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Auction: 21001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals (conducted behind closed doors)
Lot: 1382

(x) Turkey, Ottoman Empire, Loyalty and Bravery (Imtiaz) Medal, 36mm, silver, with named inscription to reversegood very fine

The inscription on the reverse translates as:

'Honorary Aide-de-camp to His Majesty the Sultan - A'amr Farooq'

(Yaveran-i Hazret-i Sehr-yari - A'amr Farooq).

Almost certainly Prince (Sehzade) Ömer Faruk was born on 7 February 1898 at the Ortaköy Palace, Constantinople, the son of last caliph of Muslim world Abdulmejid II and Sehsuvar Hanim. He was the imperial son-in-law of Sultan Mehmed VI of the Ottoman Empire and was educated at the Galatasaray Lycée, the Theresianum Military Academy, the Princes School and finally the Prussian Military Academy. His demeanour reflected his strict German education, and until his death he remained a severe soldier but only in appearance, as deep down he was a romantic at heart, and he never gave up his Turkish habits.

During the Great War he served with the German Army at Gallipoli and thence on the Western Front. Clearly held in high regard, upon the award of an Iron Cross 1st Class and Order of the Red Eagle, he also received a gold cigarette case and signed photograph from the Kaiser.

After the defeat at Verdun, the Prince returned to Potsdam, where he was appointed to the First Foot Guards Regiment. The two requirements for enrolment were that one must be of aristocratic standing and be taller than 6ft. Every Prussian Prince was registered as an Officer in this Regiment from the age of ten, but those short in height would not take part in the parades. The Prince was accepted into the Regiment despite not quite reaching the height requirement!

After the Great War, he was one of the most important sportsmen of his period, being Chairman of Fenerbahçe Football Club from 1919-24. Twice married and exiled, he died in Cairo on 28 March 1969 and is buried in Istanbul in the mausoleum of Sultan Mahmud II.

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Sold for
£2,100

Starting price
£320