Armin Vambery was a Hungarian Jewish Turkologist, traveller, spy, negotiator and also fake dervish. He was born in Szentgyörgy, Hungary, Austrian Empire (now Svätý Jur in Slovakia) (1832). His father died when he was 1 year old. His father was strong and pure Jew however his son Vambery would not be like him. Though he would try to help Theodor Herzl in order to let Jews settle in Palestine, he would be atheist.
He was gifted child as natural language learner, he could speak and write 3 languages (German – Hungarian – Hebrew) when he was just 8 years old. This number would be 12 when he had become professor.
However anti-Semitism was rising in Europe and it was difficult to reach modern education as a Jewish child. His mother decided to send him a protestant school, however they had not enough money to pay and Vambery had had to work a year to save money. A Jewish Innkeper hired him as a teacher for his son. Vambery was just 11 years old and he worked hard to save enough money. He did cleaning and etc. and at the end of 1 year he was a student of Protestant School. All of his further education would be in Christian schools, he was only Jew among Christian students but the most shining one.
He met with Baron Joseph Von Hammer Purstgal who was one of the most influential orientalist in his time and preferred to be remembered as Yusuf Von Hammer in 1857, and decided to travel to Istanbul according to his advice. He travelled to Istanbul, he was spending most of his time in Istanbul cafes and he was teaching languages to Turkish aristocrats and their children. He met lots of Ottoman Palace peer as a teacher one of his student was Mithat Pasha who was one and may be the most important figure in the first social contract attempt of Ottomans, as a French student. He had become an important figure in Istanbul especially among the peer of Ottoman Palace and Huseyin Daim Pasha who would be the leader of unsuccessful coup attempt during the reign of Abdulmecid, called him Resid Efendi.
In 1861 he returned to Hungary, he was planning to study on the origins of Hungarian people. His theory was both Turks and Hungarian people are kinsman and he decided to prove this in Asia. He convinced The Science Academy of Budapest and guarantee 1000 florins for his travel.
In 1863, while he was 31 years old he began his journey. His first stop was Persia. He met with Turkish and Persian executives and both of them suggest his to hide his identity during his travel. He was foreigner and it was dangerous to travel like that, so he joined a dervish caravan as a fake dervish. His perfect Turkish was the solid support of his fake identity.
Meanwhile, Asia was under the surveillance of Great Britain and Russia. Russia who was late Imperialist had great influence on Asia and Great Britain did not want to let it be. Russia was a threat for Britain on both Bosporus and Asia. Britain had wanted to gather information about Asia however it was difficult and when their Ambassador Sir Charles Alison heard Vambery would travel to inner Asia, he called Vambery and offered him a job. Vambery would report all of information and observations to Alison. Vambery accepted this mission since Britain was the highest point of modern state and society in his eyes.
His journey began at 28.03.1863 from Persia and end at 06.04.1864 Peste. He gathered useful information and observations which would support his theory that Turks and Hungarians are kinsman. In 1868 he achieved a great honour. Austria – Hungarian Empire recommend his name as a professor to university, though he was Jewish, he was appointed as a Professor.
He published lots of important and valuable studies, meanwhile a lot of articles were published as a sympathizer of Turkey and Oriental. This led opened direct way to Ottoman Palace to him.
Meanwhile, Ottomans were standing by other countries support. Dispersion of Ottomans were not favourable for both European countries especially for Britain. Ottomans were a single partner on the way of Eastern trade routes and it is easy to control Ottomans rather than dispersed lots of tribal countries. So, in 1798 against Napoleon's army in Egypt, In 1839-41 against Kavalalı Mehmet Pasha again in Egpyt and in 1853 against Russia, Britain supported and helped Ottomans.
However, Britain decided to control Egypt by first hand and they occupied Egypt in 15.09.1882. From now on there was a de facto executive in Egypt, Britain. Nevertheless, Britain did not want to disrupt his relation with Ottomans. Bosporus was still important for them and without Britain support it could be easily occupied by Russia. However, II. Abdulhamid even refused to meet with an ambassador of Britain on Egypt affair.
In 1888, Salisbury government got contact with Vambery and offered him a mission. Vambery as a fan of Britain and lover of Turkey would be a man who would repair relations again. From 1888 to his death Vambery reported all of his meetings with Sultan to Britain. At the beginning he was a spy following years he changed into the volunteer envoy to repair relation. He spent half of his life to repair Britain and Ottoman relation however there were two obstacles.
One of them was Abdulhamid. According to Vambery, he was great Sultan if you would compare him with his ancestors. However, he was stubborn, mistrustful, insufficient to read international politics, oppressive, cunning and short-sighted sultan too for Vambery. During this time Abdulhamid always thought like nothing had been changed in the world and expected Britain would prefer to leave Egypt to him rather than to see Ottomans and Bosporus in the hand of Russia. He got closer to Russia day by day despite Vambery's and Britain's warnings.
The other obstacle was greater that Britain had changed its policy. Salisbury government judged that they had guaranteed their trade routes by occupying Egypt, they did not require to control Bosporus anymore and it was better to make an agreement with Russia in Asia rather than fight with them. Just few years, they answered to Vambery, following years they had not used Vambery as a spy but just an observer in Palace. So, every attempts of Abdulhamid to make jealous Britain were unnecessary and empty threats for Britain.
Vambery had an important role on two Ottoman affair more. One of them was about Armenians and the other was about Jewish minorities. Vambery warned Britain and the Europe about Armenians. He underlined the difference between Armenians and the other minorities were present at Balkans. They were not majority in anywhere along Anatolia so if they try to gain their free state it would awaken counter violence on them especially from Kurds who were barbarian tribal race according to Vambery.
In his old age, Zionism was increasing. A young journalist Theodor Herzl's book on Jewish State had awaken Jews all around the world. They organized Zionist Congress and began to produce policies. Their aim was to settle in Palestine, and Theodor Herzl though that an offer to Abdulhamid could let them settle there. Economical support of rich Jewish people versus autonomous Jewish area on Palestine. Vambery showed great effort to arrange a meeting with Sultan and Herzl and he succeeded. However during the meeting Herzl could not even offer such a deal to Sultan, Abdulhamid did not let him offer.
Vambery died at his 81 in 15.09.1913.
At last, it was taken from wikipedi that;
“Vambery was acquainted with Bram Stoker, during a stay in London, and Stoker claimed him as his consultant, and inspirator of main antagonist character Dracula and, of course, the book's title. The character of Professor Van Helsing in Stoker's novel, Dracula, is sometimes said to be based on Vámbéry, though Stoker was likely inspired by Sheridan Le Fanu's Dr. Hesselius. In the novel (chapters 18 and 23) Van Helsing refers to his "friend Arminius, of Buda-Pesth University".
There is a vampire hunter character in the webcomic Sluggy Freelance named Arminius Vambrey possibly based on this Armin Vambery and his candidacy as inspiration for Abraham Van Helsing”
