Muhammad Ali Pasha

Pasha or pascha, formerly bashaw, (Turkish: paşa^[1]) was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire political system, typically granted to governors, generals and dignitaries. As an honorary title, Pasha, in one of its various ranks, is equivalent to the British title of Lord, and was also one of the highest titles in pre-republican Egypt. There were three ranks of pashas: the first, or highest class, had the privilege of bearing a standard of three horse-tails, the second of two, and the third of one.^[2]

Linguistics[link]

The word pasha entered English from Turkish paşa.^[1] Etymologists variously derive the word paşa from the Turkish baş or baş ağa, "head, chief".^[3] Old Turkish had no fixed distinction between /b/ and /p/, and the word was spelled başa still in the 15th century.^[4] As first used in western Europe, the title appeared in writing with the initial "b". The English forms bashaw, bassaw, bucha etc., general in the 16th and 17th century, derive through the medieval Latin and Italian word bassa. Due to the Ottoman presence in the Arab World, the title became used frequently in Arabic, though pronounced as basha due to the absence of the letter "p" in Arabic.

Role in Ottoman, and Egyptian political systems[link]

Mustafa Kemal Pasha

Within the Ottoman Empire, the Ottoman Sultan had the right to bestow the title of Pasha. It was through this custom that the title (Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: [ˈbæːʃæ]) came to be used in Egypt, which was conquered by the Ottomans in 1517. The rise to power in Egypt in 1805 by Muhammad Ali, an Albanian military commander, effectively established Egypt as a de facto independent state, however, it still owed technical fealty to the Ottoman Sultan. Moreover, Muhammad Ali harboured ambitions of supplanting the Osman Dynasty in Constantinople, and sought to style his Egyptian realm as a successor sultanate to the Ottoman Empire. As such, he bore the title of Pasha, in addition to the official title of Wāli, and the self-declared title of Khedive. His successors to the Egyptian and Sudanese throne, Ibrahim, Abbas, Sa'id, and Isma'il also inherited these titles, with Pasha, and Wāli ceasing to be used in 1867, when the Ottoman Sultan, Abdülaziz officially recognised Isma'il as Khedive.

The title Pasha appears originally to have applied exclusively to military commanders, but subsequently it could distinguish any high official, and also unofficial persons whom the court desired to honour.

A pasha's Tui with two horse tails

It was also part of the official style of the Alpina Kursuncu Pasha (Great Admiral of the entire Ottoman fleet). Pashas ranked above Beys and Aghas, but below Khedives and Viziers.

Three grades of Pasha existed, distinguished by the number of yak- or horse-tails (three, two and one respectively; a symbol of Turco-Mongol tradition) or peacock tails, which the bearers were entitled to display on their standard as a symbol of military authority when on campaign* Only the Sultan himself was entitled to four tails, as sovereign commander in chief.

The following military ranks entitled the holder to the style Pasha (lower ranks were styled Bey or merely Effendi):

• The Vizier-i-Azam (Grand Vizier, the prime minister, but also often taking the field as Generalissimo instead of the Sultan)
• Mushir (Field marshal)
• Ferik (army Lieutenant-general or navy Vice-admiral)
• Liva (major general or Rear-admiral)
• The Kizlar Agha (chief black eunuch, the highest officer in the Topkapı Palace; three tails, as commander of the baltacı corps of the halberdiers in the imperial army
• Istanbul's Shaikh ul-Islam, the highest Muslim clergyman, of cabinet rank.

If a Pasha governed a provincial territory, it could be called a pashaluk after his military title, besides the administrative term for the type of jurisdiction, e.g. eyalet, vilayet/walayah. Both Beylerbeys (governors-general) and valis/wālis (the most common type of Governor) were entitled to the style of Pasha (typically with two tails). The word pashalik designated any province or other jurisdiction of a Pasha.

