Mavrovani Bey

Alexandre Mavroyeni belonged to an Ottoman Greek Orthodox family and was the son of the palace physician Spiridon Mavroyeni. He studied law in France and worked for a Greek commercial firm in London before entering the palace secretariat in 1875. Diplomatic appointments in Belgrade and Madrid followed. His Washington posting began in 1887. ¹

Mavroyeni monitored Armenian political activity in the United States. In October 1893 he sent Secretary of State Walter Q. Gresham translated extracts from the New York Armenian newspaper Haik, alleging that they encouraged insurrection in the Ottoman Empire, and offered to supply further extracts regularly. Gresham acknowledged receipt but declined that continuing service. ^{2, 3}

In December 1894 Mavroyeni also transmitted the Ottoman government's account of violence near Moush, defending its actions as suppression of rebellion and forwarding a categorical denial that troops had killed unarmed women and children. ⁴

After his recall in 1896, Mavroyeni spent several years without another diplomatic appointment. He joined the Council of State, governed Samos in 1902–04, and returned to the council after resigning amid complaints about his administration. The restoration of constitutional government brought appointment to the Senate in 1908. He later served in Vienna in 1911–12, kept a diary, remained in Turkey after the establishment of the republic, and died in 1929. ¹