Kemankeş Kara Mustafa Pasha |
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Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire | |
In office 23 December 1638 – 31 January 1644 |
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Monarch | Murad IV - İbrahim |
Preceded by | Tayyar Mehmed Pasha |
Succeeded by | Sultanzade Mehmed Pasha |
Kapudan Pasha | |
In office 17 October 1635 – 22 December 1638 |
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Preceded by | Gazi Hüseyin Pasha |
Succeeded by | Gazi Hüseyin Pasha |
Personal details | |
Born | 1592 Avlonya, Ottoman Albania |
Died | 31 January 1644 (aged 51–52) Istanbul, Ottoman Empire |
Religion | Sunni Islam |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Ottoman Empire |
Service/branch |
Ottoman Navy Ottoman Army |
Rank |
Kapudan Pasha (grand admiral; 1635–1638) Janissary commander (1635) |
Battles/wars |
Kemankeş Kara Mustafa Pasha ("Mustafa Pasha, the Archer, the Courageous" in Turkish; 1592 – 31 January 1644) was an Ottoman military officer and statesman. He served as Kapudan Pasha and as grand vizier.
Mustafa was an Albanian and born in Avlonya (modern Vlorë in Albania) in 1592. He was an officer in the Janissary corps. His epithet Kemankeş refers to his talent as an archer. He was the deputy (Turkish: sekban başı) of the Janissary commander in 1634 and was promoted to the post of Janissary commander (Turkish: yeniçeri ağası) in 1635. On 17 October 1635, he was appointed Kapudan Pasha (Grand Admiral of the Navy). Nevertheless, he participated in the Capture of Baghdad far from the sea. On 24 December 1638, after the death of the former grand vizier Tayyar Mehmet Pasha during the siege, Sultan Murad IV appointed Kemankeş Mustafa as the new grand vizier, the highest post of the empire next to that of the sultan.
Baghdad was conquered the next day, and Kemankeş Mustafa represented the Ottoman side in the consequent peace talks. By the Treaty of Zuhab signed on 17 May 1639, the rough outline for the frontier between modern-day Iran and the states of Turkey and Iraq was laid. Murad IV died on 9 February 1640 and Kemankeş Mustafa continued as a grand vizier during Ibrahim's reign. Ibrahim was a weak sultan, and Kemankeş Mustafa became the de facto ruler of the empire. Using severe methods, he ended the rebellions, balanced the budget, and reduced the number of soldiers. He also used his power the subdue (and even kill) other able statesmen whom he thought to be potential competitors for his post.