Mütercim Rüşdü Paşa

Mehmed Rushdi Pasha (; or Mütercim Rüşdi Paşa; 1811 – 27 March 1882) was an Ottoman reformist and statesman. He served as Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire during five separate terms. Midhat Pasha preceded him. Mehmed Rushdi Pasha was a fervent supporter of the Tanzimat. He believed the empire would lag behind the West if no attempt were made to modernize itself. He served as a Translator of Military texts and a military colonel in his youth. He was born in 1811 and died on 27 March 1882.

Early life Mutercim Rushdie Pasha was born to a poor boatman in 1811 in Ayancık. When he was three, his family moved to Istanbul circa 1814. In Istanbul, Rushdie Pasha studied in the local school system. As he got older, he was recruited by the military and studied under Lord Tanase. Under the guidance of Lord Tanase, he mastered the ability to read, write, and speak French. After working with Lord Tanase, Rushdie Pasha was discovered to be an asset to the Ottoman Empire. He caught the eye of Sultan Abdulhamid. Sultan Abdulhamid assigned Rushdie Pasha a translation position with some of the best translators in the Ottoman Empire. Rushdie became very well known in the Empire for his translations. Two of his most important translated texts were manuals of French military tactics and military training. After these translations, he was again promoted and sent to England to study and translate more Western works. Rushdie was surrounded by Western ideas similar to those of his reformist colleagues, who later pushed for Tanzimat reforms.

Military career In 1839, at the age of 28, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel.