This paper aims to uncover the early efforts of Abdulhamid to determine his method of rule. It also sheds light on a rather obscure character in Ottoman history: Grand Vizier Tunuslu Hayreddin. Hayreddin was brought to Istanbul as a Circassian slave around 1839. His master sent him as a gift to the ruler of Tunisia shortly thereafter. Hayreddin excelled in the Tunisian army and was later sent to Paris. In 1867 he published a book called The Surest Path, which was translated into several languages. In his book, Hayreddin defines how a wise ruler should delegate authority to competent ministers. After returning to Tunis, Hayreddin was able to obtain a position akin to Prime Minister. However, internal and external forces cooperated to oust this reformist leader in 1877. In August 1878, Sultan Abdulhamid invited Hayreddin to Istanbul. Only three months after his arrival he was appointed as the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire. He was the only Grand Vizier who could not speak Turkish fluently. In this paper the archival material pertaining to the correspondence between the Sultan and the Grand Vizier will be examined. It is amazing to discover the discussions about power distribution in these documents. Hayreddin repeatedly puts forth a blueprint for reform and tried to convince Abdulhamid that the ruler always had veto rights. Although the Grand Vizier was forced to resign in 1879, their meetings continued until Hayreddin’s death in 1890. This paper illuminates how upward mobility and meritocracy continued to exist in the last years of the Ottoman Empire. A Circassian slave who rose to prominence in Tunisia was able to get the top position in the system. The young sultan took the courageous step of appointing an Arab speaker as the Grand Vizier. Hayreddin forced the Sultan to reform the Ottoman Empire and distribute powers to the bureaucracy. Although Abdulhamid chose to retain his authority it is clear that this experience was critical in the development of the young Sultan.