Kemankeş Mustafa Pasha
Encyclopedia
Kemankeş Mustafa Pasha was a 17th century Ottoman
military officer and statesman. He served as Kapudan Pasha and as Grand Vizier.
). He was an officer in the Janissary
corps. His epithet Kemankeş refers to his talent as an archer. He was the deputy of the Janissary commander in 1634 and was promoted to the post of Janissary commander in 1635. On 17 October 1635, he was appointed Kapudan Pasha (Grand Admiral). Nevertheless, he participated in the campaign of Baghdad
in modern Iraq
far from the seas. On 24 December 1638, after the death of the former grand vizier, Tayyar Mehmet Pasha
, during the siege, Sultan Murat IV appointed Kemankeş Mustafa as the new grand vizier, the highest post of the empire other than the sultan.
signed on 17 May 1639, the rough outline for the frontier between modern-day Iran
and the states of Turkey
and Iraq
was laid. Murat IV died in 9 February 1640 and Kemankeş Mustafa continued as a grand vizier during Ibrahim I
's reign. Ibrahim was a weak sultan and Kemankeş Mustafa was the de facto ruler of the empire. By harsh methods, he ended the rebellions, balanced the budget, and reduced the number of soldiers. He also used his power the subdue (or even kill) other able statesmen whom he thought to be potential competitors for his post.
Kösem
, a sciolist hodja
named Cinci Hoca
and a vizier named Sultanzade Mehmet Pasha. They began to criticize Kemankeş Mustafa maliciously. Although he several times tried to resign, his resignation was not accepted by the sultan. But finally the sultan who was initially pleased with Kemankeş Mustafa deposed him on 31 January 1644. A few hours later, he was executed.
church in İstanbul
. (Original name of the church is unknown for it was converted to a Latin church and was remaned as Santa Maria di Constantinopol during the Latin occupation
of Costantinople after 1204.) The mosque was named as Odalar Mosque. But it was burned down during a city fire in 1919. .
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 statesman. He served as Kapudan Pasha and as Grand Vizier.
Early life
Mustafa was born in Avlonya (modern Vlore in AlbaniaAlbania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
). He was an officer in the Janissary
Janissary
The Janissaries were infantry units that formed the Ottoman sultan's household troops and bodyguards...
corps. His epithet Kemankeş refers to his talent as an archer. He was the deputy of the Janissary commander in 1634 and was promoted to the post of Janissary commander in 1635. On 17 October 1635, he was appointed Kapudan Pasha (Grand Admiral). Nevertheless, he participated in the campaign of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
in modern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
far from the seas. On 24 December 1638, after the death of the former grand vizier, Tayyar Mehmet Pasha
Tayyar Mehmet Pasha
- Early years :His father was Uçar Mustafa Pasha. Tayyar Mehmed worked under Nasuh Pasha as his kethüda . After the slaughter of Osman II, he joined the rebellious forces of Abaza Mehmed, but during the battle of Kayseri in 1624, he changed sides and was appointed as the beylerbey of Diyarbakır...
, during the siege, Sultan Murat IV appointed Kemankeş Mustafa as the new grand vizier, the highest post of the empire other than the sultan.
As a grand vizier
Baghdad was conquered on the next day and Kemankeş Mustafa represented the Ottoman side in the consequent peace talks. By the Treaty of ZuhabTreaty of Zuhab
The Treaty of Zuhab was an accord signed between Safavid Empire and the Ottoman Empire on May 17, 1639. The accord ended the war that had begun in 1623 and was the last conflict in almost 150 years of intermittent wars between the two states over territorial disputes...
signed on 17 May 1639, the rough outline for the frontier between modern-day 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...
and the states of 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...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
was laid. Murat IV died in 9 February 1640 and Kemankeş Mustafa continued as a grand vizier during 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...
's reign. Ibrahim was a weak sultan and Kemankeş Mustafa was the de facto ruler of the empire. By harsh methods, he ended the rebellions, balanced the budget, and reduced the number of soldiers. He also used his power the subdue (or even kill) other able statesmen whom he thought to be potential competitors for his post.
Death
Kemankeş Mustafa made many enemies. But the most important opposition was a kind of triumvirate in the palace formed by the valide sultanValide Sultan
Valide Sultan was the title held by the mother of a ruling Sultan in the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish pronunciation of the word Valide is . The title is sometimes translated as Queen Mother, although the position of Valide Sultan was quite different.The position was perhaps the most important...
Kösem
Kösem
Kösem Sultan — also known as Mehpeyker Sultan — was one of the most powerful women in Ottoman history . Consort and favourite concubine of Ottoman Sultan Ahmed I...
, a sciolist hodja
Hodja
Hodža, also spelled as Khawaja, Hoca, Hodžić, or Hoxha, is a title of respect in some Central Asian, Middle Eastern and European cultures, used for people who have performed the Hajj a difficult and often dangerous feat in the Middle Ages, especially for those living far away from Arabia...
named Cinci Hoca
Cinci Hoca
Cinci Hoca is the epithet of Karabaşzade Hüseyin Efendi, a 17th century Ottoman spiritualist whose influence on the sultan caused many problems in the empire.- Life :...
and a vizier named Sultanzade Mehmet Pasha. They began to criticize Kemankeş Mustafa maliciously. Although he several times tried to resign, his resignation was not accepted by the sultan. But finally the sultan who was initially pleased with Kemankeş Mustafa deposed him on 31 January 1644. A few hours later, he was executed.
Legacy
In 1642 Mustafa Pasha commissioned a mosque on the ruins of a ByzantineByzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
church 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...
. (Original name of the church is unknown for it was converted to a Latin church and was remaned as Santa Maria di Constantinopol during the Latin occupation
Latin Empire
The Latin Empire or Latin Empire of Constantinople is the name given by historians to the feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. It was established after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 and lasted until 1261...
of Costantinople after 1204.) The mosque was named as Odalar Mosque. But it was burned down during a city fire in 1919. .