Ottoman, and Egyptian authorities conferred the title upon both Muslims and Christians without distinction. They also frequently gave it to foreigners in the service of the Ottoman Empire, or of the Egyptian Khedivate (later Sultanate, and Kingdom in turn), e.g. Hobart Pasha.

Honorific[link]

The title Pasha was an aristocratic title and could be hereditary or non-hereditary, stipulated in the "Firman" (patent of nobility) issued by the Sultan carrying the imperial seal "Tughra". The title did not bestow rank or title to the wife nor was any religious leader elevated to the title. In contrast to western nobility titles, where the title normally is added before the given name, Ottoman titles followed the given name. In contacts with foreign emissaries and representatives, holders of the title Pasha were often referred to as "Your Excellency".

The sons of a Pasha were styled Pashazada or Pasha-zade, which means just that.

In modern Egyptian and (to a lesser extent) Levantine Arabic, it is used as an honorific closer to "Sir" than "Lord," especially by older people. Among Egyptians born since the Revolution of 1952 and the abolition of aristocratic titles, it is considered a highly informal way of addressing one's male peers.

Although not used as an official title, today, general officers of the Turkish Armed Forces are referred as pashas by the public and media in Turkey.

List of notable pashas[link]

Gordon Pasha

Stone Pasha

• Abaza Family – Egyptian Pashas and Beys
• Abbas I of Egypt
• Abbas II of Egypt
• Ahmad Shuja Pasha (Lieutenant-General) Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan's premier intelligence Agency.
• Ahmed Pasha (Claude Alexandre de Bonneval)
• Ahmet Fevzi Paşa – Turkish-Egyptian Admiral
• Ali Pasha — statesman
• Alpina Kursuncu Pasha
• Barbarossa Khair ad-Din Pasha
• Cigalazade Yusuf Sinan Pasha
• Emin Pasha
• Enver Pasha
• Essad Pasha
• Fakhri Pasha
• Fuad Pasha
• Glubb Pasha (John Bagot Glubb)
• Gordon Pasha
• Hagop Kazazian Pasha
• Hobart Pasha
• Hussein Refki Pasha
• Ibrahim Pasha
• İsmet Pasha (İsmet İnönü)
• Jafar al-Askari
• Jamal Pasha
• Józef Bem – a Polish general and a national hero of Poland and Hungary, who served in the Ottoman Empire. Also known as Yusuf Murad Paşa
• Judar Pasha – Moroccan general
• Kara Mustafa Pasha
• Kazazian Pasha
• Kilic Ali Pasha
• Multiple members of the Köprülü family, especially Kara Mustafa Pasha
• Lala Kara Mustafa Pasha
• Liman von Sanders Pasha
• Mahmud Dramali Pasha — Ottoman general
• Mehmed Pasha Sokolović
• Melling Pasha
• Midhat Pasha
• Müezzinzade Ali Pasha — Ottoman admiral
• Muhammad Ali Pasha — viceroy of Egypt
• Mustafa Kemal Pasha, subsequently known as Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the post-Ottoman Turkish republic
• Mustafa Reshid Pasha
• Nubar Pasha
• Osman Pasha
• Piyale Pasha
• Riyad Pasha — Egyptian statesman
• Said Pasha^{[disambiguation needed ]}
• Sinan Pasha
• Stone Pasha
• Sufiyan Pasha
• Sulejman Pasha
• Sultan al-Atrash
• Talat Pasha
• Tewfik Pasha
• Turhan Pasha Përmeti
• Tusun Pasha
• Urabi Pasha
• Valentine Baker
• Wehib Pasha
• Woods Pasha
• Radu cel Frumos — Brother of Vlad III Tepes; also known as Radu Bey, convert to Islam, appointed Pasha of Wallachia by Fatih Sultan Mehmet from 1462–1473, representing the only period of direct Islamic rule in Wallachia. (See Radu cel Frumos)
• Youssef Wahba Pasha — Egyptian Prime Minister
• Sir William Williams Canadian/British General
• Yusuf Karamanli Pasha of Tripoli
• Tawfiq Bay (Tevfik Pasha), Arab pan islamist

