Statesman, Prefect and Grand Vizier (B. Stolac/Bosnia – D. 23 April 1804,
Akkâ/Egypt). He is an Ottoman Grand Vizier famous with his defense of Akkâ citadel
against Napoleon
Bonaparte. His birth date is not certain and there are not many details about
his father and family. Some state that
he was born in Vidin
or Nish but it is obvious that he was one of the Bosnian Muslims.
Cezzar Ahmed Pasha stayed in Egypt after Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha and worked
with a commander named Abdullah Bey. When Abdullah Bey was killed around Urban,
Cezzar Ahmed Pasha was assigned to sea discovery. Cezzar knew who killed his
master Abdullah Bey, encouraged by whom. The organizer of the assassination was
Büyük Ali Bey. Cezzar executed in one night around seventy people who were part
of the assassination in various ways and sent their heads to Büyük Ali Bey.
People who witnessed his revenge were frightened and named him Cezzar which
means butcher. Ahmed Pasha carried this frightening name until the end of his
life. He said to a friend who asked him whether he was angry being named in
such a way; “Why should I be angry? If
they call me butcher because I revenged a noble man like Abdullah Bey who helped
me a lot and served my state it is an honor for me”.
Cezzar thought that Büyük Ali Bey would revenge him and received some
news about it. He returned to Istanbul and disappeared for a while. After a
while he entered the service of the Prefect of Damascus Osman Pasha. Meanwhile
Tahir Ömer, Zeydan and Şahap families revolted in Syria and created problems
for the state. The duty of quelling these revolts was granted to Cezzar Ahmed
Pasha. He solved this complicated problem with many dimensions in a short time
and found a solution without shedding blood. Upon this he was first granted
Governorship and later Grand Vizier position by Istanbul. He was assigned to
Prefecture of Sayda. Thus Cezzar Ahmed Pasha’s star started to shine (1776).
Ahmed Pasha after maintaining security in Syria was assigned to Damascus
Prefecture and Commandership of Mecca (1785). However he did not live in
Damascus, but in the Citadel of Akkâ which he deemed safer for himself. On the
one hand he conducted official works on the other hand he lived with his
soldiers and took care of their education and training. He united Damascus and
Sayda prefectures in his personality and became the only sovereign in Syria.
The most important issue for him was the perpetuation of the Ottoman Empire.
Therefore he did not obey even orders from the palace if they did not comply
with local realities. The Palace which heard about this disobedience moved him
away from the prefecture but when it was clear that it was legitimate he was
reassigned.
When Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt in 1798 Cezzar Ahmed Pasha was
ordered to stop him being granted prefectures of Trablus, Damascus and
Jerusalem. Sultan Selim III sent around 3000 Nizam-ı Cedit warriors from
Istanbul in order to support Cezzar. Meanwhile the English fleet pressured
Napoleon in Mediterranean. Cezzar stayed very tight in Akkâ Citadel until the
help arrived and did not allow Napoleon’s soldiers to move.
Napoleon who realized that his luck was moving away in this war,
suggested an agreement to Cezzar Ahmed Pasha. Cezzar refused this suggestion,
which was repeated several times. Napoleon’s army believed it would defeat
Cezzar. However Cezzar went out of the citadel with the Nizam-ı Cedit troop of
3000 warriors and disrupted the enemy lines which determined the destiny of the
war. When the English fleet fired at French powers along the shore Napoleon
stayed between two fires. He was defeated and escaped to Egypt. Upon the news
of victory great feasts were organized in Istanbul. Cezzar’s name and victory
was heard in the whole Ottoman country.
In this way he expected his assignment to Egypt expedition. But Grand
Vizier Yusuf Ziya Pasha was assigned to this duty instead of him which disappointed
him. It is stated that later he did not help Grand Vizier Yusuf Ziya Pasha on
time because of this disappointment. That said Cezzar was now one of the
commanders trusted by the state. The duty of quelling the Wahhabis in Hejaz was
granted to Cezzar Ahmed Pasha. Cezzar became sick during preparations of
expedition. Therefore he sent Süleyman Pasha instead of him.
Cezzar Ahmed Pasha took a rebellious attitude towards the Ottoman Empire for a while and
shed blood without legitimation and any orders. However the Sublime Porte which
was afraid of the Wahhabi revolt held him in the Prefecture of Damascus and
granted him the Command of Hejaz and reformation of Egypt. In 1804 as he
was older than seventy years old he caught tuberculosis and passed away.
Cezzar Ahmed Pasha was an intelligent and brave commander and an astute ruler. During
nights he changed his clothes and walked around people, collecting news and
taking measures. Therefore some claimed that he was a sorcerer and people
believed that he had spiritual powers. Cezzar Ahmed Pasha Mosque which
was built in his birthplace in his name is a wonderful artistic work.
