page_title: Reis ül-Küttab
section_title: Rise in importance
hierarchical_section_title: Reis ül-Küttab / Rise in importance
caption_attribution_description: Türkçe: Osmanlılarda resmi kıyafetler, Arif Paşa serisi. Babıali Tercümanı (Sadrazamla Elçiler Arasında Tercümanlık Eden), Avrupalı Sefir (Avrupalı bir Elçi Tipi), Reisülküttab (Dış İşleri Bakanı), Buhara Sefiri (Buharalı Elçi), İç Ağası (Sadaret Dairesinin İç Hizmetlerine Memur) English: Official uniforms of the Ottomans, Arif Paşa series. Babıali Tercümanı (Translator between the Grand Vizier and Ambassadors), Avrupalı Sefir (European Ambassador), Reisülküttab (Foreign Affairs Minister), Buhara Sefiri (Ambassador from Bukhara), İç Ağası (Interior Services Officer at the Grand Vizier's Office)
context_page_description: The Reis ül-Küttab, or Reis Efendi, was a senior post in the administration of the Ottoman Empire. Translated as "chief of the scribes" or "head clerk", the holder of the post was originally the head of the chancery of the Imperial Council, evolving into an analogue to a Foreign Minister. In 1836, the title of reis ül-küttab was formally changed to Foreign Minister with the establishment of the Ottoman Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the Tanzimat reforms.
context_section_description: Until the early 17th century, the reis ül-küttab was junior in rank and subordinate to the nişancı, but a succession of capable reis, coupled with the inability of some of the nişancı appointees resulted in the decline of the latter and the rise of the reis to prominence. Becoming attached as a clerk to the Grand Vizier allowed the reis to break loose from the control of the nişancı, and coincided with the increasing transfer of state affairs from the Imperial Council exclusively to the purview of the Grand Vizier. 
  The increasing importance of foreign relations for the Ottoman Empire from this period on also played a role, as the reis was responsible for checking on the treaties archived in the beylik and certifying the answers to the requests, notes and petitions of foreign ambassadors to the Ottoman government. This process led to the reis ül-küttab gradually evolving into a de facto Foreign Minister, a role that became established after the successful conduct of negotiations for the Treaty of Karlowitz in 1699 by the then reis ül-küttab, Rami Mehmed Efendi. Nevertheless, in protocol and ceremonial, the reis ül-küttab still retained his rather junior position until the late 18th century; for instance, he was not allowed to sit in the Imperial Council chamber, but had a seat outside, the reis tahtası, and his role in court ceremonies remained limited. 
  It was not until Selim III's reform of the Imperial Council in 1792 that the reis ül-küttab's new role was formalized, as he became one of the ten ex officio members of the council. From then on the reis ül-küttab was formally responsible for foreign relations, a role kept until the post's abolition on 11 March 1836, along with his analogue for interior affairs, the Kahya Bey, and their replacement by two new, Western-style ministries.
caption: The reis ül-küttab (centre) with the Grand Dragoman (left) and the Iç Agha (right) at a reception of a European and a Bukharan diplomat
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