Blak was the first envoy to Washington. Kuneralp wrote that the Washington posting was not considered important to the Ottoman government, which is why some officials refused the posting and those considered promising were turned away from it. He cited the cases of then-minister to Florence Rüstem Bey and Osman Nizami Pasha, who declined in 1867 and 1912, respectively.[7] Nine envoys headed the legation beginning in 1877 and prior to full embassy status,[8] and there were a total of 13 envoys/ambassadors in the position.[7]