See also[link]

• Ottoman Empire
• Ottoman titles

Notes[link]

References[link]

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 
• AllAboutTurkey.com - The Ottoman harem

Fatboy Slim
Fatboy Slim in 2004
Background information
Birth name	Quentin Leo Cook
Also known as	Fatboy Slim, and others. See pseudonym section
Born	(1963-07-31) 31 July 1963 (age 48)
Origin	Reigate, Surrey, England
Genres	Big beat, Funky Breaks, trip hop, Rave
Occupations	DJ, musician, record producer
Instruments	Turntables, keyboard, bass guitar, guitar, drums
Years active	1979–present
Labels	Skint, Astralwerks, Southern Fried
Associated acts	The Housemartins, Beats International, Freak Power, Pizzaman, The Brighton Port Authority, David Byrne
Website	fatboyslim.net

Norman Quentin Cook^[1] (born Quentin Leo Cook on 31 July 1963 in Bromley, England), also known by his stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, electronic dance music musician, and record producer.^[2] He is a pioneer of the big beat genre that achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s. Cook has achieved considerable success in the UK charts, performing as Fatboy Slim and with The Housemartins, Beats International, and Freak Power. As Fatboy Slim, he has won ten MTV Video Music Awards and two Brit Awards, and his best known tracks include "Weapon of Choice", "Praise You", "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Right Here Right Now". He currently performs as the Brighton Port Authority.

History[link]

Quentin Leo Cook was raised in Reigate, Surrey, England, and was educated at Reigate Grammar School. He played drums in Disque Attack (a British new wave-influenced rock band). When frontman Charlie Alcock was told by his parents that he had to give up the band to concentrate on his O levels, Cook took over as lead vocalist. At Reigate College he also met Paul Heaton with whom he formed the Stomping Pondfrogs. At 18, he went to the Brighton Polytechnic to study a BA in English, politics, and sociology. Although he had begun DJing some years before, it was at this time that he began to develop his skills on the thriving Brighton club scene.

Known as DJ Quentox (The OX that Rocks), Cook and DJ Baptiste started putting on youth club hip hop jams in Brighton, sowing the seeds of the city's flourishing hip hop scene today. These primitive 1980s block parties are recalled in the music documentary South Coast, which documents Brighton's cult hip hop scene from its grass roots to the present day.

In 1985, Cook's friend Paul Heaton had formed a guitar band called The Housemartins. Their bassist quit on the eve of their first national tour, so Cook agreed to move to Hull to join them. The band soon had a hit single with "Happy Hour". They also reached number one just before Christmas 1986 with a version of "Caravan of Love", originally a hit the year before for Isley-Jasper-Isley. However, by 1988 they had split up. Heaton and the band's drummer Dave Hemingway went on to form The Beautiful South, while Cook moved back to Brighton to pursue his interest in the style of music he preferred. It was at this time that he first started working with young studio engineer Simon Thornton, with whom he continues to make records. All of Cook's records released from that point onwards have involved both of them to varying degrees (Thornton is credited in 2004 as "Executive Producer", for example).

Cook achieved his first solo hit in 1989, featuring his future Beats International member MC Wildski, called "Blame It on the Bassline". Credited to "Norman Cook feat. MC Wildski", the song followed the basic template of what was to come in the style of the music of Beats International. It became a modest hit in the UK Singles Chart, reaching number 29.

Cook formed Beats International, a loose confederation of studio musicians including vocalists Lindy Layton, Lester Noel, D.J. Baptiste, rapper MC Wildski, and keyboardist Andy Boucher. Their first album, Let Them Eat Bingo, included the number one single "Dub Be Good to Me", which caused a legal dispute revolving around allegations of infringement of copyright through the liberal use of unauthorised samples: the bassline was a note-for-note lift from "The Guns of Brixton" by The Clash and the lyrics borrowed heavily from "Just Be Good to Me" by The S.O.S. Band. The 1991 follow-up album Excursion on the Version, an exploration of dub and reggae music, failed to repeat the success of its predecessor, as it did not chart.

