Alemdar Mustafa Pasha (also called Bayraktar Mustafa Pasha; 1755 – 15 November 1808) was an Ottoman military commander, grand vizier

and Dictator, being the de facto ruler of the Ottoman Empire in 1808.

He was born into the family of a Janissary, possibly in Rusçuk (modern-day Ruse, Bulgaria), although varying information exists about his birthplace. He received the epithet bayraktar or alam-dar, both meaning 'flag-bearer', in Turkish and Persian respectively, and probably referring to his military rank in the janissary corps, during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774. After the war, he left the corps and eventually became a powerful notable and military commander in Rumelia. He became a strong supporter of Selim III's reforms and became a rallying point for opponents of the new regime after Selim's deposition in 1807. In July 1808, he took power in a military coup, replacing Sultan Mustafa IV with Mahmud II and becoming grand vizier. He established a dictatorship shortly after the coup with the Sultan as the figurehead. He attempted to revive Selim's reform program, likely to keep up technologically with the rest of Europe, modernize the Ottoman army, and prevent further humiliation caused by the wars lost in the Balkans, but he himself was killed only months later, during a new rebellion by the Janissaries.

Alemdar Mustafa Pasha is often regarded as a pioneering figure who recognized the need for a modern army. He was instrumental in setting up the French military mission in 1796.

Early career

Alemdar Mustafa is believed to have been born in about 1750 in Hotin (modern-day Khotyn, Ukraine) into the family of a prosperous janissary. and hailed from the village of Goskovë near Korçë. He rose to power through the janissary corps, and, having been promoted to commandership, took part in the wars against Austria and the Russian Empire. It was during his service in the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774 that he acquired the epithet bayraktar or alemdar,

After Mustafa IV learned of these events, he decided to have his uncle, Selim III, and his younger brother, Prince Mahmud, killed so that he should be the only surviving member of the imperial family. The executioners first arrived in Selim III's room in the palace. Selim III, who was playing a reed flute and had no weapons, resisted with his flute, but his efforts proved futile and he was strangled to death. His dead body was brought to Alemdar who wept, thinking that he had failed in all his objectives.

His men warned him that Mustafa IV's men planned to kill Prince Mahmud as well. The executioners had raided the prince's room, but the servants hid him on the roof. Alemdar and his men broke down the palace doors, killed the rebels and eventually saved the prince.

Alemdar Mustafa Pasha declared Mahmud the new sultan (Mahmud II), and became his grand vizier.

In the service of Sultan Mahmud II

thumb|A picture of Alemdar Mustafa Pasha.

But differences of opinion soon emerged between the new sultan Mahmud II and Alemdar. First of all, Alemdar made an agreement with the rebel representative from Anatolian lands, which was called the Charter of Alliance (Sened-i Ittifak). Sultan Mahmud thought that this agreement threatened his authority and withdrew his support for the pasha.

Secondly, he re-established the army of Nizam-i Djedid ('New Order'), calling it the Sekban-I Cedid Army. The Nizam-ı Cedid Army was a hated rival to the Janissaries so the new name has been interpreted as an effort to appease them. Furthermore, Alemdar conducted an investigation into the Janissary corps and fired men who were not actually Janissaries but receiving Janissary salaries all the same.

Death

Alemdar's measures laid the ground for later reforms in the Ottoman Empire. But meanwhile, the ruling elite resented him. On 15 November 1808, about a thousand Janissaries raided Alemdar Mustafa Pasha's house. Realising he could not survive the assault, he ignited the gunpowder reserves in the cellar of his house, killing himself and approximately 400 Janissaries in the ensuing explosion. He was buried in the courtyard of the Zeynep Sultan Mosque in Istanbul.

A street in Istanbul near the Sublime Porte is named after Alemdar Mustafa Pasha. A plaque there stating that his father was a Janissary from Ruscuk.

See also

  • List of Ottoman grand viziers
  • Ottoman military reforms
  • Selim III

References

General references

  • (English translation: )