Learn How to Pronounce Sokollu Mehmed Pasha (in Serbian & Turkish) | YouPronounce.it
How to Pronounce Sokollu Mehmed Pasha (in Serbian & Turkish)
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Meaning and Context
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, born as Bajica or Bayo Sokolović in the Serbian Orthodox village of Sokolovići near modern-day Višegrad around 1505, stands as one of the most formidable and enduring Grand Viziers of the Ottoman Empire. Rising through the elite devşirme system, he served with exceptional administrative and strategic acumen under three sultans: Suleiman the Magnificent, Selim II, and Murad III, effectively governing the empire as Grand Vizier from 1565 until his assassination in 1579. His tenure is marked by ambitious infrastructural projects, including the monumental but ultimately unsuccessful Don-Volga Canal project aimed at challenging Russian expansion, and the Süleymaniye Mosque complex in Istanbul. As a pivotal 16th-century Ottoman statesman, Sokollu Mehmed Pasha's legacy bridges the Balkans and the imperial center, overseeing a period of both great military campaigns, like the conquest of Cyprus in 1571, and intricate diplomatic maneuvering that defined late Renaissance geopolitics.
Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings
The primary name, "Sokollu Mehmed Pasha," follows the Turkish convention where "Sokollu" (meaning "from Sokol") is an epithet denoting his origin, and "Mehmed" is the given name. Common variations stem from transliteration between Turkish, Serbian, and other languages. In Serbian, he is most accurately referred to as Mehmed-paša Sokolović (Мехмед-паша Соколовић), with "Sokolović" being the patronymic surname. A frequent error, especially in older Western sources, is the spelling "Sokolli" or "Sokoli," which is an Italianate or simplified variant. Another common typo involves omitting the double 'l', resulting in "Sokolou" or "Sokolu." When referencing his birth name, the Serbian "Bajica Sokolović" is correct, though "Bayo" is also used. Care should be taken not to conflate him with his relative, Sokollu Mustafa Pasha, or to misspell the title as "Vizier" instead of the correct "Vizir" in Turkish or "Vizier" in English.
Example Sentences
Historians often cite the tenure of Sokollu Mehmed Pasha as the last period of decisive, centralized leadership before the gradual transformation of the Ottoman Sultanate.
Despite the disastrous Battle of Lepanto in 1571, Sokollu Mehmed Pasha swiftly rebuilt the Ottoman fleet, demonstrating the empire's resilient naval power.
His enduring architectural patronage includes the famous bridge in Višegrad, immortalized in Ivo Andrić's novel The Bridge on the Drina.
As a product of the devşirme, Sokollu never forgot his roots, endowing his homeland with charitable works and appointing his relative, Makarije Sokolović, as the first restored Serbian Patriarch.
The assassination of Sokollu Mehmed Pasha in 1579 by a disgruntled dervish is widely seen as a turning point that removed a stabilizing force from the helm of the empire.
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