Ferhad Pasha

Serdar Ferhad Pasha was an Albanian origin Ottoman statesman. He was twice grand vizier of the Ottoman Empire between 1 August 1591 and 4 April 1592 and between 16 February 1595 and 7 July 1595.

He became agha of Janissaries in 25 February 1582 but dismissed his position with the effect of Koca Sinan Pasha. In 1582 he appointed as fourth visier by Grand Visier Siyavus Pasha and joined Ottoman forces during Safewid wars where he soon became second commander (serdar) of the war. He made Tebriz his military base and captured Ganja. He attended peaceful negotiations with Shah Abbas I and turned Istanbul with Safewid embassy. The Treaty of Ferhad Pasha of 1590 ending the Ottoman–Safavid War (1578–1590) (also called the Treaty of Constantinople) was named after him.

His successful military campaign during the Safewid wars carried him to the position of Grand Visier in 1 August 1591, but he dismissed his position in 4 April 1592 again by the intrigue of Koca Sinan Pasha.

During his second term in office, he commenced a military campaign against Michael the Brave, the ruler who rebelled in Wallachia. He ordered building a bridge between Ruse and Giurgiu to cross Danube river. During preparations, he faced with a military uprising evolving at the gate of Divan-ı Hümayun. More than 1000 kuloğulları requested ulufe from the grand visier for their campaign during Safewid Wars but he rejected that claim. Therefore they infiltrated within bölüks in the army and organized them against the grand vizier, alouding "We won't accept any ulufe till Ferhad Pasha decapitated for insulting us." Ferhad Pasha blamed Koca Sinan Pasha and Cığalazade Yusuf Sinan Pasha for that provocation and ordered severe punishment for both. But he convinced for extenuated punishment and exiled Koca Sinan Pasha to Malkara and Cığalazade to Karahisar-ı Şarki.

Ibrahim Pasha, the second vizier, who appointed as kaymakam to the Porte, incited Sultan Murad III about dismission of Ferhad Pasha. On 7 July 1595, while Ferhad Pasha trying to built a bridge in Ruse, obliged to lost his position again, and Koca Sinan Pasha became grand visier once again on that day.