Sulejman Pasha Skopljak (, ; 1804–1816) was an Ottoman Bosnian military commander and governor active in

Rumelia Rumelia (; ; ) was a historical region in Southeastern Europe that was administered by the Ottoman Empire, roughly corresponding to the Balkans. In its wider sense, it was used to refer to all Ottoman possessions and Vassal state, vassals in E ...

(the

Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...

), who became known for his role in fighting Serb rebels in the 1800s and 1810s. He served as the first

Vizier A vizier (; ; ) is a high-ranking political advisor or Minister (government), minister in the Near East. The Abbasids, Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was at first merely a help ...

of Belgrade (the

Sanjak of Smederevo The Sanjak of Smederevo (, ), also known in historiography as the Pashalik of Belgrade (, ), was an Ottoman Empire, Ottoman administrative unit (sanjak) centered on Smederevo, that existed between the 15th and the outset of the 19th centuries. It ...

) after crushing the

First Serbian Uprising The First Serbian Uprising (; sr-Cyrl, Први српски устанак; ) was an uprising of Serbs in Orašac (Aranđelovac), Orašac against the Ottoman Empire from 14 February 1804 to 7 October 1813. The uprising began as a local revolt ...

(1804–1813).

Origin

Sulejman hailed from Uskoplje, a town near

Bugojno Bugojno ( sr-cyrl, Бугојно) is a town and municipality in the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated on the river Vrbas, to the northwest of Sarajevo. Accord ...

in central

Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

. According to Sulejman's great-grandson, the poet Omer-beg Sulejmanpašić (1870–1918), the family originated from Mihailo, a Bosnian nobleman that held the fort of Vesela Straža, then after the Ottoman conquest converted into Islam, becoming Ali Pasha (''Ali-paša'').

Career

The

broke out in the

(today central Serbia) in 1804, and echoed in other Serb-inhabited lands in the Ottoman Empire. After the Drobnjak Rebellion broke out in March 1805, and expanded in the eastern

Sanjak of Herzegovina The Sanjak of Herzegovina (; ) was an Ottoman administrative unit established in 1470. The seat was in Foča until 1572 when it was moved to Taşlıca (Pljevlja). The sanjak was initially part of the Eyalet of Rumelia but was administrated int ...

(now in

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

), the Ottoman government sent Sulejman Pasha in the beginning of October to suppress it. Suleiman Pasha was one of the most courageous and resolute Ottoman commanders at that time. By January 1806, the Drobnjak rebellion was suppressed, and Sulejman Pasha had the rebel leaders punished, and forced the population of Drobnjak and Morača to pay tribute. In March 1806, Suleiman Pasha defeated the Serbian rebel band of Radič Petrović near the Studenica Monastery. He commanded the Ottoman army sent from

that was decisively defeated at Mišar by the Serbian rebels in August 1806. After the defeat, he retreated to

Šabac Šabac ( sr-Cyrl, Шабац, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative centre of the Mačva District in western Serbia. The traditional centre of the fertile Mačva region, Šabac is located on the right banks of the river ...

, but was forced to hand over the town to

Karađorđe Đorđe Petrović (; ; – ), known by the sobriquet Karađorđe (; ), was a Serbian revolutionary leader who led a struggle against the Ottoman Empire during the First Serbian Uprising. He held the title of Grand Vožd of Serbia from 14 ...

, the leader of the Serbian Uprising, in February 1807. In the Ottoman campaign in Serbia in 1813, Suleiman commanded part of the forces that took

Loznica Loznica ( sr-cyrl, Лозница, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city located in the Mačva District of western Serbia, on the right bank of the Drina river. In 2022 the city had a total population of 19,515, while the administrative area had a ...

, and also participated in the battle of Ravnje, in which he was wounded, at the end of August. After the Ottoman suppression of the First Serbian Uprising (by October 1813), Suleiman was appointed the Vizier of Belgrade (the Sanjak of Smederevo). The Ottoman atrocities against the Serb population sparked Hadži Prodan's Revolt (1814), which was violently suppressed by Suleiman. The

Second Serbian Uprising The Second Serbian Uprising ( / ''Drugi srpski ustanak'', ) was the second phase of the Serbian Revolution against the Ottoman Empire, which erupted shortly after the re-annexation of the country to the Ottoman Empire in 1813. The occupation was ...

broke out in 1815, and after Sulejman was unable to suppress it, his forces having suffered heavy defeats in the battles of Palež,

Čačak Čačak ( sr-Cyrl, Чачак, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Moravica District in central Serbia. It is located in the West Morava Valley. According to the 2022 census, the city itself has a population ...

and

Požarevac Požarevac ( sr-cyr, Пожаревац, ) is a list of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative centre of the Braničevo District in eastern Serbia. It is located between three rivers: Danube, Great Morava and Mlava and below the hill Čač ...

, and generally failing in restoring order in the Belgrade Pashalik, he was replaced by Marashli Ali Pasha and transferred to Bosnia.

References

Sources

* * {{s-end 19th-century Ottoman military personnel Governors of the Ottoman Empire by sanjak Ottoman Bosnian nobility People of the First Serbian Uprising People of the Second Serbian Uprising 18th-century births 1820s deaths 19th-century governors of the Ottoman Empire