Abdurrahman Nureddin Paşa

Abdurrahman Nureddin Paşa was born in Kütahya on 28 March 1836 and belonged to the Hacı Emirzâde family of the Germiyan dynasty. He was the son of Kütahyalı Hacı Ali Paşa and was remembered with the titles seyyid and hacı.

He began his administrative career beside his father and became closely acquainted with provincial administration through duties such as kethüdâlık and divan clerkship. He then rose through posts as district governor of Şumnu and governor of the sanjaks of Varna and Niş, and served as governor of Prizren, Tuna, Ankara, Baghdad, Diyarbakır, Kastamonu, Aydın and Edirne.

During the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II, he was appointed grand vizier on 2 May 1882. This office, which he held with the title of başvekil, lasted about seventy days. He then returned to provincial administration and served for many years as governor of Kastamonu. His governorship in Kastamonu is especially remembered for education, construction and urban services. Abdurrahmanpaşa High School in the city continues this memory.

Abdurrahman Nureddin Paşa became Minister of Justice in 1895 and remained in this office until the proclamation of the Second Constitutional Period. He was one of the late Ottoman statesmen who stood out for both his provincial experience and his central state duties.

He died in Istanbul on 23 Sha‘ban 1330, corresponding to 7 August 1912, and was buried in the Fatih Mosque Cemetery.

The grave inscription of Abdurrahman Nureddin Paşa was written by Şeyh Mehmed Abdülaziz er-Rifâî. Aziz Efendi was one of the late-period calligraphers known for his mastery of celî sülüs and ta‘lik and for signing his works “Aziz.”