Kara Mustafa Pasha (governor of Egypt)

Last updated
Fatma Sultan
​
(m. 1623)​
Kara · Damat
Mustafa
Pasha
Ottoman Governor of Egypt
In office
16 February 1624 –16 May 1626

Kara Mustafa Pasha (died 1628) [1] was an Ottoman statesman who served twice as the Ottoman governor of Egypt, [2] [3] firstly from 20 July to 9 October 1623 and secondly from 12 February 1624 to 16 May 1626. [3] He also served earlier as the agha (chief) of the Janissary corps in 1623. [2]

Contents

Mustafa Pasha was educated in the Enderun palace school. [2] He married Fatma Sultan, a daughter of Sultan Ahmed I, in 1628 [2] but was executed that same year by the reigning Sultan (and his new brother-in-law) Murad IV. [1]

First term

After taking office as governor of Egypt for the first time, he accused his predecessor Silahdar Ibrahim Pasha of failing to pay the customary contribution of every governor of Egypt to the treasury. [4] He sent his kaymakam (lieutenant) Salih Bey after Ibrahim Pasha, who told Salih Bey that whatever money he owed, he would give directly to the sultan in Istanbul, where he was headed anyway. However, the deposition of the Sultan Mustafa I and the succession of Murad IV to the throne, as well as the political chaos around the event that occurred before Ibrahim Pasha arrived back in Constantinople, allowed him to keep the money. [4]

Controversy over replacement

When the sultan replaced Mustafa Pasha with Çeşteci Ali Pasha after only five months in office, as the custom of the sultans was to change the governors of Egypt in rapid succession, the local Ottoman troops marched to the new kaymakam's house and demanded the bonus salaries they usually received when the governor was replaced. [5] The new kaymakam delayed them until the next day and at the same time asked them to bring Mustafa Pasha to him, as the kaymakam's initial task was to analyze the affairs of Mustafa Pasha; one of the paintings belonging to the seraglio was lost, and it was suspected that Mustafa Pasha had taken it for himself. [5] However, the army refused this request, telling him,

"We cannot seize the person of the vizier, nor make any inquiry after his effects; let them appoint sanjak-beys for guards, and let them conduct him to Alexandria. If [Çeşteci] Ali Pasha is already arrived in that city, they will put him into his hands; if they do not find him there, let them conduct him to Constantinople." [5]

The entire army then reportedly swore on the Quran to be resolute in their will. The next day, 11 October 1623, the armies and the sanjak-beys had Mustafa Pasha read the sultan's orders for his replacement and audit. When the army members again demanded compensation from the new kaymakam and deputy governor, they reproached the soldiers by saying that they constantly demanded the same thing every three months, to which the soldiers replied,

"Why, then, does the sultan, our master, change the beylerbeys (governors) of the province every three months, to the great injury of the inhabitants? If he chooses to nominate every day new beylerbeys, we shall also demand every day new contributions." [6]

When the deputy governor replied that he could not compensate the soldiers until the new governor arrived in Cairo, the soldiers grew enraged and nearly killed him and the kaymakam before they escaped. [6] The soldiers then declared, "We will have no other governor than Mustafa; let Ali return to the place from whence he came." [6]

As the soldiers welcomed Mustafa Pasha back as governor, he privately wrote to the sultan to ask for a confirmation of his re-commencement of the office, with many local figures also writing to the sultan on his behalf. [6] When the soldiers were informed that the now-unemployed replacement governor Çeşteci Ali Pasha had landed in Alexandria, they sent messengers to inform him of what had occurred. [6] Ali Pasha, angry at the news, proceeded to put one of the messengers in chains, but the troops in the area loyal to Mustafa Pasha released the messenger, destroyed Ali Pasha's camp, and forced him to reembark on his ship. [7] When a wind accidentally brought his ship back to the port, Mustafa Pasha had his troops fire cannonballs at the ship. Because of unfavorable wind conditions, Ali Pasha was forced to spend the winter in another port before heading back to Constantinople.

No news arrived from the capital confirming or denying whether Mustafa Pasha was the rightful governor, and the populace began to grow uneasy. Finally, on 16 February 1624, a carrier pigeon arrived with a letter from the sultan in Constantinople confirming the reinstatement, and soon afterwards, the chief footman of the sultan arrived to deliver Mustafa Pasha's governor's caftan. [7]

Second term

In the first year (1624) of Mustafa Pasha's second term as governor of Egypt, the Nile flooded to higher-than-expected level, but the waters receded in time for sowing, and a successful harvest followed. [8] Mustafa Pasha reportedly confiscated the inheritances of a large number of wealthy Egyptians for himself, growing wealthy from the practice; when heirs existed, he would reportedly fake their seal and claim their money. [9] Furthermore, the province of Egypt experienced a plague from November 1625 to June 1626, which, although largely restricted to affecting those over 60 years old, nevertheless reportedly killed approximately 300,000 people. [9] To mollify and hasten the grieving process (and possibly to avoid further contagion from corpses), Mustafa Pasha banned all funerals, and the bodies were carried through the streets and buried without ceremony. [9] Mustafa Pasha was dismissed from the office of governor for the second and final time on 16 May 1626. [3]

