Şehzade Mehmed Selaheddin was born on 12 August 1861 in the Dolmabahçe Palace. His father was Sultan Murad V, and his mother was Reftarıdil Kadın, the daughter of Hatkoyuko Hatko. He was the eldest child, and only son of her father, and the only child of her mother. He was the grandson of Sultan Abdulmejid I and Şevkefza Kadın. Selaheddin was circumcised in 1870. Other princes who were circumcised along with him included, his uncles, Şehzade Selim Süleyman, Şehzade Mehmed Vahideddin, sons of Sultan Abdulmejid I, Şehzade Yusuf Izzeddin, Şehzade Mahmud Celaleddin, sons of Sultan Abdülaziz, and Sultanzade Alaeddin Bey, son of Münire Sultan, daughter of Abdulmejid. Selaheddin's early education took place in the Prince's School, Dolmabahçe Palace, where his tutor was Süleyman Agha. After graduating from the Prince's School, he was enrolled in the Ottoman Military College, and went on to become Major-General in the Imperial Ottoman Army. After Murad's accession the throne on 30 May 1876, after the deposition of his uncle Sultan Abdülaziz, his family settled in the Dolmabahçe Palace. After reigning for three months, he was deposed on 30 August 1876, due to mental instability and was imprisoned in the Çırağan Palace. Selaheddin and his mother followed him into confinement.
Life in confinement
At the time of her family's confinement, Selaheddin was fifteen years old. His apartments were located on the ground floor of the Çırağan Palace. During this time Selaheddin wrote a diary which give an account of the daily life of the imprisoned members of his father's immediate family and their retinue. Rifat Pasha, who had been appointed to treat the people of Murad's entourage, proposed Selaheddin to teach him a bit about medicine. Selaheddin gladly accepted his proposal. The two of them decided to say that Selaheddin was suffering from some illness. Rifat Pasha then began to come to the palace frequently, first treating whoever might really be sick before shutting himself up in a room with Selaheddin and working with him. Rifat Pasha would dictate the important things to Selaheddin, who wrote them down and then sat and memorized them at night. Selaheddin's study of medicine in this way proved to be quite useful, for the day came when he even treated his father himself. After Şevkefza Kadın's death in 1889, Murad focused all his love and attention on his children. Selaheddin became his companion in grief, and the two of them passed long hours together reminiscing about bygone days as well as speculating on the future. For some time father and son took an interest in the Mesnevi, spending hours reciting verses from that work and taking great pleasure in doing so.
Personal life
Selaheddin's first wife was Dilaviz Hanım. She was born in 1862 in Batumi, Georgia. She had been presented in the imperial harem by Mahmud Celaleddin Pasha. They married on 13 March 1877. She was the mother of Ayşe Beyhan Sultan. She died of tuberculosis in the Malta Köşkü, Yıldız Palace, and was buried in Yahya Efendi Cemetery. His second wife was Tevhide Zatıgül Hanım. She was the daughter of Ibrahim Bey. She was born on 25 January 1864 in Batumi, Georgia. They married on 3 December 1878. She was the mother of Celile Sultan, Rukiye Sultan, Adile Sultan, and Emine Atiye Sultan. She died on 8 April 1896, and was buried in Yahya Efendi Cemetery. His third wife was Zeliha Vasfıcihan Hanım. They married in 1879. She was the mother of Şehzade Livaeddin. The two divorced in 1882. His fourth wife was Naziknaz Hanım. She was born in 1862 in Kars, Caucasus. They married on 7 July 1879. She was the mother of Behiye Sultan and Şehzade Ahmed Nihad. She died on 17 February 1928 in Nice, France. His fifth wife was Gülter Hanım. She was the daughter of Halil Bey Tarkanişvili. She was born on 18 April 1867 in Tiflis, Georgia. They married on 10 December 1886. She was the mother of Safiye Sultan. She died on 17 February 1895, and was buried in Yahya Efendi Cemetery. His sixth wife was Jalefer Hanım. She was born on 19 August 1872 in Kars, Caucasus. They married on 15 April 1891. She was the mother of Şehzade Osman Fuad. She died on 7 April 1937 in Ortaköy, Istanbul. His seventh wife was Cemile Dilberistan Hanım. She was born in 1880. They married in 1895. She died in 1955 in Istanbul.
Death
Şehzade Mehmed Selaheddin died on 29 April 1915 in the Feneryolu Palace, Üsküdar at the age of fifty three, having outlived his father by a mere eleven years and leaving two sons and four daughters. He was buried in the mausoleum of Şehzade Ahmed Kemaleddin, Yahya Efendi Cemetery, Istanbul.
