A NEW PHANARIOT at the SERVICE of the OTTOMAN STATE: MAVROGENIS BEY (1848-1929)

Abstract

The Mavrogenis family, who are one of the last representative of the old and new Phanariots, could swiftly keep up with the changes in the Ottoman State and maintain its relation with the state. The family also preserved its place in Rum Orthodox community. Mavrogenis Bey, who had received law education in French, could speak French well. Although he expected to have a position in the Ottoman bureaucracy after he graduated and returned to Istanbul, he got disappointed. Mavrogenis Bey, who went to London, started to work for a Rum company there. Not satisfied with work life in London, he quitted his work and came back to Istanbul. Mavrogenis Bey also improved his English during his years in London. He could also speak a little Turkish. He started to work as a clerk in the Mabeyn-i Humayun in 1875 thanks to his father, Spyridon Mavrogenis, who worked as a doctor for the palace. Later on, Mavrogenis Bey was appointed as a clerk for the newly founded Belgrade Embassy in 1879, thus before long he became a part of foreign bureaucracy, which he desired. Mavrogenis Bey, who was not happy to be in Belgrade was appointed to another embassy, Madrid, as a clerk in 1881. Although he tried to get appointed to a larger center of diplomacy using his father’s power, he was not able to do so. After working for more than five years in Madrid, he took the opportunity to be a minister to the US and moved to Washington. He had an opportunity to improve his career in his profession in Washington, a city which was not preferred by many senior bureaucrat and diplomats. With this appointment, he also had his place in high ranking bureaucracy. Mavrogenis Bey’s nine years of service ended in 1896 when he was discharged upon calls for the appointment of a Muslim ambassador in his place, which was not a legitimate reason. He was not appointed to any position in the following few years due to the pretext that there was not a suitable position for him. Actually, he was mentioned as a candidate for Crete and Samos governor, he was not eager. What he had experienced drew him mentally closer to the opposition. In 1901, Mavrogenis Bey was appointed as a member to Şura-yı Devlet, which was one of the symbols for modernization of the Ottoman state. When he lost his father in 1902, he actually lost his tutelary. When he was nominated for Samos Governor again, Mavrogenis Bey had to accept it. He was accused of his partial administration during his time in Samos for about two years. He resigned because of these accusations. He was appointed as a member to Şura-yı Devlet and stayed in the same position till the declaration of constitutionalism. Mavrogenis Bey, who attracted the attention of the Unionists because of his Reformist and liberal views, was appointed as a member of Meclis-i Ȃyan (Assembly of Notables) in 1908. With his Western thoughts and ideas, Mavrogenis Bey, who worked in this assembly, contributed to the improvement of constitutionalism. In 1911, he was appointed as the ambassador to Vienna in 1911, though not with his own wish. After he worked there for one year, he was discharged on the pretext of the deeds of Rums in Western Anatolia during the Balkan War I. He was the member of Assembly of Notables; he was not given another duty. Mavrogenis Bey kept writing his dairy he started in 1907. He did not leave the country after the declaration of the Republic and died in these lands in 1929.