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Hadim Suleyman Pasha

Added 2020-03-21 07:48:28 +0000 UTC

He was a eunuch of Bosnian origin, who rose to power and became a favorite of Mehmed the Conqueror and the beylerbey (Lord of Lords) of Rumelia (Western part of Turkey).

He fought in the famous battle of Skodra (in Albania), and in historical accounts he was called 'Ali Eunucho' or 'Soliman Bassa Eunucho'.

Franz Babinger writes: "according to some sources, taken prisoner as a boy, castrated, and, being beautiful, abused by Mehmed." Nevertheless he doesn't give any of these sources. There is no proof for such information, because if it was true, Suleyman wouldn't become a favorite of Mehmed and fight for him till the last. Moreover he was forgiven for all his fails and defeats, unlike other warlord who would be executed by sultan's hand.

It would often happen that eunuchs deserved favor of the king for their devotion. For example a known story of Turkmen sultan Jalal al-Din Khwarazm-Shah and his eunuch Qilij, unquestionable a slave just like Suleyman. Sultan was criticized for his negligence in fighting the Mongol-Tatar hordes, because of his infatuation with a eunuch, named Qilij, who was called in the same passage, for the first time "khadim" or "khassi". The sources state:

"That Sultan, who had to face the onslaught of Chingiz Khan and his Mongols, had a eunuch (khadim, khasi) named Qilij whom he loved extremely. When that eunuch died the Sultan showed untold sorrow and grief which surpassed, as our source states, even those of the proverbial Majnun Layla (lovers in Persian literature analogical to Romeo and Juliet). He (sultan) ordered his army to go on foot at his (eunuch's) funeral, regardless of the fact that QiIij had died a good number of leagues outside the capital, Tabriz. He himself went on foot part of the way, until his commanders and his vizier forced him to remount his horse". (Eunuchs, Caliphs and Sultans: A Study in Power Relationships by David Ayalon)

Luckily Suleyman survived Mehmed and continued his service to his son Bayezid, probably becoming his "Lala" - teacher.

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