Historian and statesman (1700, Rethymno, Crete / Ottoman Empire (Crete / Greece) – August
1783, Istanbul). His father’s
name was Ibrahim. The name “Resmi” was used to
refer to “Rethymnon”. He was brought up under the supervision of one of the Chief
Clerks of the Imperial Ottoman Council Mustafa Efendi in Istanbul where he
arrived to receive education. Later, he married the daughter of Mustafa Efendi.
After completing his education, he became a public
servant and worked as an overseer in Salonika, Istanbul, and Gallipoli powder
mills respectively as well as under the control of chamberlains and foreign
affairs. After
serving Bursa and Salonika for a period, he was sent to Austria as an
ambassador to announce accession of Mustafa III in 1757. Later, he was appointed as an officer of collection of
biographies for the financial affairs and the Accountant for Anatolia.
He was sent to Berlin by the Ottoman sultan who had heard
of the reformations made by the Prussian King Frederick, II in Prussia, as an
ambassador to review the risks to be brought to the Ottoman Empire by the
convergence between Prussia and Russia and to give a guarantee to the Polish
people under the hegemony of the Ottoman Empire on his way to Berlin in 1763. Thus, he became the first Berlin Ambassador of the
Ottoman Empire.
It is said that during the conversation of Resmi Efendi
with Frederick, II, the King made three key suggestions to him:
“1- Read history much
and benefit from the previous experiences. 2- Try to have a strong army and have your soldiers subject to continuous
education during the time of peace. 3- Let your treasure be full of golden coins and attach importance to the
economy.”
When Ahmed Resmi Efendi returned to Istanbul after
completing his mission, he was appointed as the Chamberlain of the Grand Vizier
(Prime Minister) Moldovanî Ali Pasha on November 23, 1769, considering his
knowledge and capability in state affairs; however, he had to return to his
previous position due to the change of the grand vizier. Due to his close acquaintance of Europe during the
Russo-Turkish War in which he was involved as the officer of agenda, he was
appointed as the chamberlain of the grand vizier again in February 24, 1771. He participated in the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca
negotiations as the chief deputy with the capacity of the official signatory of
the Sultan during his commission. As soon as he returned to Istanbul, he was dismissed from this commission
and served in various positions at the imperial palace. He passed away at night on August 31, 1783 and buried in
Istanbul Karacaahmet Cemetery.
He made history by inauspiciously presiding the Ottoman
Council during the negotiations and execution of the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca;
however, he fulfilled important duties as the ambassador in Vienna and Berlin. As
well as his statesman personality, he was also a significant author renowned
for his “Sefaretname” and his
biographic works about the chamberlains and Chief Black Eunuchs of the Ottoman
Seraglio.
Resmî Ahmed Efendi is the second most important author of
ambassador diaries in the 18th century. In
particular, the sections containing impressions from Berlin and the route in
his work “Sefaretname” resemble the
experiences of the first Paris Ambassador of Turkey, Yirmisekiz Mehmed Çelebi,
who was sent to Paris in 1720, and these two works complement each other. Both of the authors found out about the theatre (in their
words, “dream houses called comedy”) and had difficulties in accommodating
themselves to such places where men and women entertained together. Just like the Parisians, Berliners watched Ahmed Resmi
Efendi, who was the first Turkish person that they ever saw, with his larger
quilted turban, robe, and pompous subordinates, with interest through their
windows.
Resmî Ahmed Efendi wrote his first ambassador diary
during his embassy duty in Vienna. However, his most important diary is the work called “Prusya Sefaretnamesi”. In this work, he mentioned his sights until he arrived in Berlin from
Istanbul, including the geographic, architectural, and human features, and
secured more space to his sights from Berlin and Potsdam. His
reviews about the education and instruction of the Prussian army were
important. Vienna and Berlin
diaries of Resmi Ahmed Efendi were published in Istanbul for a few times as
well as in Berlin after having been translated into German. It was published within the series of “1001 Basic Works”
released by Tercüman in 1980 for the last time. The diaries of Resmi Ahmed Efendi have an unsophisticated
and pleasant style.
WORKS:
Viyana Sefaretnamesi (the first edition in Istanbul in1804, the second
edition in 1887, and translated into German by J.V. Hammer in 1809), Prusya Sefaretnamesi (the first edition
in 1804 and the second edition in 1886. Istanbul). The work was translated into German by Willig
Bolland. In Berlin, 1809 and Warsaw 1825), Lâyiha (his insights about the
interstate relations at the end of the 18th century), Coğrafya-yı Cedîd'i (The translation
that he made upon returning from Prussia. Located
in Süleymaniye Library), Halifet-ür-Rüesa
(the biographies and life stories of the chamberlains from Celâlzade Mustafa
Çelebi to Ragıp Pasha, Istanbul, 1853), Hamilet-ül-Kübera
(biographies and life stories of 39 Chief Black Eunuchs of the Ottoman
Seraglio, not published), el-İstînâs fî
Ahvâli'l-Efrâs (about the nature and the traits of horses, due to the Grand
Vizier Bahir Mustafa Pasha’s fondness of horses, expressing the affection for
the horses in phrases, proverbs, and couplets in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish,
located in the Istanbul University Library), Hülasat-ül-İtibar (insights, impressions, and critics about 1768-74
Russo-Ottoman War, written in 1781). It was
published in Istanbul for three times, in 1869, 1890, and 1899. It was also translated into German. Berlin 1813), Zülâliyye
(Arabic proverbs), Luğaz (Arabic).
REFERENCE: Faik Reşit Unat / Osmanlı Sefirleri ve Sefâretnâmeleri (Yay. Bekir Sıtkı Baykal,
1968), Bekir Kütükoğlu / “Ahmed Resmî” (Küçük
Türk İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 1974), Bilge Ercilâsun / “Ahmed Resmî
Efendi’nin Türk Yenileşme Tarihindeki Yeri”
(Atsız Armağanı,
1976), Hüseyin Gazi Yurdaydın / “Ahmed
Resmî Efendi ve Bazı Düşünceleri”
(Mustafa Reşid Paşa ve Dönemi Semineri Bildiriler, 1987), Büyük Türk Klasikleri (c. 7, s. 234-238,
1988), Bekir Kütükoğlu / “Ahmed Resmî” (TDV
İslam Ansiklopedisi, c. 2, s. 121-122, 1989),
Behçet Necatigil / Edebiyatımızda İsimler Sözlüğü (13. bas. S. 267,
1989), İhsan Işık / Yazarlar Sözlüğü (1990, 1998) - Türkiye Yazarlar
Ansiklopedisi (2001, 2004) – Encyclopedia of Turkish Authors (2005) - Resimli
ve Metin Örnekli Türkiye Edebiyatçılar ve Kültür Adamları Ansiklopedisi (2006,
gen. 2. bas. 2007) – Ünlü Bilim Adamları (Türkiye Ünlüleri Ansiklopedisi, C. 2,
2013) - Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013).