Köprülü Numan Pasha
Encyclopedia
Köprülü Numan Pasha (in ) (?-died 1719) was the Grand Vizier
of the Ottoman Empire
between June and August in 1710. He was a member of the Köprülü family.
When he started his term as Grand Vizier, Köprülü Numan Pasha had a reputation as an honest, incorruptible and capable organizer and experienced military leader. He was expected to resolve a highly difficult political situation provoked by king Charles XII of Sweden
, who had retreated to Ottoman soil following his defeat in Battle of Poltava
1709. King Charles and his political ally Crimean Khan
Devlet II Giray intrigued to sway sultan Ahmed III to start a war against Peter the Great's Russia. In an effort to avoid joining war, Köprülü Numan Pasha promised a great army to escort king Charles to the Baltic Sea through Poland. However this plan was seen as dangerous, as it could have meant further problems with Poland and Russia. In addition, being a pious Muslim, he furthered his Islamist goals against Catholics and Orthodox in Istanbul, which then caused criticism from abroad.
Unsuccessful to maintain peace with Russia and stabilize the political situation in Istanbul, he was removed from his office after only two months and two days. The political situation then led to the Russo-Turkish War of 1710–1711. Despite his unsuccessful term he continued his career in high offices both in civil and in military. His troops crushed the Austrian army in Bosnia after Austria had conquered Belgrade
in 1717. Following his victory he was installed in Crete as a governor on his own request, but got sick as soon as he arrived to the island and died in Heraklion
1719.
Moldovian voivod Dimitrie Cantemir
, who rebelled against the Ottoman rule in 1711 and exiled to Russia after losing with his ally the Russo-Turkish War, wrote an amusing, although not very reliable anecdote of his enemy Numan Pasha in his history describing events, which led to his resolution to switch sides during the war. According to Cantemir Numan Pasha was bookish and pale of skin, also not of sound mind; his time in office was noted for an incident where he was insistent that there was always a fly
landed upon his nose. He was only cured when during an examination, a French physician fed him juleps (lying that it was for medicinal purposes), and pretended to agree with him. The physician produced a knife and cut off the imaginary fly, and then showed Numan Pasha a dead one that was already hidden in his hand. A similar story was told earlier by Samuel Butler
in his satirical poem "Hudibras
"..
Vizier
A vizier or in Arabic script ; ; sometimes spelled vazir, vizir, vasir, wazir, vesir, or vezir) is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in a Muslim government....
of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
between June and August in 1710. He was a member of the Köprülü family.
When he started his term as Grand Vizier, Köprülü Numan Pasha had a reputation as an honest, incorruptible and capable organizer and experienced military leader. He was expected to resolve a highly difficult political situation provoked by king Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
, who had retreated to Ottoman soil following his defeat in Battle of Poltava
Battle of Poltava
The Battle of Poltava on 27 June 1709 was the decisive victory of Peter I of Russia over the Swedish forces under Field Marshal Carl Gustav Rehnskiöld in one of the battles of the Great Northern War. It is widely believed to have been the beginning of Sweden's decline as a Great Power; the...
1709. King Charles and his political ally Crimean Khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
Devlet II Giray intrigued to sway sultan Ahmed III to start a war against Peter the Great's Russia. In an effort to avoid joining war, Köprülü Numan Pasha promised a great army to escort king Charles to the Baltic Sea through Poland. However this plan was seen as dangerous, as it could have meant further problems with Poland and Russia. In addition, being a pious Muslim, he furthered his Islamist goals against Catholics and Orthodox in Istanbul, which then caused criticism from abroad.
Unsuccessful to maintain peace with Russia and stabilize the political situation in Istanbul, he was removed from his office after only two months and two days. The political situation then led to the Russo-Turkish War of 1710–1711. Despite his unsuccessful term he continued his career in high offices both in civil and in military. His troops crushed the Austrian army in Bosnia after Austria had conquered Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
in 1717. Following his victory he was installed in Crete as a governor on his own request, but got sick as soon as he arrived to the island and died in Heraklion
Heraklion
Heraklion, or Heraclion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete, Greece. It is the 4th largest city in Greece....
1719.
Moldovian voivod Dimitrie Cantemir
Dimitrie Cantemir
Dimitrie Cantemir was twice Prince of Moldavia . He was also a prolific man of letters – philosopher, historian, composer, musicologist, linguist, ethnographer, and geographer....
, who rebelled against the Ottoman rule in 1711 and exiled to Russia after losing with his ally the Russo-Turkish War, wrote an amusing, although not very reliable anecdote of his enemy Numan Pasha in his history describing events, which led to his resolution to switch sides during the war. According to Cantemir Numan Pasha was bookish and pale of skin, also not of sound mind; his time in office was noted for an incident where he was insistent that there was always a fly
Fly
True flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
landed upon his nose. He was only cured when during an examination, a French physician fed him juleps (lying that it was for medicinal purposes), and pretended to agree with him. The physician produced a knife and cut off the imaginary fly, and then showed Numan Pasha a dead one that was already hidden in his hand. A similar story was told earlier by Samuel Butler
Samuel Butler (poet)
Samuel Butler was a poet and satirist. Born in Strensham, Worcestershire and baptised 14 February 1613, he is remembered now chiefly for a long satirical burlesque poem on Puritanism entitled Hudibras.-Biography:...
in his satirical poem "Hudibras
Hudibras
Hudibras is an English mock heroic narrative poem from the 17th century written by Samuel Butler.-Purpose:The work is a satirical polemic upon Roundheads, Puritans, Presbyterians and many of the other factions involved in the English Civil War...
"..