Gazi Hüseyin Pasha
Encyclopedia
Ghazi Husain Pasha or Deli Husain Pasha was an Ottoman
military officer and stateman. He was Kapudan Pasha in the 1630s and briefly Grand Vizier in the late 1650s.
origin and was born in Yenişehir near Bursa in north west Anatolia
. But other than that, nothing is known about his early days in İstanbul
, the Ottoman capital. During the reign of Murat IV, he was a member of palace staff. The shah
of Iran
had sent Murat IV a prestigious gift, a bow which was reputed as being undrawable. Hüseyin attracted attention when he easily drew the bow. After winning sultan's appreciation, he was promoted to various posts: chief stable man, governor of Silistria in modern Bulgaria, beylerbey
(high governor) of Egypt, beylerbey of Anatolia, Kapudan Pasha, etc. He participated in campaigns around Baghdad in modern Iraq and Yerevan in modern Armenia. During the reign of Ibrahim I
, he worked in various European provinces as a governor and in 1646 he became the governor of Chania.
island Crete
from Venice
was uncharacteristically trying for Ottoman Empire. While Ottoman Empire was living in stagnation, the military and naval technology of the European
s was on the rise. Although Chania, a major Cretan city, had been captured in 1645, the rest of the island especially Heraklion
was able to resist Ottomans. Ottoman Empire was unable to send reinforcements to Crete; because the strait of Dardanelles (Çanakkale)
was blocked by the Venetian navy. (See Cretan War (1645–1669)
)
Thus, the Ottoman army in Crete was almost locked. Even under these circumstances, Hüseyin captured several forts including Rethymno
and laid a siege to Heraklion. He was not only a man of war, he also reconstructed many buildings and the fort of Chania. Sultan Mehmet IV promoted him to be the grand vizier
on 28 February 1656.
However he never exercised the post. Long before Huseyin's return to Istanbul, the sultan changed his mind and appointed Hüseyin's rival Zurnazen Mustafa Pasha
as Grand Vizier on 6 March 1656. (Interestingly enough, Zurnazen's term was even shorter than that of Hüseyin.)
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...
military officer and stateman. He was Kapudan Pasha in the 1630s and briefly Grand Vizier in the late 1650s.
Early years
Hüseyin was of TurkishTurkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
origin and was born in Yenişehir near Bursa in north west Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
. But other than that, nothing is known about his early days in 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...
, the Ottoman capital. During the reign of Murat IV, he was a member of palace staff. The shah
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
had sent Murat IV a prestigious gift, a bow which was reputed as being undrawable. Hüseyin attracted attention when he easily drew the bow. After winning sultan's appreciation, he was promoted to various posts: chief stable man, governor of Silistria in modern Bulgaria, beylerbey
Beylerbey
Beylerbey is the Ottoman and Safavid title used for the highest rank in the hierarchy of provincial administrators It is in western terms a Governor-general, with authority...
(high governor) of Egypt, beylerbey of Anatolia, Kapudan Pasha, etc. He participated in campaigns around Baghdad in modern Iraq and Yerevan in modern Armenia. During the reign of Ibrahim I
Ibrahim I
Ibrahim I was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1640 until 1648. He was born in Istanbul the son of Ahmed I by Valide Sultan Kadinefendi Kösem Sultan, an ethnic Greek originally named Anastasia...
, he worked in various European provinces as a governor and in 1646 he became the governor of Chania.
In Crete
Conquest of the AegeanAegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
island Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
from Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
was uncharacteristically trying for Ottoman Empire. While Ottoman Empire was living in stagnation, the military and naval technology of the European
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
s was on the rise. Although Chania, a major Cretan city, had been captured in 1645, the rest of the island especially Heraklion
Heraklion
Heraklion, or Heraclion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete, Greece. It is the 4th largest city in Greece....
was able to resist Ottomans. Ottoman Empire was unable to send reinforcements to Crete; because the strait of Dardanelles (Çanakkale)
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
was blocked by the Venetian navy. (See Cretan War (1645–1669)
Cretan War (1645–1669)
The Cretan War or War of Candia , as the Fifth Ottoman–Venetian War is better known, was a conflict between the Republic of Venice and her allies against the Ottoman Empire and the Barbary States, fought over the island of Crete, Venice's largest and richest overseas possession...
)
Thus, the Ottoman army in Crete was almost locked. Even under these circumstances, Hüseyin captured several forts including Rethymno
Rethymno
Rethymno is a city of approximately 40,000 people in Greece, the capital of Rethymno peripheral unit in the island of Crete. It was built in antiquity , even though was never a competitive Minoan centre...
and laid a siege to Heraklion. He was not only a man of war, he also reconstructed many buildings and the fort of Chania. Sultan Mehmet IV promoted him to be 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...
on 28 February 1656.
However he never exercised the post. Long before Huseyin's return to Istanbul, the sultan changed his mind and appointed Hüseyin's rival Zurnazen Mustafa Pasha
Zurnazen Mustafa Pasha
Zurnazen Mustafa Pasha was an Ottoman statesman. He was Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire during 4 hours on 5 March 1656. He is sometimes excluded from the lists of Ottoman Grand Viziers. He was promoted from in-attorney title to the rank of full grand vizier due to the influence he exerted on the...
as Grand Vizier on 6 March 1656. (Interestingly enough, Zurnazen's term was even shorter than that of Hüseyin.)