Ahmad Pasha Bursali (Ottoman poet, d. 1496–97)

Ahmad Pasha Bursali was the greatest Ottoman poet of the second half of the fifteenth century. He was a qadi, the tutor of Mehmed II, a vizier and a governor, and he died at Bursa in 1496–97.

The Encyclopaedia of Islam (2nd ed.), article signed Halil Inalcik, describes Ahmad Pasha, called Bursali, as the most important Ottoman poet of the second half of the fifteenth century, after Sheykhi and before Nedjati. He was the son of the kadi 'asker Wali al-Din b. Ilyas, who claimed descent from Husayn, and was probably born at Adrianople. He became mudarris at the madrasa of Murad II at Bursa, and in 855/1451 succeeded Molla Khosrew as qadi of Adrianople. After Mehmed II's accession he was kadi 'asker and tutor of the new ruler, and he rose to the rank of vizier. He accompanied the sultan at the conquest of Constantinople. He fell into disgrace, possibly over an affair with a favourite, and was held in custody, then pardoned and made mutevelli of the Orhan and Murad mosques at Bursa, and later sancak-bey of Sultanonu, Tire and Ankara. Under Bayezid II he was sancak-bey of Bursa, and he took part in the battle of Aghacayir against the Mamluks on 17 August 1488. He died at Bursa in 902/1496–7. ¹

His poems include many for Mehmed II, Bayezid II and Djem, and a dirge for Mehmed II's son Mustafa. He drew poets such as Hariri, Resmi and Miri into his circle at Bursa. He was influenced by Turkish poets such as Ahmedi, Niyazi, Melihi, Sheykhi and 'Ata'i, and by Persian poets such as Salman Savaji, Hafiz, Kamal Khujandi and Katibi. The widespread view that he began his career by writing nazire on poems of 'Ali Shir Nawa'i is wrong. He was acknowledged as the greatest poet of his day, and his diwan was compiled by order of Bayezid II. ¹