Ahmed Resmi Efendi (Ottoman statesman, envoy and historian, 1700–1783)

Ahmed Resmi Efendi (1700–1783) was an Ottoman statesman, envoy and historian from Rethymno in Crete. He was sent to Vienna and to Berlin as ambassador, and he wrote accounts of both embassies and biographical collections.

The Encyclopaedia of Islam (2nd ed.), article signed C. Collin Davies, describes Ahmad b. Ibrahim, known as Resmi, as coming from Rethymno in Crete and of Greek descent. He was born in 1112/1700, came to Istanbul in 1146/1733, was educated there, married a daughter of the reis efendi Ta'ükci Mustafa, and entered the service of the Porte, holding several offices in provincial towns. In Safar 1171/October 1757 he went as Ottoman envoy to Vienna and wrote a report of his impressions on his return. In Dhu'l-Qa'da 1176/May 1763 he was sent as ambassador to the Prussian court at Berlin, and his full account of that mission drew attention in the West for its views on Prussian policy and its description of Berlin. He died in Istanbul on 2 Shawwal 1197/31 August 1783 and was buried in the Selimiye quarter. ¹

He also wrote Khulasat al-i'tibar, on the Russo-Turkish war and the peace of Küçük Kaynarca (1769–74), as a participant and eye-witness. His biographical collections include the Khalifat al-ru'asa', composed in 1157/1744, with the lives of sixty-four reis efendis, and the Hamilat al-kubara', on the chief eunuchs of the imperial harem. He continued the Wakayi' of Mehmed Emin in 1177/1766, giving lists of notable deaths. He wrote other works, and manuscripts of his travel accounts (sefer-names) survive in several libraries, including Berlin and Paris. ¹