TRENDEFRARAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Revolt · 1859
According to the TDV article on the Kuleli incident, its main causes were discontent with Tanzimat practice, the state's finances shaken after the Crimean War and reaction against the European-style luxury of the upper classes. Early in 1859 a secret society was founded to end the reign of Abdülmecid; its head was Sheikh Ahmed Efendi of Süleymaniye, a teacher at the Bayezid medrese, its deputy head Lieutenant-General Hüseyin Daim Pasha, and its most active member Arif Bey, a clerk at the Tophane. Commanders such as Caferdem Pasha and Major Rasim Bey were also recruited. But Brigadier Hasan Pasha reported the matter to the Serasker Rıza Pasha, and the society was caught in a raid while meeting at the Kılıç Ali Pasha Mosque on 14 September 1859. Because the accused were interrogated at the Kuleli Barracks in Çengelköy, the affair took that name. A special court chaired by Grand Vizier Ali Pasha sentenced five men to death; Abdülmecid commuted the sentences to life imprisonment in fortresses.
| Date | 14 September 1859 (arrests) |
|---|---|
| Location | Istanbul (Kılıç Ali Pasha Mosque, Kuleli Barracks) |
| Result | The coup plot was uncovered; death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment |
| Belligerents | Ottoman Empire | Secret society |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | Serasker Rıza Pasha Brigadier Hasan Pasha | Sheikh Ahmed Efendi Hüseyin Daim Pasha |
Took place during the reign of Abdulmejid I (1839–1861). Abdulmejid I
Open the reign of Abdulmejid I on the mapBy the atlas's calculation the Ottoman lands covered about 3,803,000 km² in 1859; at the start of Abdulmejid I's reign they measured 3,803,000 km², at its end 3,803,000 km².
During Abdulmejid I (1839–1861) the atlas records 0 regions gained and 0 regions lost.
The sultan of the Tanzimat: equality before the law, modern codes, the telegraph, the railway and the decision to found a university all belong to his reign. The Crimean War was won without territorial loss, but the first foreign loan was also taken and financial dependence began.
Areas are land area computed from the atlas's region data; see Method and sources.
Source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, “KULELİ VAK‘ASI” (Turkish); text written for the atlas.
Cite as: Atlas of the Sultans, “Kuleli incident (1859): Date, Commanders and Outcome”, https://padisahlaratlasi.com/en/events/kuleli-incident/ (last updated 12 November 2026). Corrections
Terms on this page: Grand vizier · Vizier · Serasker · Tanzimat