by J. R. Practix

Abdul Hamid II: (1842-1918) the last sultan of Turkey, from 1876-1909. An autocratic ruler, he was deposed after the revolt of the Young Turks.

My dad was a short, German man who was very faithful to his duties but felt no real compulsion to step out of the box, but instead, built a life within one.

I have nothing bad to say about him at all. Matter of fact, he made it kind of easy for me to be my own person without–somebody reminding me all the time that I was his son. That’s kind of nice.

For you see, it’s really tough when you’re Abdul the Second. People walkin’ up to you talking about how good your dad was, how fair, how clever–always winking and suggesting that you might want to become a little bit more like him.

After all, Abdul II never thought he was going to be the last sultan. He ended up being the last sultan because he SUCKED. To continue the reign of sultans, you have to be a pretty good one so that your kid has a chance to screw up later.

That’s what happened with Abdul I. He was a good enough sultan that they let him continue to be one, and then, when he passed it on to his son. . . well,  his boy fumbled the ball on the three yard line.

So I guess it would be better stated that Abdul was the last turkey to be a sultan.

We all need to realize that it is better not to give our children our name, forcing them to live in the shadow of our deeds, good and bad.

Poor Abdul II.

He was just an old ruler overcome by young Turks.