Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ottoman Empire)


The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was the department of the Imperial Government responsible for the foreign relations of the Ottoman Empire, from its establishment in 1836 to its abolition in 1922. Before 1836, foreign relations were managed by the Reis ül-Küttab, who was replaced by a Western-style ministry as part of the Tanzimat modernization reforms. The successor of the Ottoman Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic.
French was officially the working language of the ministry in the period after the Crimean War.

Organisation

It was headed by a minister representing the Réis Effendi and a six-member council with sub-secretary of state leading it. Other major figures included the Grand Master of Ceremonies of the head of the Drogmanat of the Imperial Divan and the Grand Master of Ceremonies directed by the Introducer of Ambassadors.
Departments included: