Keki Abdi Pasha (sometimes spelled 'Abidi; died April 1789,
Aleppo) was an
Ottoman statesman. He served as the governor of the
Sanjak of İçel (1779–80, 1781–82),
Adana Eyalet
The Eyalet of Adana ( ota, ایالت ادنه; Eyālet-i Adana) was an eyalet of the Ottoman Empire, established in 1608, when it was separated from the Eyalet of Aleppo. Its reported area in the 19th century was .
History
The Ramadanids playe ...
(1780–81),
Diyarbekir Eyalet
Eyālet-i Diyār-i Bekr
, common_name = Eyalet of Diyarbekir
, subdivision = Eyalet
, nation = the Ottoman Empire
, year_start = 1515
, year_end = 1846
, date_start = Nov ...
(1782–84, 1785, 1786),
Aleppo Eyalet
ota, ایالت حلب
, common_name = Aleppo Eyalet
, subdivision = Eyalet
, nation = the Ottoman Empire
, year_start = 1534
, year_end = 1864
, date_start =
, date_end =
, event_s ...
(1784),
Rakka Eyalet
ota, ایالت رقهEyalet-i Rakka
, common_name = Rakka Eyalet
, subdivision = Eyalet
, nation = the Ottoman Empire
, year_start = 1586
, year_end = 1864
, date_start ...
(1784–85),
Sivas Eyalet (1785–86), and
Egypt Eyalet
The Eyalet of Egypt (, ) operated as an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire from 1517 to 1867. It originated as a result of the conquest of Mamluk Egypt by the Ottomans in 1517, following the Ottoman–Mamluk War (1516–17) and the a ...
(1787–88, 1789).
[Ülker, Necmi. "XVIII. Yüzyılda Mısır Ve Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Paşanın Mısır Seferi ("Egypt in the 18th Century, and ]Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha
Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha or Hasan Pasha of Algiers (1713 – 19 March 1790) was an Ottoman Grand Admiral (Kapudan Pasha) (1770–90), Grand Vizier (1790), and general in the late 18th century.
Primary life
He is known to have been brought ...
's Egyptian Campaign")." Ege University (1994): p. 16-17. Web. 26 Oct. 2013. .
Background
Earlier in his career, he served as
kapıcıbaşı
The Ottoman title of ''kapıcıbaşı'' designated the chief of the palace gatekeepers, or "chief warder". In the early phase of Ottoman statehood there was one single title-holder. It multiplied over time and there were in the 18th century some ...
(
master of ceremonies) for the
Ottoman sultan. He became a
vizier
A vizier (; ar, وزير, wazīr; fa, وزیر, vazīr), or wazir, is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in the near east. The Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called '' katib'' (secretary), who was ...
in 1782.
Governorship of Aleppo
Abdi Pasha was appointed as the governor of
Aleppo Eyalet
ota, ایالت حلب
, common_name = Aleppo Eyalet
, subdivision = Eyalet
, nation = the Ottoman Empire
, year_start = 1534
, year_end = 1864
, date_start =
, date_end =
, event_s ...
by the sultan in 1784.
Upon taking office, his militias killed several
Janissaries. He then had the leaders of Aleppo's Christian communities arrested and ordered them to wear special clothing, only reversing this upon receiving a heavy fee from them.
The local Janissaries began to fight back and barricaded Abdi Pasha in the governor's palace, which he was only able to leave through the mediation of his
kadı (judge). He was then expelled from Aleppo, going to
Rakka
Raqqa ( ar, ٱلرَّقَّة, ar-Raqqah, also and ) (Kurdish: Reqa/ ڕەقە) is a city in Syria on the northeast bank of the Euphrates River, about east of Aleppo. It is located east of the Tabqa Dam, Syria's largest dam. The Hellenistic, ...
(modern
Raqqa
Raqqa ( ar, ٱلرَّقَّة, ar-Raqqah, also and ) (Kurdish: Reqa/ ڕەقە) is a city in Syria on the northeast bank of the Euphrates River, about east of Aleppo. It is located east of the Tabqa Dam, Syria's largest dam. The Hellenistic, ...
