Some of the intellectuals of the period thought that the only way to end his pressure and absolute rule and recover the country from the conditions it suffers, was constitutional monarchy. Committee members of some ethnical and religious groups such as Armenians, Greeks, Bulgarians and Arabs, under the leadership of a secretly established and acting group named İttihat ve Terakki. They claimed that the economic policies of Abdulhamid suited the developed western countries interests. Increasing prices, foreign debts and decreasing worker and civil servant salaries facilitated their finding supporters. Young Turks, mostly struggling from abroad, became much effective with publications they brought to Turkey secretly.
Relevant strikes and protest demonstrations carried out accordingly, helped reactions against Abdulhamid government find supporters. Especially when the opposition, which started particularly among the military classes in Manastır and Salonika and showed a rapid progress, gained power, Abdulhamid the 2nd, who did not want to cause a civil war, put the constitution in effect again. The Sultan, initiating this period called 2nd Constitutional Monarchy, declared that elections would be held in the shortest period of time and that parliament of deputies would gather again. In addition, he would eliminate secret police organization and censure.
This declaration which the people celebrated with festivals did not lead to the expected changes. İttihat ve Terakki remained behind because they did not have a political program. In the elections held (Fall 1908), the İttihat party, winning a victory, sent the sultan to the palace once again like in the Reforms period and established a constitutional monarchy government based on separation of powers. Nevertheless, the young opponents of the parliament controlling legislation and the government where elder people ruled fell in disagreement in a very short time. The only subject of disagreement in the parliament was not separation of legislative and executive powers. In the parliament consisting of non-Muslims for the most part, representatives of peoples such as Albanians, Greeks, and Arabs had turned away from Turks due to foreign interference.
Everyone acted like separatists and the main point of existence of İttihat ve Terakki, Unity of Peoples was ignored and even disregarded. The assassinations arranged by the İttihat supporters against this caused increasing of uneasiness. Dismissal of officers who did not receive systematic education from the army left no easiness in the army either. Therefore, the public opinion started to turn to be negative in Istanbul, and shooting of Hasan Fehmi, one of the most powerful writers of the opposition led to great reaction.
Growing reactions turned into an armed rebellion on 13 April (31 March with Gregorian calendar). Some of the İttihat party supporters blamed for being mason, unbeliever etc. were killed, and offices of some of the journalists were destroyed. Armenians taking advantage of such disorder and chaos rebelled in Adana and killed many Turks. The officers of 3rd army in Salonika set in motion after the long lasting incidents in Istanbul and arriving in Istanbul, they overcame the rebellion and decided to dethrone Abdulhamid.
However, the sultan claimed that he was trying to calm the rebellion and accepted establishment of a commission about his role in the emergence of incidents. Even he told to the grand vizier that he could leave the throne to his brother. However, pro-İttihat people, even without a need to investigate the background of the events, dethroned and sent Abdulhamid into exile in Salonika. During Balkan wars, they supervised him in Beylerbeyi Palace.
These are the events causing different perceptions about Abdulhamid by holders of different opinions. As obvious, those who lost what they had won with Reforms (Tanzimat) became enemies of Abdulhamid and tried to introduce him as a despot and reactionary.
Also many publications describe Abdulhamid the 2nd as an immoral and oppressive person. But Abdulhamid the 2nd, despite the allegations of Armenian historians, was never a blood shedding person. In fact, historical documents show that only a few number of capital punishments were executed in his period. True reason of why Sultan Abdulhamid the 2nd is called Red Sultan As known, in accordance with article 61 of the Berlin Treaty dated 1878, Ottoman State had to make reforms in favor of the Armenians living in Erzurum, Diyârbekir, Sivas, Harput=El-Aziz, Van and Bitlis, called together as Six Provinces (Vilâyât-ı Sitte). The major states were going to supervise this. Unfortunately, like all of the Ottoman State, Armenians were provoked in these places. Provoked Armenians began to slaughter Muslims.