Hasan Tahsin Pasha
Encyclopedia
Hasan Tahsin Pasha was a senior Ottoman
military officer, who served in Yemen
and in the First Balkan War
.
Hasan Tahsin was born in Messaria (modern Molista
). During his youth, he attended and graduated from the Greek Zosimaia School
at Ioannina
, and spoke Greek fluently. He began service as a gendarme ca. 1870 in Katerini
, and later joined the Ottoman Army as an NCO. He soon received a commission as an officer, and by 1881 he commanded the Ottoman Gendarmerie at Ioannina. During the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, he commanded the 6th Trabzon Division, and around 1900, he was placed as garrison commander of Thessaloniki
. In 1908–1910, he served as the governor of Yemen
before returning to Thessaloniki, where he assumed the post of CO of the III Corps
with the rank of Ferik (Lieutenant General). After his retirement in 1912, he was persuaded to return to duty as governor of the vilayet and fortress of Ioannina.
As tensions with the Balkan League
grew however over the summer of 1912, he was switched to command the VIII Provisional Corps
at Thessaloniki. After the outbreak of the First Balkan War
, he led his forces against the Greek Army of Thessaly under Crown Prince Constantine
. The Greek army, better prepared and outnumbering his own forces, defeated VIII Corps in the battles of Sarantaporo
and Yenidje. Surrounded and blockaded in Thessaloniki and with no hope of outside succour, and learning of the approach of the 7th Bulgarian Division from the northeast, Hasan Tahsin resolved to surrender the Thessaloniki fortress and his 26,000 men to the Greeks. After a few days of negotiations, a surrender protocol was signed on , with the handover carried out the next day.
After his release from Greek captivity, he went into exile, first in France and later in Switzerland. He died in Lausanne
in 1918 and was buried there. In 1937, his remains were transferred to the Albanian cemetery of Thessaloniki, and in 2006 to the Military Cemetery of the Balkan Wars at Gefyra. One of his sons, Kenan Messare (1889–1965), became a Greek citizen and a notable painter, known especially for his scenes from the Balkan Wars
.
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, who served in Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
and in the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
.
Hasan Tahsin was born in Messaria (modern Molista
Molista
Molista is a settlement in the Ioannina Prefecture in Epirus, Greece, situated in to slopes of Smolikas. It is in the municipality of Konitsa. Its 2001 population was 67 for the village. The GR-20 , the old road is approximately 5 km west. The village was known as Messaria and is rarely...
). During his youth, he attended and graduated from the Greek Zosimaia School
Zosimaia School
The Zosimaia School of Ioannina has been one of the most significant Greek middle-level educational institutions during the last period of Ottoman rule in the region...
at Ioannina
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
, and spoke Greek fluently. He began service as a gendarme ca. 1870 in Katerini
Katerini
Katerini is a town in Central Macedonia, Greece, the capital of Pieria regional unit. It lies on the Pierian plain, between Mt. Olympus and the Thermaikos Gulf, at an altitude of 14 m. The town, which is one of the newest in Greece, has a population of 83,764...
, and later joined the Ottoman Army as an NCO. He soon received a commission as an officer, and by 1881 he commanded the Ottoman Gendarmerie at Ioannina. During the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, he commanded the 6th Trabzon Division, and around 1900, he was placed as garrison commander of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
. In 1908–1910, he served as the governor of Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
before returning to Thessaloniki, where he assumed the post of CO of the III Corps
III Corps (Ottoman Empire)
The III Corps of the Ottoman Empire was one of the corps of the Ottoman Army. It was formed in the early 20th century during Ottoman military reforms.- Order of Battle, 1911 :...
with the rank of Ferik (Lieutenant General). After his retirement in 1912, he was persuaded to return to duty as governor of the vilayet and fortress of Ioannina.
As tensions with the Balkan League
Balkan League
The Balkan League was an alliance formed by a series of bilateral treaties concluded in 1912 between the Balkan states of Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia, and directed against the Ottoman Empire, which at the time still controlled much of the Balkan peninsula...
grew however over the summer of 1912, he was switched to command the VIII Provisional Corps
VIII Corps (Ottoman Empire)
The VIII Corps of the Ottoman Empire was one of the corps of the Ottoman Army. It was formed in the early 20th century during Ottoman military reforms.- Order of Battle, 1911 :...
at Thessaloniki. After the outbreak of the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
, he led his forces against the Greek Army of Thessaly under Crown Prince Constantine
Constantine I of Greece
Constantine I was King of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and from 1920 to 1922. He was commander-in-chief of the Hellenic Army during the unsuccessful Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and led the Greek forces during the successful Balkan Wars of 1912–1913, in which Greece won Thessaloniki and doubled in...
. The Greek army, better prepared and outnumbering his own forces, defeated VIII Corps in the battles of Sarantaporo
Battle of Sarantaporo
The Battle of Sarantaporo, variously also transliterated as Sarantaporon or Sarandaporon took place on October 9-10 , 1912...
and Yenidje. Surrounded and blockaded in Thessaloniki and with no hope of outside succour, and learning of the approach of the 7th Bulgarian Division from the northeast, Hasan Tahsin resolved to surrender the Thessaloniki fortress and his 26,000 men to the Greeks. After a few days of negotiations, a surrender protocol was signed on , with the handover carried out the next day.
After his release from Greek captivity, he went into exile, first in France and later in Switzerland. He died in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
in 1918 and was buried there. In 1937, his remains were transferred to the Albanian cemetery of Thessaloniki, and in 2006 to the Military Cemetery of the Balkan Wars at Gefyra. One of his sons, Kenan Messare (1889–1965), became a Greek citizen and a notable painter, known especially for his scenes from the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
.