Cook then formed Freak Power with horn player Ashley Slater and singer Jesse Graham. They released their debut album Drive Thru Booty in 1994, which contained the single "Turn On, Tune In, Cop Out". The cut was picked up by the Levi's company for use in a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign. In 1996, Cook re-joined Freak Power for their second album, More of Everything for Everybody.

Cook enlisted help from producer friends Tim Jeffery and JC Reid to create a house music album under the name Pizzaman. The 1995 Pizzamania album spawned three UK Top 40 hits: "Trippin' on Sunshine", "Sex on the Streets", and "Happiness". "Happiness" was picked up by the Del Monte Foods corporation for use in a UK fruit juice ad. The music videos for the three singles were all directed by Michael Dominic.

Cook also formed the group The Mighty Dub Katz along with Gareth Hansome (aka GMoney), Cook's former flatmate. Together they started the Boutique Nightclub in Brighton, formerly known as the Big Beat Boutique. Their biggest song together was "Magic Carpet Ride".

Fatboy Slim, 1997–[link]

Cook adopted the new pseudonym Fatboy Slim in 1996. The Fatboy Slim album and Cook's second solo album Better Living Through Chemistry (released through Skint Records) contained the Top 40 UK hit, "Everybody Needs a 303".

Fatboy Slim's next work was the single "The Rockafeller Skank", released prior to the album You've Come a Long Way, Baby, both of which were released in 1998. "Praise You", also from this album, was Cook's first UK solo number one. Its music video, starring Spike Jonze, won numerous awards.^[3] On 9 September 1999, he performed "Praise You" at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards in New York City, and won three awards, including the award for Breakthrough Video.^[4]

In 2000, Fatboy Slim released his third studio album, Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars, and featured two collaborations with Macy Gray and "Weapon of Choice", which also was made into an award-winning video starring Christopher Walken.^[5] At the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards in New York, Fatboy Slim won 6 awards for "Weapon of Choice", the most awards at the ceremony.^[6][7]

In 2003, he produced Crazy Beat and Gene by Gene from the Blur album Think Tank, and in 2004, Palookaville was Cook's first studio album for four years.

Fatboy Slim's greatest hits album Why Try Harder was released on 19 June 2006. It comprises eighteen tracks, including ten Top 40 singles, a couple of Number Ones and two exclusive new tracks – "Champion Sound" and "That Old Pair of Jeans". Most of the songs were shortened and heavily edited, resulting in almost fifteen minutes of unused space on the compact disc release.^{[citation needed]}

In 2006, Cook travelled to Cuba, and wrote and produced two original Cuban crossover tracks for the album The Revolution Presents: Revolution, which was released by Studio !K7 and Rapster Records in 2009. The tracks were called "Shelter" (which featured long term collaborator Lateef); and "Siente Mi Ritmo", featuring Cuba's top female vocal group Sexto Sentido. The recordings took place in Cuba's legendary EGREM Studios, home of the Buena Vista Social Club, and featured a band made up of Cuba's top young musicians, including Harold Lopez Nussa. Another track recorded during these sessions entitled "Guaguanco" was released separately under the Mighty Dub Katz moniker in 2006.

Cook has also been responsible for successful remixes for Cornershop, Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest, and Wildchild. In 2008, he did a remix of the track "Amazonas" for the charity Bottletop.^[8]

Cook released a mix album in 2010 titled The Legend Returns as a covermount album in the June 2010 issue of Mixmag.

Cook returned as Fatboy Slim when performing at Ultra Music Festival in Miami in March 2012.

