16th-century Ottoman Provincial Governor-Generals, Part I: Temerrüd ('Bullheaded') Ali Pasha

Abstract

Temerrüd Ali Pasha who served almost thirty years in the 16th century as a provincial governor-general and who founded many pious endowments is a litle known historical personnage. Ali Pasha was a native of Bosnia who received training in the Palace School. After serving as chief officer of a number of Court units, he served as governor-general of the provinces of Erzurum (three terms), Karaman, Baghdad, Sivas, and Anadolu. Ali Pasha died on 2 June 1572 (H. 10 Safar 980) while serving at Erzurum. Temerrüd Ali Pasha's wife was Fatma Sultan, a granddaughter of Sultan Bâyezid II's daughter, Selçuk Sultan. Fatma Sultan gave birth to a son and a daughter. According to contemporary sources, Ali Pasha was a personnage dignified, stern, and obstinate in character but also a generous benefactor. He took an interest in history, Islamic jurisprudence, and poetry and wrote poems in Persian and Ottoman Turkish. Ali Pasha constructed a mosque and a public bath bearing his name at Tokat, another mosque bearing his name at Erzurum, a bridge (Karaz Bridge) and nine fountains at Hasankale as well as fountains at Sivas whose total number could not be determined. After his death, his cash endowment supplied the funds for the construction of a public bath at Çorum, known as the bath, or hamam, of Ali Pasha, or the Yeni Bath.