Abaza rebellion
Encyclopedia
Abaza rebellion was a rebellion in Ottoman Empire
during the reigns of Mustafa I
and Murat IV. The name of the rebellion refers to Abaza Mehmet (or Abaza for short), an Ottoman pasha
of Abkhazian
origin. Sometimes this rebellion is considered as a part of the Jelali revolts
. But unlike the other Jelali revolts the principal reason of the Abaza rebellion was the resentment towards Jannissary corps.
who laid a siege on Khotyn
(in modern Ukraina, then a part of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth) couldn't capture the city. He blamed the unruly jannissaries for the failure. The jannissaries, once elite troops of the Ottoman Empire, had been corrupted during the stagnation era of the empire. Osman planned to create a new army based on Turkmens
of Anatolia
. Energetic but young and inexperienced, Osman II revealed his intent. This caused a jannissary revolt in the capital İstanbul
. Osman was imprisoned and later assassinated by the jannissary partizans on 20 March 1622. This assassination caused a great shock in Ottoman lands.
in Eastern Anatolia. According to historian Hammer, he was a consultant of Osman II to abolish jannissaries. Shortly after hearing the news about the assassination, he began expelling and even killing jannissaries who were on duty in his province. Although he was formally dismissed by the Ottoman Porte (government) on 17 November 1622, he continued to stay in Erzurum and claimed that he was loyal to the Ottoman dynasty
but he was trying to punish those who were responsible for the assassination. The Turkmen people of Central Anatolia who were also accusing the jannissaries, readily accepted his cause and soon he bagan controlling most of Eastern and Central Anatolia.
In 1624, finally the porte decided to fight against Abaza's forces. Commander of the army was Hafız Ahmet Pasha
. The clash was in the plains near Kayseri
on 16 August 1624. During the battle, some troops in Abaza's army changed sides and Abaza's forces were defeated. Abaza escaped to Erzurum and during the ensuing talks he was able to convince the porte for his good intentions. Thus he continued as the governor.
Safavid (Persian) army was treatening the Ottoman city Ahıska
(modern Akhaltsikhe in Georgia
) in August 1627. Abaza was ordered to support the Ottoman army. Although Abaza asked for the commandship of the army, he was refused. He bagan to move his troops to battle ground. But instead of supporting the army, he waited for a suitable moment to raid the Ottoman army. The raid was successful. In addition to jannissaries many Ottoman pashas were killed.
Upon this humilating defeat, the grand vizier
Halil Pasha was dismissed. The new grand vizier was Gazi Hüsrev Pasha
. In 1628 September, Hüsrev Pasha laid a siege on Erzurum. He had cannons at his disposal. On 18 September 1628 Abaza decided to give up. Hüsrev Pasha accepted his terms. Thus he wasn't punished; but he was assigned to govern in one of the European provinces of the empire where he had no local support.
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
during the reigns of Mustafa I
Mustafa I
Mustafa I Deli , son of Mehmed III, was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1617 to 1618 and from 1622 to 1623. His mother was Valide Sultan Handan Sultan, an ethnic Greek originally named Helena....
and Murat IV. The name of the rebellion refers to Abaza Mehmet (or Abaza for short), an Ottoman pasha
Pasha
Pasha or pascha, formerly bashaw, was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire political system, typically granted to governors, generals and dignitaries. As an honorary title, Pasha, in one of its various ranks, is equivalent to the British title of Lord, and was also one of the highest titles in...
of Abkhazian
Abkhaz people
The Abkhaz or Abkhazians are a Caucasian ethnic group, mainly living in Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. A large Abkhazian diaspora population resides in Turkey, the origins of which lie in the emigration from the Caucasus in the late 19th century known as Muhajirism...
origin. Sometimes this rebellion is considered as a part of the Jelali revolts
Jelali Revolts
Jelali revolts , were a series of rebellions in Anatolia of irregular troops led by provincial administrations known as celalî, against the authority of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries. They arose partly as an effort to attain tax privileges...
. But unlike the other Jelali revolts the principal reason of the Abaza rebellion was the resentment towards Jannissary corps.
Background
Ottoman sultan Osman IIOsman II
Sultan Osman II or Othman II was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1618 until his death on 20 May 1622...
who laid a siege on Khotyn
Khotyn
Khotyn is a city in Chernivtsi Oblast of western Ukraine, and is the administrative center of Khotyn Raion within the oblast, and is located south-west of Kamianets-Podilskyi. According to the 2001 Ukrainian census, it has a population of 11,124...
