Yusuf Agah Efendi

Yusuf Agah Efendi was born in 1744 in Tripolitsa, Morea, into an Ottoman family settled in the region and known as the “Morali” or “Moraviyulas.” His father was Süleyman Penah Efendi.Mehmed Süreyya (ed. Nuri Akbayar) (1996), Sicill-i Osmani, Istanbul: Tarih Vakfı Yurt Publications ISBN 975-333-0383 Vol. IV p.621 [http://archive.org/details/sicılliosmani01sruoft]

In 1756, during the reign of Selim III, he came to Istanbul with his father and elder brother, accompanying Moralı Osman Efendi, who had been appointed Chief Treasurer (Başdefterdar). In 1774, he entered the office of the Grand Vizier's secretary (Mektub-i Sadriâli) and was promoted to the rank of hâcegân (senior scribe). He then held several bureaucratic positions: in 1781, he became “mevkufatçı” (officer of sequestered properties); in 1785, “kağıd-ı enderun emini” (imperial paperkeeper); and in 1792, “kalyonlar katibi” (secretary of the Ottoman naval fleet).

At the time, the Nizam-ı Cedid (New Order) reforms were being implemented. One aspect of these reforms was the establishment of permanent embassies in major European capitals. The Sublime Porte decided to open the first such embassy in London, the capital of the Kingdom of Great Britain. By the order of Sultan Selim III, on July 23, 1793, Yusuf Agah Efendi was appointed as the permanent ambassador to London. From August 6, he was granted the same rank of “ambassador” as the British envoy in Istanbul, thus marking the Ottoman Empire’s first implementation of the principle of diplomatic reciprocity.

On October 12, 1793, diplomatic gifts and furnishings for the new Ottoman embassy were sent from Istanbul aboard a Ragusan ship named Colomba Fortuna. Two days later, Yusuf Agah Efendi departed Istanbul with a 15-person delegation that included his chief secretary Mehmet Raif Efendi, interpreters Emanuel Persiani and Gregorio Valeria, treasurer Mehmet Derviş Efendi, a Muslim gentleman Mehmed Derviş Efendi and a Christian gentleman named Yanko Savrud.

The delegation traveled by sea to the Danube, then passed through Ruse, Bucharest, Sibiu (Hermannstadt), and Buda before arriving in Vienna. They continued overland through Germany and Belgium to the port of Ostend, crossed the English Channel to Dover, and finally reached London via Canterbury on December 21.

In London, the delegation first stayed at the Royal Hotel, and later moved into a new embassy building in the Adelphi district. Yusuf Agah Efendi was warmly received by British officials. On January 8, 1794, he was granted an audience with King George III of Great Britain. On January 15, 1795, he met with Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger. That evening, the Turkey (Levant) Company hosted a banquet in his honor. On January 18, he was introduced to Queen Charlotte, members of the House of Lords, the Prince of Wales, royal dukes, and other diplomats. The ship carrying official gifts had been delayed, but once it arrived, Yusuf Agah Efendi ceremonially presented Sultan Selim III’s royal letter and gifts to King George III at St. James's Palace on January 29, 1795.

During his three-year tenure in London, Yusuf Agah Efendi maintained close relations with both British officials and other foreign diplomats. He negotiated political and commercial matters in favor of the Ottoman Empire. He also facilitated the recruitment of military and technical experts for service in Istanbul and encouraged members of his delegation to learn foreign languages. In doing so, he laid the foundation for a new generation of Western-educated Ottoman statesmen.

In late 1796, Yusuf Agah Efendi requested to be replaced so he could return to Istanbul. The Sublime Porte appointed İsmail Ferruh Efendi as his successor. İsmail Ferruh Efendi left Istanbul by sea on April 9, 1797, and arrived in London on July 23. Yusuf Agah Efendi bade farewell to King George III on July 19 and departed London on August 1. He traveled by land and sea via Ostend, Vienna, the Danube River, and the Black Sea, arriving in Istanbul on September 15, 1797. He immediately presented King George III’s reply to Sultan Selim III during a ceremonial audience, officially completing his mission.

Upon his return to Istanbul, Yusuf Agah Efendi continued his public service career. On November 13, 1797, he was appointed Mektubî of the Imperial Council (Mektubî-i Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn), a role similar to that of a modern minister of internal affairs or chief secretary. On June 3, 1798, he was appointed to the Supreme Council of Judicial Ordinances (Meclis-i Vâlâ-yı Ahkâm-ı Adliyye), established by Selim III as part of the Nizam-ı Cedid reforms. That same year, he was given the title Reis ül küttab, effectively functioning as the Empire's foreign minister.

Yusuf Agah Efendi died on July 4, 1824, in Istanbul and was buried in the garden of the Şehzade Mosque. He was known not only as a statesman but also as a poet and intellectual. His writings, including poems and letters from his time in London, reflect both his deep knowledge and his diplomatic insight.

Yusuf Agah Efendi’s appointment as the first permanent Ottoman ambassador to London marked a major turning point in the Empire’s diplomatic history. He laid the foundation for continuous diplomatic engagement with Europe. His reports to the Sublime Porte were detailed, analytical, and valuable for understanding British politics, society, and culture.

Moreover, his efforts in recruiting Western military and technical advisors contributed to the modernization of the Ottoman army and bureaucracy. He inspired many future statesmen, such as his chief secretary Mehmet Raif Efendi, who would go on to write one of the earliest books on modern diplomacy in the Empire.

Yusuf Agah Efendi is remembered today as a reformist intellectual and a pioneer in Ottoman diplomacy.

• Ottoman Turks
• Selim III
• Nizam-ı Cedid
• Yirmisekiz Mehmed Çelebi

References are integrated into the text above using standard citation templates as used in Wikipedia.

Biography at Türk Dışişleri Tarihi (in Turkish)

Sicill-i Osmanî Archive copy (in Ottoman Turkish)

Category:1744 births

Category:1824 deaths

Category:Ambassadors of the Ottoman Empire to the United Kingdom