Gedik Ahmet Pasha Mosque (1477) in Afyonkarahisar, part of a magnificent religious and educational compound (source&permission: Municioality of Afyonkarahisar).

Gedik Ahmet Pasha was a distinguished Ottoman grand vizier, as well as an army and navy commander during the reigns of the Sultans Mehmed the Conqueror (between 1451 – 1481) and Beyazid II (between 1481-1512). Image File history File links AfyonkarahisarGedikAhmetPaÅŸaKülliyesi. ... Image File history File links AfyonkarahisarGedikAhmetPaÅŸaKülliyesi. ... Afyonkarahisar (Turkish for the black opium castle) is a city in western Turkey, also known simply as Afyon (i. ... Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power (1683) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Söğüt (1299-1326), Bursa (1326-1365), Edirne (1365-1453), Constantinople (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanl... Mehmed II (also known as el-Fatih (الفاتح), the Conqueror, in Ottoman Turkish, or, in modern Turkish, Fatih Sultan Mehmet) (March 30, 1432 – May 3, 1481) (Arabic: محمد الثاني) was first the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire for a short time from 1444 to 1446, and later from 1451 to 1481. ... Sultan Beyazid II Beyazid II (1447/48 – May 26, 1512) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1481 to 1512. ...

His background remains largely unknown. Some sources claim that he was of Albanian descent, but this theory is almost exclusively based on his refusal to participate in a campaign to İşkodra (Shkoder) in one occasion and could have other explanations than a reticence in combatting his own kinsmen. He undertook virtually all his construction enterprises in Anatolia, and their preferences in this domain usually give a clue on the respective origins of Ottoman statesmen. Shkodër (Albanian: Shkodër or Shkodra, Serbian Skadar, Latin Scutari, German Skutari) is a city located in North West Albania, in the District of Shkodër and it is the capital of the County of Shkodër. ... Asia Minor lies east of the Bosporus, between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. ...

Leading the Ottoman Army, he defeated the last Anatolian Turkish Beylik (principality) resisting Ottoman expansion in Anatolia, that of the Karamanoğlu (Karamanids). Karamanids had been the strongest principality in Anatolia for nearly 200 years, even stronger than the Ottomans in the beginning and, as such, effectively succeeding the Anatolian Selçuk Sultanate, especially since they held the city of Konya, the former Selçuk capital, among their possessions. In this sense, Gedik Ahmet Pasha's victory against the Karamanoglu in 1471, conquering their territory as well as the Mediterranean coastal region around Ermenek, Mennan and Silifke, has been crucial for the future of the Ottomans. Anatolian beyliks (Anadolu beylikleri also Turkmen beyliks, Tevâif-i mülûk (in Ottoman Turkish)) were small Turkish emirates or muslim principalities (beylik) governed by tribal beys, which were founded in several locations of Anatolia as of the end of the 13th century. ... Ermenek is a district of Karaman Province of Turkey. ... Silifke (Selefke) is a town in south-central Adana Province, Turkey, on the banks of the (Göksu) River near the Taurus Mountains, geographically located at 36°22′N 33°56′E. // Economy Silifke is a successful industrial town, producing beverages, chemicals, clothes, footwear, glass, plastics, pottery, and textiles. ... Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power (1683) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Söğüt (1299-1326), Bursa (1326-1365), Edirne (1365-1453), Constantinople (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanl...

