Insanity in The Reign of Abdülhamid 2 (1876-1909)

Insanity has always been a popular topic. This study has tried to identify the status of insane in the mind of the state during the Abdülhamid II's reign (1876-1909). The main issue of this study is the contradiction between the position of the insane and insanity in the Abdülhamid's era and his charitable and protector Sultan image. In this regard, the Ottoman asylums, the practices in these asylums, daily life of insanes in the Ottoman society, the status of criminal insanes and their sensations, the Ottoman psychiatrists and their studies have been analyzed.