Later life

After leaving office, Mustafa Pasha was hounded by his successor Bayram Pasha, who demanded of him a large restitution (reported as 20 sandıks) after auditing the treasury, in a way similar to what Mustafa Pasha himself had done to his own predecessor Silahdar Ibrahim Pasha. [9] Mustafa Pasha, acting as though he could not pay the amount (despite the wealth he had apparently amassed while in office), sold his belongings to further his ruse. However, Bayram Pasha did not let up until Mustafa Pasha paid the entire sum. [1]

In 1628, Mustafa Pasha married Fatma Sultan, a daughter of the late Sultan Ahmed I, [2] but that same year, he was executed by the reigning 16-year-old Sultan Murad IV (and his newlywed wife's brother) for some action "contrary to the law of God." [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bayezid II</span> Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1481 to 1512

Bayezid II was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1481 to 1512. During his reign, Bayezid consolidated the Ottoman Empire, thwarted a pro-Safavid rebellion and finally abdicated his throne to his son, Selim I. Bayezid evacuated Sephardi Jews from Spain following the fall of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada and the proclamation of the Alhambra Decree and resettled them throughout Ottoman lands, especially in Salonica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murad II</span> Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (r. 1421–1444, 1446–1451)

Murad II was twice the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1421 to 1444 and from 1446 to 1451.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mehmed III</span> Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1595 to 1603

Mehmed III was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1595 until his death in 1603. Mehmed was known for ordering the execution of his brothers and leading the army in the Long Turkish War, during which the Ottoman army was victorious at the decisive Battle of Keresztes. This victory was however undermined by some military losses such as in Győr and Nikopol. He also ordered the successful quelling of the Jelali rebellions. The sultan also communicated with the court of Elizabeth I on the grounds of stronger commercial relations and in the hopes of England to ally with the Ottomans against the Spanish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murad IV</span> Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1623 to 1640

Murad IV was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1623 to 1640, known both for restoring the authority of the state and for the brutality of his methods. Murad IV was born in Constantinople, the son of Sultan Ahmed I and Kösem Sultan. He was brought to power by a palace conspiracy when he was just 11 years old, and he succeeded his uncle Mustafa I. Until he assumed absolute power on 18 May 1632, the empire was ruled by his mother, Kösem Sultan, as nāʾib-i salṭanat (regent). His reign is most notable for the Ottoman–Safavid War, of which the outcome would partition the Caucasus between the two Imperial powers for around two centuries, while it also roughly laid the foundation for the current Turkey–Iran–Iraq borders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ibrahim of the Ottoman Empire</span> Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1640 to 1648

Ibrahim was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1640 until 1648. He was born in Constantinople, the son of sultan Ahmed I by Kösem Sultan, an ethnic Greek originally named Anastasia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sokollu Mehmed Pasha</span> Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 1565 to 1579

Sokollu Mehmed Pasha was an Ottoman statesman of Serb origin most notable for being the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire. Born in Ottoman Herzegovina into an Orthodox Christian family, Mehmed was recruited as a young boy as part of so called "blood tax" to serve as a janissary to the Ottoman devşirme system of recruiting Christian boys to be raised as officers or administrators for the state. He rose through the ranks of the Ottoman imperial system, eventually holding positions as commander of the imperial guard (1543–1546), High Admiral of the Fleet (1546–1551), Governor-General of Rumelia (1551–1555), Third Vizier (1555–1561), Second Vizier (1561–1565), and as Grand Vizier under three sultans: Suleiman the Magnificent, Selim II, and Murad III. He was assassinated in 1579, ending his near 15-years of service to several Sultans, as sole legal representative in the administration of state affairs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ottoman Egypt</span> Administrative division of the Ottoman Empire from 1517 to 1867

Ottoman Egypt was an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire after the conquest of Mamluk Egypt by the Ottomans in 1517. The Ottomans administered Egypt as a province (eyalet) of their empire. It remained formally an Ottoman province until 1914, though in practice it became increasingly autonomous during the 19th century and was under de facto British control from 1882.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha</span> Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire (1790)

Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha or Hasan Pasha of Algiers, nicknamed Ejder-i Bahrî, was an Ottoman Grand Admiral (1770–90), Grand Vizier (1790), and general in the late 18th century.

Pasha was a high rank in the Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, generals, dignitaries, and others. Pasha was also one of the highest titles in the 20th-century Kingdom of Egypt and it was also used in Morocco in the 20th century, where it denoted a regional official or governor of a district.