Gedik Ahmet Pasha also fought against Venetians in the Mediterranean and after that he was dispatched by the Sultan to the aid of the Crimean Khanate against Genoese forces in 1475. In Crimea, he conquered Caffa, Soldaia, Cembalo and other Genoese castles as well as the Principality of Theodoro with its capital Mangup and the coastal regions of Crimea. He rescued the Khan of Crimea Meñli I Giray from the Genoese forces. As a result of this campaign, Crimea and Circassia entered into the Ottoman sphere of influence. The Crimean Khanate or the Khanate of Crimea (Crimean Tatar: ; Russian: - Krymskoye khanstvo; Ukrainian: Кримське ханство - Krymske khanstvo; Turkish: ) was a Crimean Tatar state from 1441 to 1783. ... Alternate uses, see Genoa (disambiguation). ... Motto: Процветание в единстве - Prosperity in unity Anthem: Нивы и горы твои волшебны, Родина - Your fields and mounts are wonderful, Motherland Capital Simferopol Largest cities Simferopol, Eupatoria, Kerch, Theodosia, Yalta Official language Ukrainian. ... Feodosiya (Russian: Феодосия; Ukrainian: Феодосія; Crimean Tatar/Turkish: Kefe) is a port and resort city in southern Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of Crimea at coordinates 45. ... Sudak (Russian: , Ukrainian: , Crimean Tatar: ) is historic townlet of 15,050 inhabitants in Crimea, situated 57 km to the west from Theodosia and 104 km to the east from Simferopol. ... Army camp at Balaklava during the Crimean War Balaklava is a section of the city of Sevastopol, in the Crimea region of Ukraine. ... Principality of Theodoro (Greek Θεοδόρο) - small principality in South-West of Crimea from 12-14 cc. ... Mangup (Ukrainian: Мангуп, Russian: , Crimean Tatar: ) also known as Mangup Kale is a historic fortress in Crimea, located on a plateau about 9 miles due east of Sevastopol (ancient Chersones). ... Meñli I Giray (aka Mengli I Giray) (Crimean Tatar: I Meñli Geray) (1445–1515) was a khan of the Crimean Khanate and the sixth son of the khanate founder Haci Giray. ... Motto: Процветание в единстве - Prosperity in unity Anthem: Нивы и горы твои волшебны, Родина - Your fields and mounts are wonderful, Motherland Capital Simferopol Largest cities Simferopol, Eupatoria, Kerch, Theodosia, Yalta Official language Ukrainian. ... Circassia, also known as Cherkessia in Russian, is a region in Caucasia. ...

In 1479, in a daring move, Sultan Mehmet II ordered him to lead the Ottoman Navy in the Mediterranean Sea as part of the war against Naples and Milan. During his campaign, Gedik Ahmet Pasha conquered islands of Aya Mavra, Kefalonya and Zanta (Island). Since he had conquered İstanbul (Constantinople, the second Rome) in 1453, Mehmed II saw himself as the inheritor of the Roman Empire and was seriously envisaging the conquest of Italy, thus reuniting Roman lands under his dynasty. As part of this plan Gedik Ahmet Pasha was sent with a naval force to the heel of the Italian peninsula and he successfully conquered Otranto (Italy) in 1480. Naples (Italian Napoli, Neapolitan Nàpule, from Greek Νέα Πόλις - Néa Pólis - meaning New City; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is the largest city in southern Italy and capital of Campania Region and the Province of Naples. ... Milan (Italian: Milano; Milanese: Milán) is the main city of northern Italy, and is located in the plains of Lombardy, the most populated and developed region in Italy, being often mistaken with the capital of the country. ... The location of Istanbul Province Maiden Tower and Historical Peninsula of Istanbul Istanbul (Turkish: Ä°stanbul) (the former Constantinople, Greek: Κωνσταντινούπολις) is the largest city in Turkey, and arguably the most important. ... Map of Constantinople. ... City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) coordinates: 41°54′N 12°29′E Time Zone: UTC+1 Administration Subdivisions 19 municipi Province Rome Region Latium Mayor Walter Veltroni ( The Union ) Characteristics Area 1,285 km² Population 2,547,677 (2005 estimate) Density 1983... The Roman Empire was a phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by an autocratic form of government. ... Otranto is a seaport and archiepiscopal see of Apulia, Italy, in a fertile region, and once famous for its breed of horses, in the province of Lecce, from which it is 291 miles southeast by rail, 49 ft. ... Events March 6 - Treaty of Toledo - Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain recognize African conquests of Afonso of Portugal and he cedes the Canary Islands to Spain Great standing on the Ugra river - Muscovy becomes independent from the Golden Horde. ...

Sources

• Turkish history (in Turkish)
  
• Turkish history class notes (in Turkish)
  
• Foundation for Ottoman researches (in Turkish)
  
• Ottoman civilization (in Turkish)
  
• Web portal of Albanians of Turkey (in Turkish)
  
• Albanians in Turkey (in Turkish)