Hadım Sinan Pasha
Encyclopedia
Hadım Sinan Pasha, Hadım Pasha Boroviniç ( ? - 1517) was an Ottoman
grand vizier
. (Epithet
Hadım means eunuch.)
noble family named Borovinić. In 1514 he was the Beylerbey
(high governor) of Anatolia
. In the battle of Chaldiran
against Safavid Persia he was in charge of right flank. After the battle he was appointed as the beylerbey of Rumeli, a post more prestigious than his former post . His next mission was the conquest of the Dulkadirids, in what is now South Turkey
. He was successful in both missions and Selim I
appointed him as the grand vizier on 25 April 1516.
and Egypt
. On 28 October 1516 he defeated an Egyptian Mameluke
army in Khan Yunis
, near Gazza
, Palestine
. Next year, he fought in the battle of Ridaniya in Egypt on 23 January 1517. In Ottoman battle tradition, the sultan was almost always in the central headquarters. But battle of Ridaniya was an exception. Selim I decided to encircle the Mameluks personally and assigned Sinan in the central headquarters. The plot was successful. The Mameluks were defeated. But before the battle was over, a Mameluke cavalry (including Tuman bay II
, the Egyptian sultan) raided Ottoman headquarters and killed Sinan, thinking he was the sultan.
After the battle Selim expressed his sorrow saying "We won the battle but we lost Sinan."
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...
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...
. (Epithet
Hadım means eunuch.)
Early years
He was a devshirme from the BosnianBosnians
Bosnians are people who reside in, or come from, Bosnia and Herzegovina. By the modern state definition a Bosnian can be anyone who holds citizenship of the state. This includes, but is not limited to, members of the constituent ethnic groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosniaks, Bosnian Serbs and...
noble family named Borovinić. In 1514 he was the 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 Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
. In the battle of Chaldiran
Battle of Chaldiran
The Battle of Chaldiran or Chaldoran occurred on 23 August 1514 and ended with a victory for the Ottoman Empire over the Safavid Empire of Persia . As a result, the Ottomans gained immediate control over eastern Anatolia and northern Iraq...
against Safavid Persia he was in charge of right flank. After the battle he was appointed as the beylerbey of Rumeli, a post more prestigious than his former post . His next mission was the conquest of the Dulkadirids, in what is now South Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. He was successful in both missions and Selim I
Selim I
Selim I, Yavuz Sultân Selim Khan, Hâdim-ül Haramain-ish Sharifain , nicknamed Yavuz "the Stern" or "the Steadfast", but often rendered in English as "the Grim" , was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1512 to...
appointed him as the grand vizier on 25 April 1516.
Death in Egypt
Sinan was Selim’s favorite grand vizier. He was active in the conquest of SyriaSyria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. On 28 October 1516 he defeated an Egyptian Mameluke
Mamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
army in Khan Yunis
Battle of Yaunis Khan
The Battle of Yaunis Khan was fought on October 28, 1516, between the Ottoman Empire and the Mamelukes. The Ottomans were led by Grand Vizier Hadim Sinan Pasha, and they were victorious....
, near Gazza
Gazza
-People:* Paul Gascoigne, English footballer, also known as Gazza* Gazza , a Namibian musician-Nickname:*Gary Moore , Irish musician*Valery Gazzaev , Russian football coach*Gary Ablett , Australian Rules footballer...
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. Next year, he fought in the battle of Ridaniya in Egypt on 23 January 1517. In Ottoman battle tradition, the sultan was almost always in the central headquarters. But battle of Ridaniya was an exception. Selim I decided to encircle the Mameluks personally and assigned Sinan in the central headquarters. The plot was successful. The Mameluks were defeated. But before the battle was over, a Mameluke cavalry (including Tuman bay II
Tuman bay II
Al-Ashraf Tuman bay better known as Tuman bay II succeeded as Sultan of Egypt during the final period of Mamluk rule in Egypt prior to its conquest by the Ottoman Empire...
, the Egyptian sultan) raided Ottoman headquarters and killed Sinan, thinking he was the sultan.
After the battle Selim expressed his sorrow saying "We won the battle but we lost Sinan."