The Sultan of Vezirs : The Life and Times of the Ottoman Grand Vezir Mahmud Pasha Angeloviů (1453-1474)

Mahmud Pasha Angelovic served as Grand Vezir under Sultan Mehmed II, in the years following the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople, which were marked by an extensive imperial project, transforming the Ottoman principality into an empire. This book attempts to piece together the available evidence on Mahmud Pasha's Byzantine descent and family network, as well as his multi-faceted contribution to the founding of the new empire, through military leadership, diplomatic practices and architectural and literary patronage, considering also his execution and the creation of a posthumous legend presenting him as a martyr. Using Ottoman, Greek and Western sources, as well as archival material, this study focuses on the period of transition from Byzantine to Ottoman Empire and would be of interest to historians and other specialists studying that period. Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations Part One: Introduction Introduction I. Ottoman Imperial Ideology and the Office of Vezir A. A New Imperial Ideology The Creation of a New Imperial Capital The Palace and the Kanunname The Transformed Image of the Ottoman Sultan B. The Office of Vezir The Vezir in Pre-Ottoman Islamic States The Ottoman Vezirate 1300-1453 The New Position of the Grand Vezir in the Court of Mehmed II Part Two: The Origins and Life of Mahmud Pasha. II. Mahmud Pasha’s Origins and Family Place of Origin Descent and Parents Mahmud Pasha’s Brother: Michael Angelović Marriages and Children III. The Rise of Mahmud Pasha (1427?-1463) A. Capture and Rise in the Ottoman Court Capture Rise in the Court 1453: At the Siege of Constantinople 1453-1457: Appointment and First Actions as Vezir 1458: The Great Serbian Campaign B. 1459-1463: Mahmud Pasha at the Height of his Power 1459: Campaign in Serbia 1460: The Conquests of the Morea and Amasra 1461: Anatolian Campaign against Sinop and Trebizond 1462: Campaigns in Walachia and Lesbos 1463: Campaigns in Bosnia and the Morea IV. Decline of Power and Final Tears (1464-1474) A. 1464-1468: Decline Of Power 1464: Defending Lesbos and Zvornik 1465: Creative Pause 1466: Peace Negotiations with Venice 1467: The Second Albanian Campaign 1468: Campaign in Karaman and Mahmud Pasha’s First Dismissal B. 1469-1474: The Final Years 1469: Appointment as Sancakbey of Gelibolu 1470: The Conquest of Negroponte 1471 1472: Mahmud Pasha recalled as Grand Vezir 1473: Campaign in Anatolia and Mahmud Pasha’s Second Dismissal 1474: The Death of Mahmud Pasha Part Three: Contribution to the new Empire V. Conquest Mahmud Pasha and the Ottoman Army Strategies of Conquest VI. Diplomacy A. Venice 1461-1462: Fugitive Slaves The Ottoman-Venetian War of 1463-1479: Peace Negotiations 1470-1474: The ‘Maut Bassa’ Affair B. Ragusa Before the 1458 Embassy 1458: The Embassy of Palladino Gondola and Palladino Lucari Subsequent Contacts between Ragusa and Mahmud Pasha 1459-1473 C. Diplomacy With Other Powers VII. Pious Foundation and Architectural Patronage A. Property B. The Pious Foundation The Vakf-i Am The Vakf-i Evlad C. Architectural Patronage The Buildings The Significance of Mahmud Pasha’s Architectural Project VIII. Literary Patronage and Divan A. Literary Patronage Patronage of Poets Patronage of Scholars and Students Mahmud Pasha’s Library B. Mahmud Pasha’s Poetry Mahmud Pasha’s Pseudonym Mahmud Pasha’s Divan Part Four: Tensions IX. Dismissal and Execution A 1468: Mahmud Pasha’s First Dismissal The Ceremony of Dismissal The Causes of Dismissal B. 1473: Mahmud Pasha’s Second Dismissal The Fatal Campaign C. 1474: The Death of Mahmud Pasha The Campaign of 1473 against Uzun Hasan Mahmud Pasha and Dulkadiroğlu Şehsuvar Bey Relations between Mahmud Pasha and Prince Mustafa Mahmud Pasha’s Power and Ambitions X. Mahmud Pasha’s Fame and Posthumous Legend A. Judgements on Mahmud Pasha in the Sources Self-Presentation Mahmud Pasha’s Power Mahmud Pasha’s Moral and Intellectual Attributes Mahmud Pasha as an Instrument of the Sultan B. The Legend The Manuscripts The Cult of Mahmud Pasha Dating of the Legend Mahmud Pasha and the Anti-Imperial Legends Mahmud Pasha as a Saintly Figure The Creation of the Legend Conclusion Appendix I: Venetian Plans against Mehmed IL The Proposals of ‘Machomet Bey’ and the Case of Yakub Pasha Appendix II: The Span family in Venice in the 16th century Appendix III: The Architectural Projects of the Grandees of Mehmed II Bibliography Index The Ottoman Empire and its Heritage