Bir Osmanlı Elçisinin Halef Selef İkilemi: İbrahim Sarım Efendi’nin Londra Elçiliği (1837-1838)
Successor-Predecessor Dilemma of an Ottoman Ambassador: London Embassy of Ibrahim Sarim Efendi (1837-1838)

Summary/Abstract: Ibrahim Sarim Efendi progressed through the writings of the Sublime Porte and achieved the position of a principality. He was appointed to the London embassy in 1837 after Mustafa Reshid Pasha was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. But he could not officially start his ambassadorship duty as Queen Victoria's coronation ceremony had not taken place. A short time later, Ahmed Fethi Pasha was appointed to the London embassy instead of Ibrahim Sarim Efendi. After a while, it was decided that Ahmed Fethi Pasha would be appointed as the Paris embassy and Ibrahim Sarim Efendi would continue his duty. Ahmed Fethi Pasha would represent the Ottoman Empire at the coronation ceremony. He could not attend the ceremony, Ibrahim Sarim Efendi fulfilled this duty and he officially started his ambassadorship duty. Foreign Minister Lord Palmerston did not like the Ottoman ambassadors before Mustafa Reshid Pasha, especially Mehmed Nuri Efendi. However, in the letter he wrote to Lord Ponsonby, their ambassador in Istanbul, he stated that he liked Ibrahim Sarim Efendi and was suitable enough for the embassy. Soon after, with the efforts of Mustafa Reshid Pasha, the Balta Port Trade Agreement was signed. II. Mahmud's purpose in accepting this agreement was to persuade England to agree to an alliance against the Egyptian governor. The fact that Lord Palmerston did not talk anything about the alliance to Ibrahim Sarim Efendi brought to mind the possibility that they did not trust the Ottoman ambassador who had previously served in Russia. For this reason, Mustafa Reshid Pasha was appointed to the London embassy to remain under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ibrahim Sarim Efendi also paid his farewell visit to the queen on the same day and he left London to go to Istanbul.

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