The Brighton Port Authority[link]

The Brighton Port Authority debuted in 2008 with a collaboration with David Byrne and Dizzee Rascal titled "Toe Jam", along with a music video featuring nude dancers with censor bars on them, making pictures and words with them.

The soundtrack album for the TV series Heroes also includes the BPA's track "He's Frank (Slight Return)" (a cover of a song by The Monochrome Set), with Iggy Pop as vocalist. The video for this track features a near life size puppet of Iggy Pop. An alternative club version was released under the "He's Frank (Washing Up)" title with the video featuring some footage of Iggy Pop acting and saying lyrics.

The band's first album, I Think We're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat, is the first to be co-produced by Cook's longtime engineer Simon Thornton, who also sings on one track. The album was released 6 January 2009 exclusively at Amazon.com on CD, with downloadable format and other stores scheduled for a month later on 3 February.

Performances[link]

13 July 2002. The Big Beach Boutique II, where more than 250,000 people saw Fatboy Slim play live.

On 13 July 2002, Fatboy Slim performed the second of his free, open air concerts on Brighton Beach. Although organisers expected a crowd of around 60,000 people, the event instead attracted an estimated 250,000 who crammed the promenade and beach between Brighton's piers. Local police forced the event to end early amid safety concerns, overcrowding, and one death. After the music had finished and the crowd began to dissipate, traffic ensued throughout the Brighton area with many caught in traffic jams until the morning.^[9]

In June 2005, Fatboy Slim filled the Friday night headline slot on the "Other Stage" at the Glastonbury Festival.^[10] In 2006, Fatboy Slim filled the Saturday headline slot at the Global Gathering festival, Long Marston Airfield in the English Midlands. He played a two hour set, appearing in front of a visual stage set comprising video screens and 3D lighting. A firework display rounded off the show.^[11] Having been banned by police from playing in Brighton since 2002, Fatboy Slim was given permission in 2006 to play again in his home town. On 1 January 2007, he played to an audience of more than 20,000 fans along Brighton's seafront. Tickets to the event, titled "Fatboy Slim's Big Beach Boutique 3", were made available only to Brighton residents. The concert was deemed a stunning success by Sussex Police, Fatboy Slim, and the crowd.^[12] The Cuban Brothers and David Guetta opened the concert. The next similar event, 'Big Beach Boutique 4', was held on 27 September 2008.^[13]

In 2008, Fatboy Slim played at the Glastonbury Festival again, and headlined the O2 Wireless Festival and Rockness Festival. According to an NME interview, this may have been one of the last times he performed as Fatboy Slim, as he may now focus on his new album, The Brighton Port Authority (BPA).^[14] Also in 2008, Fatboy Slim closed out the famed "Sahara" tent on Friday of the legendary Coachella Valley Music Festival. His introduction included a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory opening, that has been called by many one of the most memorable Sahara performances ever.

In 2009, he toured Australia in the Good Vibrations festival. Also in 2009, he played in Marlay Park, Dublin alongside David Guetta, Dizzee Rascal, and Calvin Harris, as well as one huge performance at the Sziget Festival in Budapest. He also performed at V Festival 2009.^[15]

At Glastonbury 2009, he played an unadvertised concert in the "pinball-machine" stage at trash city.^[16]

In 2010, Fatboy Slim headlined the east dance at Glastonbury Festival.^[17] On 18 June 2010, he performed in Cape Town, South Africa as part of the Cool Britannia FIFA World Cup music festival at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.^{[citation needed]} He also performed in Napoli on 15 July, at Neapolis Festival. On 30 May 2011, he performed as the headliner for Detroit's Electronic Music Festival in Detroit, Michigan, USA. 25 September 2011, Fatboy Slim headlined the Terrace at Ibiza's famed Space nightclub's We Love Sundays closing party. On 29 October 2011, Fatboy Slim opened at the San Francisco Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, following up on the 30th, closing out the Red Bulletin/Le PLUR Stage at the Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. On Saturday, 24 March 2012, Fatboy Slim performed a live DJ set on the main stage at Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Florida.

