Sadi Eldem

Sadi was born in Marseille, France, on 10 April 1910.[1] He was the youngest child of İsmail Hakkı and Azize Hanım.[1] İsmail Hakkı was serving as the consul general of the Ottoman Empire in Marseille when he was born.[1] His mother, Azize Hanım, was the granddaughter of the Ottoman statesman and Grand vizier Ibrahim Edhem Pasha.[1]

Sadi graduated from Galatasaray High School and received a degree in law from Istanbul University.[1][2] He held a PhD degree in law from the University of Paris in 1940.[1][2] His thesis was published with the title Le statut des magistrats (Recrutement).[1]

Eldem joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1940 where he worked at different positions.[1] He was named as the ambassador of Turkey to Syria in 1965 and served in the post for one year.[1] He was appointed undersecretary of the ministry on 7 September 1967 which he held until 1969 when he was made the ambassador of Turkey to Spain.[1] Eldem's term ended in 1972, and Zeki Kuneralp was appointed to the post on 27 October 1972.[3] Eldem replaced Namık Yolga as the ambassador of Turkey to Iran on 27 November 1972.[4] Eldem was in office until his retirement on 10 April 1975, and Rahmi Gümrükçüoğlu succeeded him in the post.[4]

Eldem married an Ottoman princess and daughter of Naciye Sultan, Rana Hanımsultan, on 25 July 1949.[1][5] They had three children, two daughters and a son.[1] Of them, Necla died at age 10 in an accident on 24 August 1964.[1] Their eldest daughter, Ceyda, was born on 1 March 1954[1] and died in Istanbul at age 60 in August 2014.[6] Their son, Edhem Eldem (born 2 March 1960), is a historian and academic working at Boğaziçi University.[1][6]

Eldem died in Istanbul on 15 January 1995.[5] He was buried next to his daughter, Necla, and in-laws in Yahya Efendi Mausoleum in Beşiktaş, Istanbul.[1]