Lala Mustafa Pasha (c. 1500 – 7 August 1580), also known by the additional epithetKara, was anOttomanBosnian general andGrand Vizier from theSanjak of Bosnia.

LalaKara Mustafa Pasha
Illustration of Lala Mustafa Pasha
Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire
In office 28 April 1580 – 7 August 1580
Monarch	Murat III
Preceded by	Semiz Ahmed Pasha
Succeeded by	Koca Sinan Pasha
Personal details
Born	c. 1500 Sokolovići,Sanjak of Bosnia,Ottoman Empire
Died	7 August 1580 (aged 79–80) Constantinople,Ottoman Empire
Nationality	Ottoman, Bosniak
Spouse	Hümaşah Sultan ​ (m. 1575)​
Relations	Sokollu Mehmed Pasha (cousin)Ferhad Pasha Sokolović (cousin or brother)
Children	Sultanzade Abdülbaki Bey
Occupation	Military strategist andGrand Vizier
Military service
Battles/wars	Siege of Nicosia Siege of Famagusta Battle of Çıldır

He was born around 1500, near the Glasinac inSokolac Plateau inBosnia to the ChristianSokolović family, the younger brother ofDeli Husrev Pasha, who apparently helped him rise through the system's ranks more quickly.

Mustafa Pasha briefly served askaymakam (acting governor) ofEgypt Eyalet in 1549.^[1] He had risen to the position ofBeylerbeyi ofDamascus and then to that of FifthVizier.

The honorific "Lala" means "tutor to the Sultan"; he was tutor to SultanSuleiman the Magnificent's sons, includingŞehzade Bayezid. He also had a long-standing feud with his cousin,Sokollu Mehmed Pasha.^[2]

He commanded the Ottoman land forces duringthe conquest of previouslyVenetianCyprus in 1570/71, and in thecampaign against Georgia and Persia in 1578. During the campaign on Cyprus, Lala Mustafa Pasha, who was known for his cruelty towards vanquished opponents, ordered the Venetian commander ofFamagusta,Marco Antonio Bragadin, flayed alive and other Venetian military officers killed on sight or executed, even though he had promised safe passage upon surrendering the city to the Turkish army. It also meant that Mustafa had indicated his aggressive intentions to the Sultan's court.^[3][4]

He was aDamat ("bridegroom") to theImperial family through his marriage toHümaşah Sultan, the only daughter ofŞehzade Mehmed, son ofSuleiman the Magnificent and his wifeHurrem Sultan. The two together had a son named Sultanzade Abdülbaki Bey.^[5]

Following his succession of Semiz Ahmed Pasha asGrand Vizier,^[6] in the final three months of his life, he occupied the post from 28 April 1580 until his death. He is buried in the courtyard of theEyüp Sultan Mosque in Istanbul. His tomb was designed by Ottoman architectMimar Sinan.

Lala Mustafa Pasha died in 1580 in Constantinople due to his old age or a heart attack. He was succeeded by the famousAlbanianKoca Sinan Pasha.

Lala Mustafa Pasha was the second husband ofHümaşah Sultan, Ottoman princess, daughter ofŞehzade Mehmed and granddaughter of SultanSüleyman I andHürrem Sultan. They married on 25 August 1575. By her, he had a son:

• Sultanzade Abdülbaki Bey. He marriedSafiye Hanımsultan, daughter of his mother's cousinIsmihan Sultan (daughter of SultanSelim II andNurbanu Sultan)

He has a street named after him in cities includingLarnaca,^[7]Cyprus. He has a mosque named after him in Damascus, Syria. His invasion and brutal treatment of the Venetian leaders in Cyprus led toPope Pius V promoting aRoman Catholic coalition against the Ottomans which turned into theBattle of Lepanto in 1571.

In the 2011–2014 TV seriesMuhteşem Yüzyıl, he is portrayed by Macit Capodistria.

• Lala Mustafa Pasha's Caucasian campaign
• Ferhad Pasha Sokolović
• List of Ottoman governors of Egypt
• Ottoman Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Bicheno, Hugh.Crescent and Cross: the Battle of Lepanto 1571. Phoenix, London, 2003.ISBN 1-84212-753-5.
• Costantini, Vera (2018)."Lala Mustafa Paşa". In Fleet, Kate;Krämer, Gudrun; Matringe, Denis; Nawas, John;Rowson, Everett (eds.).Encyclopaedia of Islam (3rd ed.). Brill Online.ISSN 1873-9830.
• Currey, E. Hamilton,Sea-Wolves of the Mediterranean,, London, 1910
• Foglietta, U.The sieges of Nicosia and Famagusta. London: Waterlow, 1903.