Ismail Selim Pasha
Encyclopedia
Ismail Selim Pasha also known as Ismail Ferik Pasha, was an Egyptian
general of Greek
origin. Few details of his life are available.
, located at the Lasithi Plateau on the island of Crete
. He was the eldest son of priest Fragios Kampanis who was slaughtered in 1823 by the Ottomans
during the Greek War of Independence
. Emmanouil and his younger brother Antonios were captured by the Ottoman forces under Hassan Pasha who seized the plateau and were sold as slaves.
where he converted to Islam
and was admitted to the Egyptian Military Academy
. After graduating, he pursued a military career and fought with Ibrahim
in the campaigns in Syria
. Selim rose quickly to the rank of Ferik
(major general) and was appointed the military minister of the state of Egypt.
of Egypt Isma'il Pasha
to assist the Ottomans in quelling the great revolt
on his native land. By a coincidence of fate, Cretan revolutionaries were receiving supplies and financial support from Selim's brother Antonios who lived in Athens
. Antonios had been sold to Istanbul
and later managed to escape to Odessa
where he prospered under the protection of the Stourtza family and became very wealthy. Selim was aware of his brother's life and had been corresponding with him.
In Crete, Selim took part in several battles as well as the siege of the Arkadi Monastery
. During the late spring of 1867, he and Omar Pasha
marched towards the Lasithi plateau aiming to crush the rebels. Soon after the destruction of Lasithi, Selim died of unknown cause. According to one reference he died of typhoid fever
, while other sources attribute his death to the complications of a gunshot wound he had received earlier in Stylos. His body was transferred to Egypt and buried in Alexandria
with high honors, whereas a cenotaph
dedicated to him was erected in Heraklion
and stood until 1925. There is also a bust of him at the Cairo Military Museum.
Khedivate of Egypt
The Khedivate of Egypt was an autonomous tributary state of the Ottoman Empire.- Rise of Muhammad Ali :The Egypt Eyalet was an eyalet of the Ottoman Empire. The eyalet was ruled locally by the Mamluk military caste and their various beys , who started to fight amongst themselves for control of...
general of Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
origin. Few details of his life are available.
Early life
Ismail Selim was born Emmanouil or Ioannis Kampanis around 1809 in the village of PsychroPsychro
Psychro Cave is an ancient Minoan sacred cave in the Lasithi district of eastern Crete. Psychro is associated with the Diktaean Cave, the putative site of Zeus' birth...
, located at the Lasithi Plateau on the island of 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...
. He was the eldest son of priest Fragios Kampanis who was slaughtered in 1823 by the Ottomans
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 Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
. Emmanouil and his younger brother Antonios were captured by the Ottoman forces under Hassan Pasha who seized the plateau and were sold as slaves.
Military career
Selim was sold to EgyptEgypt
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...
where he converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and was admitted to the Egyptian Military Academy
Egyptian Military Academy
The Egyptian Military Academy is the oldest and most prominent military academy in Egypt and North Africa. Traditionally, graduates of the Military Academy are commissioned as officers in the Egyptian Army...
. After graduating, he pursued a military career and fought with Ibrahim
Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt
Ibrahim Pasha was the eldest son of Muhammad Ali, the Wāli and unrecognised Khedive of Egypt and Sudan. He served as a general in the Egyptian army that his father established during his reign, taking his first command of Egyptian forces was when he was merely a teenager...
in the campaigns in Syria
Egyptian–Ottoman War (1831–1833)
The First Egyptian-Ottoman War, First Turco-Egyptian War or First Syrian War was brought about by Muhammad Ali Pasha's demand to the Ottoman Empire for control of Arab Greater Syria, as reward for his assistance in Crete against Greece...
. Selim rose quickly to the rank of Ferik
Ferik (rank)
Ferik was a military rank of the Ottoman Army. It is translated as Major General or Lieutenant General . It was superior to a Mirliva and junior to a Birinci Ferik .The title of Ferik was abolished with Act No...
(major general) and was appointed the military minister of the state of Egypt.
Return to Crete and death
In 1866, Selim replaced Shaheen Pasha in the command of over 20,000 Egyptian troops sent by the KhediveKhedive
The term Khedive is a title largely equivalent to the English word viceroy. It was first used, without official recognition, by Muhammad Ali Pasha , the Wāli of Egypt and Sudan, and vassal of the Ottoman Empire...
of Egypt Isma'il Pasha
Isma'il Pasha
Isma'il Pasha , known as Ismail the Magnificent , was the Khedive of Egypt and Sudan from 1863 to 1879, when he was removed at the behest of the United Kingdom...
to assist the Ottomans in quelling the great revolt
Cretan Revolt (1866–1869)
The Cretan Revolt of 1866–1869 or Great Cretan Revolution was a three year uprising against Ottoman rule, the third and largest in a series of Cretan revolts between the end of the Greek War of Independence in 1830 and the establishment of the independent Cretan State in 1898.-Background:The...
on his native land. By a coincidence of fate, Cretan revolutionaries were receiving supplies and financial support from Selim's brother Antonios who lived in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. Antonios had been sold to Istanbul
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...
and later managed to escape to Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
where he prospered under the protection of the Stourtza family and became very wealthy. Selim was aware of his brother's life and had been corresponding with him.
In Crete, Selim took part in several battles as well as the siege of the Arkadi Monastery
Arkadi Monastery
The monastery of Arkadi is an Eastern Orthodox monastery, situated on a fertile plateau 14 mi to the southeast of Rethymnon on the island of Crete ....
. During the late spring of 1867, he and Omar Pasha
Omar Pasha
Omar Pasha Latas was a Ottoman general and governor. He was a Serb convert to Islam, who managed to quickly climb in Ottoman ranks, crush several rebellions throughout the Empire and defeat Russia the Crimean War.-Early life:...
marched towards the Lasithi plateau aiming to crush the rebels. Soon after the destruction of Lasithi, Selim died of unknown cause. According to one reference he died of typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
, while other sources attribute his death to the complications of a gunshot wound he had received earlier in Stylos. His body was transferred to Egypt and buried in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
with high honors, whereas a cenotaph
Cenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
dedicated to him was erected in 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....
and stood until 1925. There is also a bust of him at the Cairo Military Museum.