Zagan Pasha

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Zaganos Pasha or Zagan Pasha was a military leader, Kapudan Pasha and Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II.

Contents

[edit] Life

Zagan Pasha was a renegade Christian[1] Albanian who was conscripted by the Devşirme system to the janissary ranks.[2][3][4][5] Contemporary sources mention that before converting to Islam he was a Catholic.[6]

He was one of the prominent Ottoman military commanders of Mehmed II (Mehmet the Conqueror) and a lala, at once an advisor, mentor, tutor, councillor, protector, for the sultan.

He was the younger brother of Sultan Mehmet II's father-in-law, and rose through the ranks of the Janissaries, eventually earning the title of Vizier.

[edit] Physical appearance

Zaganos was said to be a tall and intelligent man. He was known for his warlike beliefs and played an important role in the Siege of Constantinople.

[edit] Military achievements

During the final siege of Constantinople, Zagan Pasha's troops were the first to reach the towers. Ulubatlı Hasan was the first soldier who reached the tower. During the siege many of the sappers were placed under the command of Zagan Pasha. Mehmet took Zaganos' advice almost exclusively.

Mehmet II honoured him for his loyalty and honesty, along with the Sultan's two other Viziers, Halil Pasha and Sarica Pasha, by naming the three great towers of Rumeli Hisari after them. The tower to the south is named after Zaganos Pasha.

[edit] Legacy

His mausoleum is located in Balıkesir in Zagan Pasha Mosque.

[edit] References

  1. ^ J. R. Melville Jones, The Siege of Constantinople 1453: Seven Contemporary Accounts, Hakkert, 1973, [refhttp://books.google.com/books?id=SoUJAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Zagan+Pasha,+an+Albanian+and+renegade+Christian,+was+over+the+water+before+Pera+with+a+force+of+renegade+Christians%22&dq=%22Zagan+Pasha,+an+Albanian+and+renegade+Christian,+was+over+the+water+before+Pera+with+a+force+of+renegade+Christians%22&hl=en&ei=v4wyTuqVBM33mAXD4LTwCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA p. 7.]
  2. ^ Kinross, Patrick Balfour (1977). The Ottoman centuries: the rise and fall of the Turkish Empire. Cape. p. 116. ISBN 9780224013796. http://books.google.com/books?ei=0e2qTNaYBNKEswb4neXOBA&ct=result&id=5KYKAQAAIAAJ&dq=Zaganos+Pasha+%2B+Albanian&q=His+new+Grand+Vezir+was+his+general+Zaganos+Pasha,+an+Albanian+in+origin#search_anchor. Retrieved 5 October 2010. 
  3. ^ Jones, J. R. Melville (1973-01-01). The siege of Constantinople 1453: seven contemporary accounts. Hakkert. p. 7. http://books.google.com/books?ei=o--qTN-_N4eRswaR98WqBA&ct=result&id=SoUJAQAAIAAJ&dq=Zagan+pasha+%2B+Albanian&q=Zagan+Pasha,+an+Albanian+and+renegade+Christian,+was+over+the+water+before+Pera+with+a+force+of+renegade+Christians;+for+many+of+this+country+gave+up+their+faith.#search_anchor. Retrieved 5 October 2010. 
  4. ^ Nicolle, David; Haldon, John F.; Turnbull, Stephen R. (2007). The fall of Constantinople: the Ottoman conquest of Byzantium. Osprey Publishing. pp. 189–. ISBN 9781846032004. http://books.google.com/books?id=BDtiMmArKaAC&pg=PA189&dq=Zaganos+Pasha+%2B+Albanian&hl=en&ei=0e2qTNaYBNKEswb4neXOBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Zaganos%20Pasha%20%2B%20Albanian&f=false. Retrieved 5 October 2010. 
  5. ^ Forbes-Boyd, Eric (1964-12). In crusader Greece: a tour of the castles of the Morea. Centaur Press. p. 219. http://books.google.com/books?id=DDI8AAAAMAAJ&q=Zagan++%2B+Albanian&dq=Zagan++%2B+Albanian&hl=en&ei=qfuqTNqzCIfMswaosaGlBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCcQ6AEwADgK. Retrieved 5 October 2010. 
  6. ^ Philippides, Marios (2007). [%3D+Zaganos+Pasha,+a+worthless+renegade,+who+had+been+born+a+Christian+but+had+renounced+his+Catholic+faith#search_anchor Mehmed II the Conqueror and the fall of the Franco-Byzantine Levant to the Ottoman Turks: some western views and testimonies]. ACMRS/Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. ISBN 9780866983464. http://books.google.com/books?ei=MfCqTOmQG83CswbMw_m7BA&ct=result&id=VGdoAAAAMAAJ&dq=Zaganos+Pasha+%2B+Catholic&q=In+another+part+of+the+city+the+Albanian+captain+Sagam+[%3D+Zaganos]+Pasha,+a+worthless+renegade,+who+had+been+born+a+Christian+but+had+renounced+his+Catholic+faith#search_anchor. Retrieved 5 October 2010. 
Preceded by
Çandarlı (2nd) Halil Pasha
Grand Vizier
1453–1456
Succeeded by
Veli Mahmud Pasha
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