Since March 2012, Cook hosts a one hour radio programme titled On The Road To Big Beach Bootique 5 on XFM. It will consist of 10 shows. ^[18]

Personal life[link]

Cook was awarded a star on the city of Brighton's Walk of Fame, next to that of Winston Churchill.

He married TV personality Zoë Ball in 1999 at Babington House in Somerset; in January 2003, Cook broke up with Ball but three months later, they reconciled.^[19] They have a son named Woody Fred Cook (born 15 December 2000) and a daughter named Nelly May Lois (born 14 January 2010). Cook is a 12% shareholder of Brighton & Hove Albion, the football club he has supported since moving to Brighton in the late 1980s.^[20]

Q magazine named Fatboy Slim in their 50 Bands to See Before You Die list.^[21]

On 4 March 2009, Cook checked into a rehabilitation centre in Bournemouth to fight a "booze addiction" that he has been battling "for some time".^[22]

Because of an extended stay in rehab, his performance at Snowbombing, a week-long winter sports and music festival held in the Austrian ski resort of Mayrhofen, was cancelled – with the slot being filled by 2ManyDJs. Cook then left the clinic at the end of March.^[23]

Cook completed the inaugural Brighton Marathon on 18 April 2010 in a time of 4:53:10.

Awards[link]

In 1999, the video to "Praise You" won three MTV awards: for best direction (Spike Jonze), best choreography (Jones as "Richard Koufey"), and best breakthrough video.^[3] Fatboy Slim's single "The Rockafeller Skank" topped the Village Voice 1999 Pazz & Jop singles poll. In September 2001, Fatboy Slim's video for "Weapon of Choice", also directed by Spike Jonze, received six prizes at the MTV Video Awards, the most given to a single winner that year.^[5] In May 2007, Cook received an Ivor Novello Award for his "outstanding contribution to British music".^[24] Cook was also a judge for the 6th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.^[25] He has won two Brit Awards, in 1999 and 2001, both for British Dance Act.

Gear[link]

For live shows and performances Fatboy Slim uses Rane TTM 57SL mixer with Serato Scratch Live and Serato Video.

Bands and pseudonyms[link]

• Norman Cook, now his real name^[1]
• Beats International
• Brighton Port Authority
• Cheeky Boy
• Chemistry
• DJ Delite – used in DJ Tools (e.g. acapellas) for Fatboy Slim singles
• Fatboy Slim
• Freak Power
• Fried Funk Food
• Mighty Dub Katz ("Magic Carpet Ride" dance song, 1996)
• Pizzaman
• Rockaway 3
• Sensataria
• Son of a Cheeky Boy
• Son of Wilmot
• Sunny Side Up
• The Feelgood Factor
• The Housemartins, the indie rock band for which Cook was the bassist for from 1985 to 1988.
• Yum Yum Head Food

Discography[link]

Studio albums

• Better Living Through Chemistry (1996)
• You've Come a Long Way, Baby (1998)
• Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars (2000)
• Palookaville (2004)
• Here Lies Love (with David Byrne) (2010)

See also[link]

• The Chemical Brothers
• The Prodigy
• The Crystal Method

Notes[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Norman Cook

• Official website
• Fatboy Slim at Allmusic
• Fatboy Slim discography at Discogs
• Fatboy Slim at the Internet Movie Database

Juliana Pasha
Background information
Born	(1980-05-20) 20 May 1980 (age 32) Burrel, Albania
Origin	Burrel, Albania
Genres	Pop
Occupations	Singer

Juliana Pasha (born 20 May 1980, Burrel, Albania) is an Albanian singer. In 2010 she won Honorary Citizen Award of Burrel from the mayor of the city. After she went into Eurovision in 2010 she won the first prize in the festival "Kenga Magjike" with the song called "Sa e shite zemren".

