AGÂH EFENDİ

Journalist and writer (b. 1832, İstanbul - d. 1885, Athens). His real name was Yusuf Agâh Efendi. He received education at the School of Medicine for a while. He worked in the Babıali* Translation Office, at the Embassy in Paris as a clerk (1852-54), in the İstanbul Quarantine Office and in the Rumelia Army as chief translator (1855). He published Tercüman-ı Ahval, the first private Turkish newspaper, with İbrahim Şinasi (21 October 1860). For this reason, he is regarded as the founder of journalism in Türkiye. During his time as Postal Service Minister, the first postage stamp was introduced (1861).

When he was suspended from his office because of his friendship with the writers who had fled to Europe; he too escaped to Paris and joined Ali Suavi, Namık Kemal and Ziya Paşa as organizers of the New Ottoman Association. When he was pardoned and returned to his country, he became the governor of İzmit (1867) and later worked as a member of the Council of State. After a time, he was expelled to Bursa and Ankara under the orders of Abdülhamit II. He was pardoned again and appointed as the governor of Rhodes (1884) and Lesbos and to the Embassy in Athens. He died when he was in Athens. His body was brought to İstanbul one year after his death.