Veliyyüddin Paşa

Veliyyüddin Rıfat Paşa, born in 1821, was the eldest son of Grand Vizier Giritli Mustafa Nâilî Paşa. During his father’s long governorship of Crete, he began his administrative career as district governor of Heraklion and later became one of the leading civil and diplomatic figures of the Tanzimat period.

Veliyyüddin Paşa served as governor of Bosnia, Crete, Edirne, Konya, İzmir and Hüdavendigâr (Bursa), and twice served as ambassador in Paris. As one of the men who represented the Ottoman Empire in Paris during the Crimean War, he stood at the center of European diplomacy of the period.

Çapanzâde Âgâh Efendi, who together with the famous Ottoman journalist Şinâsi published Tercümân-ı Ahvâl, the first private Turkish newspaper, also went to Paris in 1852 with Veliyyüddin Paşa as a clerk in his entourage.

Veliyyüddin Paşa also served as a member of the Ahkâm-ı Adliyye and as president of the Commission for Immigrants. Sicill-i Osmânî describes him as a statesman who knew languages and was moderate in character.

After leaving the governorship of Hüdavendigâr, he died on Saturday, 26 Rabi al-Akhir 1309 (28 November 1891), and was buried in the Fatih Mosque Cemetery beside his father, Giritli Mustafa Nâilî Paşa.