Eurovision 2010[link]

Juliana Pasha performing "It's All About You" at Bærum

On 27 December 2009, Pasha won the national final to represent Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. She had previously taken part in the 2007 and 2008 festivals, placing 3rd and 2nd respectively with "Qielli i ri" and "Një jetë", the latter a duet with Luiz Ejlli. In the contest, she qualified to the final, where she performed fifteenth, following the Turkish representants MaNga and preceding Iceland's Hera Björk, and placed 16th out of 25 contestants, receiving 62 points, which included a 12-point set from FYR Macedonia.

Personal life[link]

Pasha announced she will release a Christian CD in Albanian and English soon. When the media asked her how important religion is for her – she said it is very important because she believes in God and that she is here because of his help.^[1] She has also been involved in a project called Hanna (PH), who are fighting to remove the blood vengeance tradition in Albania.^[2]

References[link]

v t e Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest   Participation 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013   Artists 2000s Anjeza Shahini Ledina Çelo Luiz Ejlli Frederik Ndoci Olta Boka Kejsi Tola 2010s Juliana Pasha Aurela Gaçe Rona Nishliu   Songs 2000s "The Image of You" "Tomorrow I Go" "Zjarr e ftohtë" "Hear My Plea" "Zemrën e lamë peng" "Carry Me in Your Dreams" 2010s "It's All About You" "Feel the Passion" "Suus" (Note: Entries scored out are when Albania did not compete)

This article about an Albanian singer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Omar Pasha Serdar-ı Ekrem Ömer Paşa
Omar Pasha
Native name	Омер паша Латас
Birth name	Mihajlo Latas
Born	1806 (1806) Janja Gora near Plaški, Croatian Military Frontier, Austrian Empire (today's Croatia)
Died	1871 (1872) Istanbul, Ottoman Empire
Allegiance	Austrian Empire (to 1823)  Ottoman Empire (to 1871)
Service/branch	Ottoman Army
Years of service	1823-1869
Rank	Field marshal
Commands held	Commander of Ottoman Forces in Moldavia & Wallachia
Battles/wars	Albanian Revolt of 1843–1844 Kurdish Revolts Bosnian uprising Crimean War Battle of Oltenitza (1853) Siege of Silistra (1854) Siege of Sevastopol (1854) Battle of Eupatoria (1855) Siege of Kars (1855)

Omar Latas, better known as Omar Pasha (Serbian: Омер паша Латас, Turkish: Ömer Paşa; 1806–1871) was an Ottoman general and governor. He was born in Austrian territory, to Christian, Serb parents, and was initially an Austrian soldier. When faced with the charges of embezzlement, he fled to Ottoman Bosnia and converted to Islam, and then joined the Ottoman army where he quickly climbed in ranks. Latas crushed several rebellions throughout the Empire, and was a commander in the Crimean War, where he defeated Russia at Sevastopol.

Early life[link]

He was born as Mihajlo Latas (Serbian: Михајло Латас)^[1] in Janja Gora, Croatian Military Frontier of Austrian Empire (in modern Plaški, Lika region, Croatia). He was an ethnic Serb^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]},^[7][8][9] an Orthodox Christian.^[10][11] Educated in Gospić, and than at a military school in Zadar, he joined a frontier regiment. Latas fled to Bosnia in 1823 to escape charges of embezzlement. There he converted to Islam and would later return in authority in the year 1850 and executed, plundered and abolished the respected historical aristocracy of the Bosniaks.^[12]

His father Petar served in the Austrian Army and in time was appointed lieutenant-governor of the Ogulin district.^[13] Michael was an intelligent and lively child, if rather sickly. He developed a passion for the military, and on leaving school he was accepted as a cadet in his father's Ogulin Regiment. He had beautiful handwriting, and was assigned to clerical duties. There he might have languished, if his father had not upset someone along the corruption line and suffered a conviction for misappropriation. Michael felt that he couldn't stay with the Regiment, and he left for Bosnia.

