Mehmed Said Pasha

Mehmed Said Pasha (* 1838 in Erzurum, † March 1, 1914 Istanbul) was an Ottoman statesman and politician. He served a total of nine years, the office of the Grand Vizier, seven times under Abdulhamid II, and twice during the second phase of the constitutional monarchy. Because of his short stature he was sometimes ( The Little Said Pasha ) called Küçük Said Pasha. He was known for its distinct political intelligence, his suspicions and his avarice. He is also associated with a series of intrigues.

An eponymous Grand Vizier Mehmed Said Pasha ruled Yirmisekizzade 1755 reign of Sultan Osman III ..

Rise to Power

His family was originally from Ankara, but since the father was often added as an official, Mehmed came in Erzurum to the world. For a study of Islamic theology, he went to Istanbul, but was a scribe and thus an official. At the age of 26 he learned French. During his tenure in government service, he wrote in 1869 a work on the administration of the Ottoman provinces, and thus gained the respect Ali Pasha. He became the staff at the Ministry of Culture.

The appointment as First Secretary of the Sultan after the accession Abdülhamids II on September 1, 1876 was the turning point in his career. Since he previously held no high office, had this appointment, which corresponds to the current Secretary-General of the President, various consequences. Mehmed V. Murat's role in the deposition and succession Abdülhamids was never fully clarified.

At the beginning of his term Mehmed Said was often criticized. At the urging of Ahmed Pasha Vefik he was released on February 4, 1878 from the Office and simultaneously appointed as Chairman of the Senate. After the failed attempt by a group under the leadership of Ali Suavis, the former Sultan Murat V. to reinstate any person of Abdulhamid II was suspected of trying to overthrow him. So also Mehmed Said Pasha was transferred to command of the Sultan to the Governor seat to Ankara. After a short time he was again recalled and appointed on 18 October 1879 Grand Vizier. However, he was not wearing as an official title as far Sadrazam but Başvekil. The date marks the end of political uncertainty and the beginning of the shift of power in the sultan's palace.

Grand Vizier in the period Abdülhamids

The events marked the first reign of Mehmed Said

• The death sentence of Mithat Pasha, but was then sent into exile,
• The consolidation of the national debt with the Muharram adoption and the establishment of the Administration de la Dette Publique ottoman in 1881,
• The insinuation of Egypt under British administration in 1882 and
• The occupation of Eastern Rumelia by Bulgaria in 1885.

The last event led to a longer suspension Mehmed Said.

After the June 8, 1895 showed up the Armenian question, he was brought back at the insistence of Western countries who wanted to see reforms to office. But when in Istanbul led a demonstration of Armenians to bloody incidents on September 30, he was released again. Two months later he was summoned to the palace, but sought asylum at the British Embassy because he feared for his life. After a written guarantee he left the embassy. He led for six years under polizeilichem protection a difficult life.

In 1901 he became Grand Vizier again. He says he saw this time to his service as Grand Vizier as the one enforcement officials. He complained that his office of Grand Vizier had been reduced to the level of a scarecrow.

Following the escalation of violence in Rumelia during the run of the Young Turks constitutional revolution against the sultan's palace, he was appointed on 22 July 1908, a last time to the Grand Vizier. Two days later he called to wish Abdülhamids the constitutional monarchy again. Two weeks later he took his leave on the grounds that the Sultan had mixed into the composition of the Cabinet.

Grand Vizier in the period of Constitutional Monarchy

With the announcement of the second Ottoman constitutional period, the Senate was re- assembled and Mehmed Said its chairman. After the incident, March 31, 1909 ( unsuccessful counter-coup conservative Islamic groups against the west set Young Turks ), he played the lead role in ousting Abdülhamids, with whom he had a 30-year loyal, but hateful relationship. Abdulhamid was exiled to Salonika. To prevent an increase in power of his eternal adversary Kamil Pasha, Mehmed himself approached to the Committee of Union and Progress. With the conquest of Tripoli in 1911 by Italy in the Italian- Turkish War, a government crisis arose. Mehmed was appointed Grand Vizier by and with the help of the committee once again. The constitutional monarchy raised hopes in the country, but soon dispersed. In a time when the kingdom was heading for a major crisis, Mehmed Said reigned under the de facto rule of the Committee for nine and a half months the Empire. As the committee won the election of February 1912 through violence and deception and so controlled the Parliament, Mehmed did not exceed one.

According to a memorandum on 16 July 1912, the Halaskar Zabitan, which was a group from the ranks of the army and worked against the committee, Mehmed Said Pasha was forced to resign for the last time. Eighteen months later, he died. He is buried in Istanbul Eyüp Sultan Mosque at the entrance of.

Source

The work Sadrazamlar Son ( The last grand viziers ) his personal secretary İbnülemin Mahmut Kemal İnal (see also in Mehmed Memduh ).