User:Kansas Bear/Ahmet Fetih Pasha

Ahmet Fethi Pasha, (b. 1801 - d. 1858), was an Ottoman marshal, ambassador and industrialist.

Prior to becoming a marshal, Ahmet served as ambassador to Russia in 1833, Austro-Hungary in 1834-1836 and France in 1837-1839. His last diplomatic assignment was as the representative of the Ottoman Empire at Queen Victoria's coronation. In 1839, Ahmet returned to Constantinople for Sultan Abdulmecid's coronation and married Abdulmecid's sister.

As an industrialist he was intent on bringing the Ottoman empire into the modern age. Ahmet started steel factories and the famous Beykoz porcelain factory, which carried the insignia Product of Istanbul(Eser-i Istanbul).

In 1846, Ahmet, now marshal of the Imperial arsenal, turned the Hagia Irene into a military antiques museum. It is possible Ahmet gained his inspiration for the conversion of the Hagia Irene into a museum, from touring European museums during his career as an ambassador. Through his work, he created the first Ottoman museum.