(in modern Ukraina, then a part of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth) couldn't capture the city. He blamed the unruly jannissaries for the failure. The jannissaries, once elite troops of the Ottoman Empire, had been corrupted during the stagnation era of the empire. Osman planned to create a new army based on Turkmens
Oghuz Turks
The Turkomen also known as Oghuz Turks were a historical Turkic tribal confederation in Central Asia during the early medieval Turkic expansion....
of Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
. Energetic but young and inexperienced, Osman II revealed his intent. This caused a jannissary revolt in the capital İstanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. Osman was imprisoned and later assassinated by the jannissary partizans on 20 March 1622. This assassination caused a great shock in Ottoman lands.
First rebellion
Abaza Mehmet was the governor of ErzurumErzurum
Erzurum is a city in Turkey. It is the largest city, the capital of Erzurum Province. The city is situated 1757 meters above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 361,235 in the 2000 census. .Erzurum, known as "The Rock" in NATO code, served as NATO's southeastern-most air force post during the...
in Eastern Anatolia. According to historian Hammer, he was a consultant of Osman II to abolish jannissaries. Shortly after hearing the news about the assassination, he began expelling and even killing jannissaries who were on duty in his province. Although he was formally dismissed by the Ottoman Porte (government) on 17 November 1622, he continued to stay in Erzurum and claimed that he was loyal to the Ottoman dynasty
Ottoman Dynasty
The Ottoman Dynasty ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1299 to 1922, beginning with Osman I , though the dynasty was not proclaimed until Orhan Bey declared himself sultan...
but he was trying to punish those who were responsible for the assassination. The Turkmen people of Central Anatolia who were also accusing the jannissaries, readily accepted his cause and soon he bagan controlling most of Eastern and Central Anatolia.
In 1624, finally the porte decided to fight against Abaza's forces. Commander of the army was Hafız Ahmet Pasha
Filibeli Hafiz Ahmed Pasha
Hafiz Ahmed Pasha was an Ottoman Grand Vizier. Born as son of a Pomak Muezzin, he went to Istanbul in the age of 15 and was an employee in the Sultan's palace for many years...
. The clash was in the plains near Kayseri
Kayseri
Kayseri is a large and industrialized city in Central Anatolia, Turkey. It is the seat of Kayseri Province. The city of Kayseri, as defined by the boundaries of Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, is structurally composed of five metropolitan districts, the two core districts of Kocasinan and...
on 16 August 1624. During the battle, some troops in Abaza's army changed sides and Abaza's forces were defeated. Abaza escaped to Erzurum and during the ensuing talks he was able to convince the porte for his good intentions. Thus he continued as the governor.
Second rebellion
During the Ottoman–Safavid War (1623–1639)Ottoman–Safavid War (1623–1639)
The Ottoman–Safavid War of 1623–1639 was the last of a series of conflicts fought between the Ottoman Empire and Safavid Persia, then the two major powers of the Near East, over control of Mesopotamia...
Safavid (Persian) army was treatening the Ottoman city Ahıska
Akhaltsikhe
Akhaltsikhe is a small city in Georgia's southwestern region of Samtskhe-Javakheti. It is situated on the both banks of a small river Potskhovi, which separates the city to the old city in the north and new in the south. The name of the city translates from Georgian as "new fortress".- History...
(modern Akhaltsikhe in Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
) in August 1627. Abaza was ordered to support the Ottoman army. Although Abaza asked for the commandship of the army, he was refused. He bagan to move his troops to battle ground. But instead of supporting the army, he waited for a suitable moment to raid the Ottoman army. The raid was successful. In addition to jannissaries many Ottoman pashas were killed.
Upon this humilating defeat, the grand vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
Halil Pasha was dismissed. The new grand vizier was Gazi Hüsrev Pasha
Gazi Hüsrev Pasha
Gazi Hüsrev Pasha , also called Boşnak Hüsrev Pasha or Ekrem Hüsrev Pasha, was an Ottoman grand vizier in the 17th century .-Early life:...
. In 1628 September, Hüsrev Pasha laid a siege on Erzurum. He had cannons at his disposal. On 18 September 1628 Abaza decided to give up. Hüsrev Pasha accepted his terms. Thus he wasn't punished; but he was assigned to govern in one of the European provinces of the empire where he had no local support.