part of the public debate.