Mere Hüseyin Pasha was an Ottoman statesman of Albanian origin. He was two times Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire in 1622 and 1623, and previously the Ottoman governor of Egypt between 1620 and 1622. His epithet "Mere!" comes from the word for "Take it!" in Albanian; he was nicknamed so because of the many times he ordered his men to "take [the heads]" of his opponents, i.e. execute them. He was purportedly the only grand vizier who did not speak Ottoman Turkish or Osmanlica.

Lefkeli Mustafa Pasha was an Ottoman statesman from the city of Lefke in Cyprus. He was Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire in 1622 and governor of Egypt in 1618.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gazi Hüseyin Pasha</span> Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire (1656)

Gazi Hüseyin Pasha, also known as Deli Hüseyin Pasha or Sarı Hüseyin Pasha or Baltaoğlu Hüseyin Pasha, was an Ottoman military officer and statesman. He was governor of Egypt (1635–1637), Kapudan Pasha in the 1630s, and briefly Grand Vizier in 1656.

Halil Pasha was an Ottoman statesman who served as the governor of Ottoman Egypt from 1631 to 1633. He was known for his "gentle, impartial, and prosperous administration" which was in large contrast to the "rapacious" administration of his predecessor, Koca Musa Pasha. In Shawwal 1041 AH, while governor, he sent an expeditionary force to the Hejaz to retake Mecca from Yemeni troops who had seized the city in the name of a pretender to the Sharifate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yemen Eyalet</span> Ottoman province in Arabia (1517–1636, 1849–1872)

The Yemen Eyalet was an eyalet (province) of the Ottoman Empire. Although formally an integral part of the empire, the far-flung province was notoriously difficult to administer, and was often lawless. During the early 17th century, the Eyalet was entirely lost to the Zaidi-ruled Qasimid State, only to be recovered by the Ottomans two centuries later. The Yemen Eyalet was reorganized in 1849, upon Ottoman takeover of much of Greater Yemen territories. In 1872, most of it became Yemen Vilayet after a land reform in the empire.

Koca Musa Pasha was an Ottoman statesman. He served most prominently as Kapudan Pasha (1645–1647), Ottoman governor of Egypt (1630–1631), Ottoman governor of Budin Eyalet, and Ottoman governor of Silistra Eyalet (1644–1645). He was also a vizier.

Bakırcı Ahmed Pasha was an Ottoman statesman. He served as the governor of Egypt between 1633 and 1635.

Çelebi Ismail Pasha was an Ottoman statesman who held various administrative roles in his career as a high-level official in the Ottoman government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trabluslu Ali Pasha</span>

Trabluslu Ali Pasha, also known as Cezayirli Ali Pasha or Seydi Ali Pasha, or Ali Burghol (Burghul) was an Ottoman statesman. He served as the Ottoman governor of Egypt from July 1803 to February 1804.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fatma Sultan (daughter of Ahmed I)</span> Ottoman princess

Fatma Sultan Constantinople) was an Ottoman princess. She was the daughter of Sultan Ahmed I and Kösem Sultan, sister of Murad IV and Ibrahim, and the paternal aunt of Mehmed IV. She is known for her many political marriages.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Accounts and Extracts of the Manuscripts in the Library of the King of France. Vol. 2. R. Faulder. 1789. p. 51.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Mehmet Süreyya (1996) [1890], Nuri Akbayar; Seyit A. Kahraman (eds.), Sicill-i Osmanî (in Turkish), Beşiktaş, Istanbul: Türkiye Kültür Bakanlığı and Türkiye Ekonomik ve Toplumsal Tarih Vakfı, ISBN   9789753330411
  3. 1 2 3 Yılmaz Öztuna (1994). Büyük Osmanlı Tarihi: Osmanlı Devleti'nin siyasî, medenî, kültür, teşkilât ve san'at tarihi (in Turkish). Vol. 10. Ötüken Neşriyat A.S. pp. 412–416. ISBN   975-437-141-5.
  4. 1 2 Accounts and Extracts of the Manuscripts in the Library of the King of France. Vol. 2. R. Faulder. 1789. p. 46.
  5. 1 2 3 Accounts and Extracts of the Manuscripts in the Library of the King of France. Vol. 2. R. Faulder. 1789. p. 47.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Accounts and Extracts of the Manuscripts in the Library of the King of France. Vol. 2. R. Faulder. 1789. p. 48.
  7. 1 2 Accounts and Extracts of the Manuscripts in the Library of the King of France. Vol. 2. R. Faulder. 1789. p. 49.
  8. ↑ Accounts and Extracts of the Manuscripts in the Library of the King of France. Vol. 2. R. Faulder. 1789. pp. 49, 50.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Accounts and Extracts of the Manuscripts in the Library of the King of France. Vol. 2. R. Faulder. 1789. p. 50.
Political offices
Preceded by Ottoman Governor of Egypt
20 July 1623 – 9 October 1623		Succeeded by
Preceded by Ottoman Governor of Egypt
16 February 1624 – 16 May 1626		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.