, Syria), where he soon became governor.
Aleppo would remain without a governor for just over a year after his expulsion.
Campaign in Egypt
In 1786, while Abdi Pasha was the governor of
Diyarbekir Eyalet
Eyālet-i Diyār-i Bekr
, common_name = Eyalet of Diyarbekir
, subdivision = Eyalet
, nation = the Ottoman Empire
, year_start = 1515
, year_end = 1846
, date_start = Nov ...
, the
Kapudan Pasha
The Kapudan Pasha ( ota, قپودان پاشا, modern Turkish: ), was the Grand Admiral of the navy of the Ottoman Empire. He was also known as the ( ota, قپودان دریا, links=no, modern: , "Captain of the Sea"). Typically, he was bas ...
(grand admiral of the
Ottoman Navy)
Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha
Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha or Hasan Pasha of Algiers (1713 – 19 March 1790) was an Ottoman Grand Admiral (Kapudan Pasha) (1770–90), Grand Vizier (1790), and general in the late 18th century.
Primary life
He is known to have been brought ...
was ordered by the sultan
Abdülhamid I
Abdülhamid or Abdul Hamid I ( ota, عبد الحميد اول, ''`Abdü’l-Ḥamīd-i evvel''; tr, Birinci Abdülhamid; 20 March 1725 – 7 April 1789) was the 27th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, reigning over the Ottoman Empire from 1774 to ...
to take troops to
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
and drive out the
Mamluk
Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning " slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') ...
emirs led by
Ibrahim Bey (Mamluk)
Ibrahim Bey (born Abram Shinjikashvili; 1735 – 1816/1817) was a Mamluk chieftain and regent of Egypt.
Biography
Ibrahim Bey was born as Abram Shinjikashvili (აბრამ შინჯიკაშვილი), of Georgian origin, into ...
and
Murad Bey
Murad Bey Mohammed ( 1750 – 22 April 1801) was an Egyptian Mamluk chieftain ( Bey), cavalry commander and joint ruler of Egypt with Ibrahim Bey. He is often remembered as being a cruel and extortionate ruler, but an energetic courageous fighter ...
, who had become ''de facto'' rulers of the province, frequently deposing the
Ottoman governors at their pleasure.
As grand admiral Hasan Pasha moved towards Egypt, Abdi Pasha and his troops joined him. While waiting for the emirs to appear in order to engage them in battle on 24 October 1786, the news reached Abdi Pasha that the sultan had appointed him to be the governor of Egypt.
However, Abdi Pasha wished to continue commanding his troops, so he told grand admiral Hasan Pasha that he could not take office until the Mamluks had been defeated and set out with his army to find them, leaving Hasan Pasha to continue being the ''de facto'' governor.
Soon, his troops located the Mamluk emirs and defeated them in battle, causing celebration in Egypt.
Governorship of Egypt
After the Mamluk emirs were defeated, which would prove to be temporary, Abdi Pasha entered the
Cairo Citadel
The Citadel of Cairo or Citadel of Saladin ( ar, قلعة صلاح الدين, Qalaʿat Salāḥ ad-Dīn) is a medieval Islamic-era fortification in Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt ...
and took office as
governor of Egypt on 30 April 1787
while the pro-Ottoman Mamluk Emir
Ismail Bey Ismāʿīl Bey ( 1735? - March 1791), also known as ''Ismail Bey al-Kabir'' ("the Great") was a Mamluk emir and regent of Ottoman Egypt.
Biography
Ismail was of Georgian origin, and became a Mamluk of the Emir Ali Bey al-Kabir in Egypt. During th ...
became
Shaykh al-Balad
Sheikh (pronounced or ; ar, شيخ ' , mostly pronounced , plural ' )—also transliterated sheekh, sheyikh, shaykh, shayk, shekh, shaik and Shaikh, shak—is an honorific title in the Arabic language. It commonly designates a chief of a ...
