Grand Vizier Mehmet Koprulu

As became its origins in a frontier organisation, the entire Ottoman State was built primarily for war against the infidel. For many years the Sultan led his army into battle in person, a factor that caused enormous strategic problems when the Empire faced war on two or more fronts. Second in command was usually the Grand Vizier, like Ibrahim Pasha at Mohacs. Unique among men of this rank Ibrahim Pasha had been granted a standard of six horsetails, only one less than the Sultan himself.

As the Sultan retreated into obscurity in the early 17th century many more burdens of state gradually passed to the Grand Vizier. As long as he enjoyed the Sultan's confidence a Grand Vizier had enormous power limited only by the world of intrigue and opposition from the Janissaries. These factors provided such stress and pressure that only the strongest personalities could hold on to the position for long. Between 1683 and 1702 there were no less than 12 Grand Viziers - a sad decline from the times of the man described here who saved the Empire from itself - but at a terrible cost.

The rise of the Koprulus

In 1654-56 Venice mounted her supreme challenge to the Ottomans at sea in an operation that culminated in a great sea battle in the Dardanelles in 1656. The victory was hailed as a second Lepanto and was followed up by the capture of the island of Tenedos at the mouth of the Dardanelles. In Constantinople the political repercussions of the defeat removed power from the boy Sultan and his powerful mother and placed it in the hands of an elderly but highly capable minister called Mehmet Koprulu. Mehmet Koprulu Pasha had begun his career as a kitchen boy and had risen steadily in court circles. His innate abilities ensured that he performed well in various roles in the palace, the treasury, on the staff of a former Grand Vizier and as the governor of several provinces. He had been out of office since 1655 and became Grand Vizier in spite of a lack of the formal qualifications. It is said that he accepted the post only on condition that his power should be absolute and unchallenged. All reports presented to the court should pass through his hands.

Law and order were restored with the help of widespread executions and, during the five years he had left to live, Ottoman fortunes revived. On his appointment Koprulu carried out a purge of government officials, an act for which he was uniquely placed. Those notorious for their irregularities were dismissed, among them great dignitaries such as the Chief Treasurer, the Grand Mufti and the commander of the navy. The Chief Eunuch was exiled to Egypt. The commander of the Janissaries was executed, as was the Orthodox Patriarch. Altogether the number of victims is said to have exceeded 50,000.

It soon became clear that he desired to restore Turkish fortunes in east central Europe and offered Venice a deal to end the Cretan war. It was turned down, so Koprulu took Tenedos and Lemnos by force. In 1658 Koprulu launched a series of military expeditions that placed obedient puppets on the thrones of Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldavia. Rebellions against the government were also put down with great severity. Among these was the revolt of Abaza Hasan Pasha in 1657/58. A large force was dispatched against the rebels that succeeded in crushing the revolt after heavy fighting.

The Sultan and his mother owed a great debt to Koprulu. He had relieved them of the burden of governing so Mehmet IV could devote himself to the pleasures of the hunt. At hunting parties arranged for him in the Balkans as many as 10,000 of his Christian subjects were taken off their normal duties to serve as beaters and helpers.

In the field of foreign policy Mehmet Koprulu's role was more that of a general. As noted above, having sent the Turkish against the Venetians in the Dardanelles, which broke the Venetian blockade, Koprulu took charge personally of the recapture of Tenedos and Lemnos. He then ordered two large castles, Seddulbahr and Kumkale, to be built to protect the straits against future attacks. Even more important from Koprulu's point of view was the struggle over Hungary and Transylvania. During the years of crisis at the beginning of the reign of Mehmet IV Prince Gyorgy Rakoczi II had attempted to liberate his country from Turkish rule. Koprulu stepped in and arranged the election of Ference Redei, but two months later Rakoczi expelled him from Transylvania.

Koprulu prepared to lead an expedition in person. He first imposed strict discipline on the Janissaries in Constantinople so that they would not take advantage of his absence, and many whom he distrusted were executed. The campaign, backed up by Crimean Tartars and Cossacks, was a huge success and Rakoczi fled to Hapsburg territory.

Korpulu did not live to see the completion of his work in Transylvania. In October 1661 he died at more than 75 years old. His achievements indicated that the Ottoman Empire was capable of surviving if competent men were employed in offices of state, but a regime of terror had been needed before such a situation was brought about. In the eyes of his contemporaries Mehmet Koprulu was not a great statesman but an 'atrocious and ruthless man', but that was what the Empire needed in 1656.