Biography
Early life
He was born in the village of Roshnik in the Sanjak of Berat, Albania to Albanian parents.Rise through the imperial service
He eventually rose to the rank of pasha and was appointed the '' beylerbey'' (provincial governor) of the Trebizond Eyalet in 1644. Mehmed Pasha's early rise was facilitated by his participation in patronage networks with other Albanians in the Ottoman administration. His main patron was the Albanian Grand Vizier Kemankeş Kara Mustafa Pasha who secured Köprülü Mehmed's appointment as mirahor. Later he was to rule the provinces of Eğri in 1647, of Karaman in 1648, and of Anatolia in 1650. He served as vizier of the divan for one week in 1652 before being dismissed due to the constant power struggle within the palace. In 1656, the political situation in Ottoman Empire was critical. The war in Crete against the Venetians was still continuing. The Ottoman Navy under Kapudan Pasha (grand admiral) Kenan Pasha, in May 1656, was defeated by the Venetian and Maltese navy at the Battle of Dardanelles (1656) and the Venetian navy continued the blockade of the Çanakkale Straits cutting the Ottoman army in Crete from Constantinople, the state capital. There was a political plot to unseat the reigning Sultan Mehmed IV led by important viziers including the Grand Mufti ( Şeyhülislam) Hocazade Mesut Efendi. This plot was discovered, and the plotters were executed or exiled. The Mother Sultana Turhan Hatice conducted consultations and the most favored candidate for the post of Grand Vizier came out as the old and retired but experienced Köprülü Mehmed Pasha.Grand Vizier
War with Transylvania and the Habsburgs
In 1658 he conducted a successful campaign in Transylvania. He also annexed Yanova (Jenő) on 1 August 1660 and Várad on 27 August. By annexing more territory in Hungary, he intended to directly threaten the Austrian capital Vienna.Revolt of Abaza Hasan Pasha
Köprülü Mehmed Pasha's campaign against Transylvania was cut short by the large-scale revolt of several eastern provincial governors under the leadership of Abaza Hasan Pasha, then the governor of Aleppo. The rebels opposed Köprülü Mehmed's violent purges of the military and demanded that he be killed. However, Sultan Mehmed IV remained steadfast in his support for Köprülü and dispatched an army against the rebels under the command of Murtaza Pasha, who was then guarding the Safavid frontier. Despite assembling a force of 30,000 men and defeating Murtaza Pasha in battle, the harsh winter and fading morale eventually forced the rebels to capitulate. Abaza Hasan's revolt was finally brought to an end in February 1659 with the assassination of all the rebel commanders in Aleppo, despite promises that they would be spared.Ayazmakapi Fire
In July 1660 there was a big fire in Istanbul (the Ayazmakapi Fire) causing great damage to persons and buildings, leading later to a food scarcity and plague. Köprülü Mehmed Pasha became personally involved in the reconstruction affairs. The honesty and integrity in conducting state affairs by Köprülü Mehmed Pasha is shown by an episode in this task.Sakaoglu, 281 The burnt-out Jewish quarters from the Ayazmakapi Fire were decided to be compulsorily purchased by the state.Death and legacy
Köprülü Mehmed's victories in Transylvania would push the Ottoman border closer toFamily
While stationed in Köprü in Anatolia, he married Ayşe Hatun (Hanım), daughter of Yusuf Ağa, a notable originally from Kayacık, a village of Havza in Amasya. Yusuf Ağa was a ''voyvoda'' (tax-farmer) who built a bridge in Kadegra, that thus became Köprü, from which the family name of Mehmed (who was originally stationed there, and where he was '' sanjak-bey'') was taken. Together they had a number of children, amongs them Köprülüzade Fazıl Ahmed Pasha, Köprülüzade Fazıl Mustafa Pasha (father of Köprülüzade Damat Numan Pasha and Köprülüzade Abdüllah Pasha) and at least two daughters, who married Abaza Siyavush Pasha and Kara Mustafa Pasha.See also
*References
* N. Sakaoğlu (1999), ''Bu Mülkün Sultanları,'' İstanbul: Oğlak.Bibliography
*External links
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Koprulu, Mehmed 1570s births 1661 deaths People from Berat Mehmet Pasha 17th-century grand viziers of the Ottoman Empire Albanian grand viziers of the Ottoman Empire Albanian people from the Ottoman Empire Albanian Pashas 16th-century Albanian people 17th-century Albanian people Ottoman people of the Cretan War (1645–1669)