Military career[link]

Omar Pasha, photographer by Roger Fenton.

He became writing-master to the Ottoman heir, Abd-ul-Medjid, and on the succession of the latter in 1839 was made a colonel. He was military governor of Lebanon in 1842, won distinction in suppressing aristocratic rebellions led by Muslims in Albania (1843), Kurdistan (1846),^[14] and Bosnia (1850) where he executed Ali-paša Rizvanbegović of Stolac,^[15] but his chief services were rendered in the Russian War; he successfully defended Kalafat in 1853, entered Bucharest in 1854, and defeated 40,000 Russians next year at Eupatoria in the Crimea. His capture of Cetinje, Montenegro, in 1862 was a difficult feat.

After living rough for a time, he was offered a position as tutor to the children of a Turkish merchant, on condition that he changed his religion from Orthodoxy to Islam. Although an easy enough condition to fulfill in order to get off the streets, it was a huge cultural step that led naturally to his decision that his future lay with the Turks.

The big break came for the newly named Omar when the family moved to Istanbul(Constantinople). By astute networking and doubtless exploiting his curiosity value as an ex-European military man, he was appointed lecturer at the Turkish Military Academy. With this exposure he shone enough to be snapped up as ADC to the Polish Ottoman General Chrzanowski, who was engaged in the re-organization of the Ottoman Army after the defeat of the Janissaries ^[14]

Now a Major, Omar completed a mapping assignment in Bulgaria and the Danube territories, gaining detailed knowledge of the ground which was to serve him well in the future. Chrzanowski also milked his ideas for re-organizing the Army; in return he smoothed the way for Omar's introduction into Turkish society. He thereby met and married a rich heiress, the start of his meteoric rise in Turkish military circles. He was shortly afterwards appointed Military Governor of Constantinople. In 1840-41 he led a successful expedition to quell a revolt in Syria, and for a time was Governor of the Lebanon.^[14]

After the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, he was put in command of the Turkish forces in Moldavia and Wallachia. His firm and effective handling of a powder keg situation involving potential confrontation with the Russian and Austrian Armies, demonstrated that he possessed considerable diplomatic skills.^[16] Subsequent successful combat command in Bosnia in 1851 and in Montenegro in 1852 made the 1853 tangle with the Russians seem like just another war to be won.^[17]

There is no doubt that Omar's marriage had opened all the right doors for him,^[14] but equally no doubt that he proved equal to the challenges of high command which resulted. A clear and precise military thinker, he took bold decisions and relentlessly followed them through. Although he had a reputation as a strict and ruthless disciplinarian, he was revered and respected by his men. A true professional, while the other allies struggled to come to grips with local campaigning conditions, he had seen it all too often before.^[18] Perhaps for that reason the allied troops found his expression cold and uninterested when seated on his horse plodding round their lines.

Activities[link]

Omar Pasha

Tutor in the household of Hussein Pasha, Governor of Widdin.

1834 - Writing master in a military school at Constantinople.

Instructor to Abd ul Medjid, heir apparent to the throne.

1842 - Appointed Governor of Lebanon.^[19]

Successfully repressed insurrections in Albania (1843) and Kurdistan (1846).

1850 executed Ali-paša Rizvanbegović of Stolac, plundered and abolished the respected historical aristocracy of the Bosniaks.

1852 defeated the Montenegrins under Prince Danilo

1853 - Defeated the Russians at Olteniţa.

1854 - Successfully defended Silistria against Russians, gaining possession of Bucharest.^[20]
Repulsed the Russians at Eupatoria, in Crimea.

1857-59 - Governor of Baghdad.

1862 - Repressed the insurrection in Montenegro and took possession of Cetinje.

1864 - Made field marshal.

1867 - Fought rebels in Crete.

1869 - Made Minister of war.

References[link]

Sources[link]

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