Sultan Mehmed Resad was born in November 2, 1844 in Istanbul. His father is Sultan Abdulmecid and his mother is Gulcemal Kadın Efendi who was Caucasian originated. He spent his childhood near his father Sultan Abdulmecid and his education was taken care of him.

During the reign of his uncle Sultan Abdulaziz, Sultan Mehmet Resad lived an undisturbed life, but, in the period of his brother Sultan Abdulhamid II, he was imprisoned to the palace. As he was a crown prince he was always controlled. He spent this life of prison mostly in the Harem by reading books, especially poetry.

Sultan Mehmed Resad acceded the throne at the age of 65 by the support of the Committee of Union and Progress (Ittihat ve Terrakki Partisi). He was not neither included nor interested in the government administrations during Abdulhamid II’s period. During his sultanate, the important members of the the Committee of Union and Progress, Talat Pasha and Enver Pasha had administrated the empire.