(civil governor) and de facto ruler.
On 2 December 1788, a courier arrived from
Istanbul
)
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code = 34000 to 34990
, area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side)
, registration_plate = 34
, blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD
, blank_i ...
, the Ottoman capital, that Abdi Pasha had been replaced as governor by
Ismail Pasha the Tripolitanian
Ismail Pasha ( 1780–1792) was an Ottoman statesman of Georgian origin, he grew up in Tunis during the reign of Ali Pasha (1759-1782). Because of this, he became the '' kethüda'' (assistant/deputy) of Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha, the famous Kapu ...
, the former ''
kethüda
( ota, كدخدا), often corrupted to or in daily speech, was an Ottoman Turkish title meaning "steward, deputy, lieutenant". It derives from the Persian word ("master of a household", later "chieftain, headman").
The term originated in med ...
'' (deputy or assistant) of
Kapudan Pasha
The Kapudan Pasha ( ota, قپودان پاشا, modern Turkish: ), was the Grand Admiral of the navy of the Ottoman Empire. He was also known as the ( ota, قپودان دریا, links=no, modern: , "Captain of the Sea"). Typically, he was bas ...
Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha
Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha or Hasan Pasha of Algiers (1713 – 19 March 1790) was an Ottoman Grand Admiral (Kapudan Pasha) (1770–90), Grand Vizier (1790), and general in the late 18th century.
Primary life
He is known to have been brought ...
.
When the
Mamluk
Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning " slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') ...
emirs, who had secured a negotiation with Abdi Pasha as to their power, found out that he had been replaced by Ismail Pasha, they refused to honor the deal.
Abdi Pasha, angry over his dismissal and this turn of events, sent agents to Istanbul to persuade the sultan to reappoint him as governor.
This was successful, and within a month, on 3 January 1789, news arrived that Abdi Pasha had been reappointed the governor of Egypt and that he should drive the Mamluk emirs out of southern (Upper) Egypt.
However, less than a month later, on 30 January 1789, messengers from Istanbul appeared carrying an order for the re-dismissal of Abdi Pasha and the reappointment of
Ismail Pasha, this being the result of the persuasions of Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha, Ismail Pasha's former superior and friend, who had undone what Abdi Pasha's agents had done to have him reappointed.
Now governor again, Ismail Pasha had Abdi Pasha's accounts audited and found that he owed money to the provincial treasury, which Abdi Pasha negotiated to half of the original amount. He paid the sum and prepared to leave Cairo.
Abdi Pasha left Egypt on 30 March 1789, headed for
Diyarbekir (modern
Diyarbakır
Diyarbakır (; ; ; ) is the largest Kurdish-majority city in Turkey. It is the administrative center of Diyarbakır Province.
Situated around a high plateau by the banks of the Tigris river on which stands the historic Diyarbakır Fortress, ...
), in order to gather troops to fight against the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
in the
Russo-Turkish War (1787–92)
The Russo-Turkish wars (or Ottoman–Russian wars) were a series of twelve wars fought between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire between the 16th and 20th centuries. It was one of the longest series of military conflicts in European histor ...
.
Death
After gathering troops for the war with Russia, he traveled to
Aleppo that same month (March) and died there in April.
See also
*
List of Ottoman governors of Egypt
The Ottoman Empire's governors of Egypt from 1517 to 1805 were at various times known by different but synonymous titles, among them '' beylerbey'', viceroy, governor, governor-general, or, more generally, '' wāli''. Furthermore, the Ottoman s ...
*
List of rulers of Aleppo
The rulers of Aleppo ruled as kings, emirs and sultans of the city and its surrounding region since the later half of the 3rd millennium BC, starting with the kings of Armi, followed by the Amorite dynasty of Yamhad. Muslim rule of the city end ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abdi Pasha, Keki
18th-century births
1789 deaths
Ottoman governors of Egypt
18th-century Ottoman governors of Egypt
Ottoman governors of Aleppo