1877 Vanity Cover | Midhat Pasha

Ahmet Şefik Mithat Pasha
(October 1822, Constantinople – 8 May 1883, At-Ta'if, Arabia) was a Turkish statesman.

Mavi Boncuk |

Midhat Pasha by Sir Leslie Ward (1851-1922), 'Spy'; caricaturist; son of Edward Matthew Ward.
Watercolour, published in Vanity Fair 30 June 1877
12 3/8 in. x 7 5/8 in. (314 mm x 193 mm)

Cover of Vantiy Fair magazine of the Ottoman Statesman Midhat Pasha, dated June 30 1877 and tiled "The Turkish Constitution" The Father of the constitution [Abu al-Dastur], the Father of the free [Abu al-Ahrar], twice prime minister [Sadr al-Azam] of the Ottoman Empire, twice the Governor [Vali, or Waly] of Baghdad, Vali of Damascus in 1878 for mere 20 months. Tried and exiled by Sultan Abdul-Hamid II [The Red Sultan], to Taif near Mecca [now Saudi Arabia] in 1881 where he was murdered in 1884 (*). "A man of charming manners, of much dignity, and with a fine sense of the real meaning of things" Vanity Fair 1877.

(*) On the order of Hicaz Governer Osman Nuri Pasa stangled in his room may 8,1884 by a soldier named Ismail to avert an alleged kidnapping ny the British. On June 26,1951 his remains were transfered from Tâif’ to Istanbul for final burial in Hürriyet-i Ebediye Hill .