Mehmed Emin Pasha is a name that may not immediately ring a bell for many, but his life story is one of remarkable cultural and intellectual convergence, spanning continents and leaving a legacy in both the Ottoman Empire and East Africa.

Born Eduard Schnitzer in 1840 in Germany, his journey from a physician in the Ottoman Empire to an administrator in East Africa is a tale of ambition, skill, and unexpected historical intersections.

In Istanbul, he adopted the name Mehmed Emin Pasha, integrating himself into the Ottoman cultural and administrative landscape.

His expertise in medicine earned him respect and recognition, quickly making him a part of the elite circles of the Ottoman bureaucracy.

In 1870, he became attached to the household of Ismael Hakkı Pasha, whom he followed to Trabzon, Erzurum, and Istanbul.

He was later recruited by the famous British explorer and colonial officer Sir Samuel Baker, who was tasked with establishing British authority in Sudan and surrounding regions.

The British were looking for skilled administrators to help manage the vast and complex territories of East Africa, and Emin Pasha, with his knowledge of medicine, was seen as the perfect candidate.

In 1876, after a series of diplomatic negotiations, Emin Pasha accepted an appointment as the governor of the Ottoman province of Equatoria, located in what is now South Sudan.

According to Cape Times (February 1877), “Emin Bey will arrive in Table Bay in about a week’s time.” However, the same newspaper later reported that he arrived in Simon’s Bay in March and would then leave for Zanzibar.

Instead, Emin Pasha decided to remain in Istanbul, continuing his administrative duties as governor of Equatoria under Egyptian administration. He had grown deeply attached to the region, and his decision to stay reflected his dedication to his work and newfound sense of purpose.

Emin Pasha strongly opposed the slave trade, demanding the removal of Arabs involved in this trade from Africa.

As a scholar, he also made significant contributions to the study of birds and ethnography. The book In Africa’s Dark Wildernesses: Trips, Discoveries, and Encounters, and Tracking of, and Return with Emin Pasha is an interesting read, available in the reading room of the Cape Town National Archives.

(Library Kaa 916.7 STA In Afrikas donkere wildernissen)

In the final years of his life, Emin Pasha’s health deteriorated after years of hardship. He died in 1892 in Uganda.

When he died, his daughter Feride was studying in Germany. His studies on zoology and his letters about tribes have not been widely used in English-language sources. It can be said that Emin Pasha’s activities in Africa have not yet been thoroughly explored by an expert.

Interestingly, although he comes from a Jewish lineage, his children from different wives in Zanzibar and Germany both identify as Muslims.

Although Emin Pasha is largely forgotten today in the broader narrative of Ottoman history, his contributions to the Ottoman administration, medicine, and the governance of East Africa are undeniable.

* Halim Gençoğlu is a historian with PhD from UCT and is a post-doctoral fellow at Wits University.

** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.

Cape Argus

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