Yusuf Agâh Efendi

The first Turkish Ambassador in 18th century London

Among the “memorable events during the year 1793”, in between references to the turbulent incidents in post-revolutionary Republican France, including the execution of King Louis XVI, The Times newspaper listed, as the last article, the arrival of the Turkish Ambassador at Dover in December. It was indeed a memorable event, since Yusuf Agâh Efendi (1744-1824) was the first resident Ottoman envoy to be sent to the court of St James’s by the Sublime Porte and his arrival in Britain was highly anticipated. On the 220th anniversary year of this historic event the Turkish music historian Dr Emre Aracı traces the steps of the Ottoman ambassador in 18th century London through a kaleidoscope of concerts, dinners, processions, firework displays and balls from Theatre Royal, Covent Garden to the celebrated Ranelagh and Vauxhall Gardens.

Publication Year: 2013
Number of pages: 60
ISBN: 978-605-4642-18-2

6 Introduction
Emre Aracı

8 “The Turkish Ambassador lands at Dover”

11 “A great and curious present”

14 “There are no ladies in his suite”

16 Arrival in London

18 Royal Hotel, Pall Mall

22 Covent Garden Theatre

25 Coffee at Downing Street

27 Ranelagh and Vauxhall Gardens

29 “Everyone has the freedom to speak”

31 “The most interesting of all the diplomatic corps in London”

33 1 Bryanston Square

34 A day in Turkey

37 “By Desire of His Excellency the Turkish Ambassador: A Musical Tale, called Amurath the Fourth

38 The Ambassdor’s portrait sittings

41 Musleiman Adeti

43 The Chief Secretary’s Arrows

44 “Turkish Ambassador’s Public Entry”

49 Gold pistols, daggers and chests of silks

50 London Turquerie fashion

53 The Turkish Ambassador’s Grand March

56 Haydn’s Anglo-Turkish Military Symphony

59 “Perfect friendship & good understanding”