Authored by Tahsin Pasha, Sultan Abdul Hamid II's Chief Secretary, this invaluable book provides an unparalleled firsthand account of the reign of one of the Ottoman Empire's most controversial and significant rulers. Covering the crucial period leading up to the empire's decline, Pasha's memoirs offer intimate insights into the Sultan's personality, his diplomatic struggles, internal reforms, and the political machinations within the Yıldız Palace. It reveals the challenges faced by Abdul Hamid II as he navigated a tumultuous era of modernization and external pressures, making it an essential read for understanding the complex history of the late Ottoman Empire from an insider's perspective.