Pashalik of Berat Pashallëku Beratit | |||||||||
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| 1774–1809 | |||||||||
 The Albanian pashaliks in 1790-1795. The Pashalik of Berat is colored in dark green. | |||||||||
| Status | Autonomouspashalik of theOttoman Empire | ||||||||
| Capital | Berat | ||||||||
| Common languages | Albanian,Ottoman Turkish | ||||||||
| Religion | Sunni Islam,Eastern Orthodoxy | ||||||||
| Government | Pashalik | ||||||||
| Pasha | |||||||||
• 1774–1787 | Ahmet Kurt Pasha | ||||||||
• 1787–1809 | Ibrahim Pasha of Berat | ||||||||
| Historical era | Early modern | ||||||||
• Established | 1774 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 1809 | ||||||||
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| Today part of |  Albania | ||||||||
ThePashalik of Berat was apashalik within theOttoman Empire. Created in modern-day centralAlbania byAhmet Kurt Pasha in 1774, it was dissolved after Ahmet's ally,Ibrahim Pasha of Berat, was defeated byAli Pasha in 1809. Thus, the pashalik of Berat was absorbed into thePashalik of Janina, another province within the Ottoman Empire. This pashalik was one of the three pashaliks created byAlbanians in the period of theAlbanian Pashaliks.
The Pashalik of Berat was created afterAhmet Kurt Pasha managed to complot with theSublime Porte againstMehmed Pasha Bushati in 1774. For his service, thesultan gave him territories in centralAlbania. He managed to grow hispashalik until his death in 1787, incorporating territories of all central Albania, bordering to the north with thePashalik of Scutari and to the south with thePashalik of Janina.Ahmet Kurt Pasha was the grandfather of Ali Pasha, and father of Ali's mother, Hanka.
The sanjakbey ofAvlona was also the Pasha of Berat until 1809.[1]
After the death ofAhmet Kurt Pasha, the territory of the pashalik was ruled by a close ally of him,Ibrahim Pasha of Berat.As this territory belonged to the Middle Albania,Ibrahim Pasha was roused at this encroachment. This made Ali Pasha start a war with the Pashalik of Berat. After some fruitless negotiation,Ibrahim Pasha sent a body of troops under the command of his brotherSephir, bey ofAvlona. Against these, Ali summoned thearmatoles ofThessaly; and after villages had been burnt, peasants robbed and hanged, and flocks carried off on both sides, peace was made. Ibrahim gave his daughter in marriage toMukhtar, the eldest son of Ali, and the disputed territory as her dower. As Sephir bey had displayed qualities which might prove formidable hereafter, Ali contrived to have him poisoned by a physician; and, after his usual fashion, he hanged the agent of the crime, that no witness might remain of it.[2] Ali Pasha has said that he should prevail over the pasha of Berat, become vizir of Epirus, fight with the Sultan, and go to Constantinople.[3] In 1808, Ali Pasha defeatedIbrahim Pasha, incorporating its territory in thePashalik of Janina.
Whether Mahometan or Christian the Albanians of that tract are equally independent and unruly. They pay neither capitation nor any other tax; nominally they acknowledge the authority of the Pasha of Berat; and by their bravery and their poverty they have hitherto escaped subjection to Ali of Janina.The local population and the tradesmen neither pay thekharatj nor any other tax, except a contribution of thirtyparas a head per annum to Ibrahim Pasha of Berat, for the liberty of trading to his ports. The right of pasturage on the lands of the town ofHimara, that of gathering velanidhi[clarification needed] on the mountains, and that of fishing in the northern bay ofPalermo are enjoyed in common by all the inhabitants. Maize is grown in the plain adjacent to the northern beach, where the two torrents, which embrace the town, overflow in the winter, and prepare the land for receiving that grain.[4]
In 1809...Ibrahim Pasha of Avlona... The pretext of this war was the secret negotiations which had been carried on between Ibrahim and the French, but the real object was the possession of the sanjak of Avlona, the most extensive in Albania, and which commands the entrance...
Albanians under the Ottoman Empire | |||||||||||
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