fbpx

23.03.

1747: The French Count who Became an Ottoman Pasha

1747: The French Count who Became an Ottoman Pasha
Photo Credit To Wikipedia Commons

Story Highlights

  • Historical event:
  • 23 March 1747
  • It seems that his skills in warfare, which he gained in Europe, contributed to Turkish victories, with which they managed to take northern Serbia with Belgrade from the Austrians.

Claude Alexandre de Bonneval, a very interesting person with an unusual fate, died on this day in 1747.



He was born into an aristocratic French family. He became a soldier and eventually progressed through the ranks of the army of the powerful French king Louis XIV.

He participated in a series of battles, and his career was successful, but on one occasion he came into conflict with the French minister of war. Because of that, he was sentenced to death by a court martial, but managed to escape abroad.

Bonneval was accepted in Austria and appointed as a general, so he started to fight against France. Again, he distinguished himself in a series of battles and was even appointed as the commander of the artillery in the Austrian Netherlands (roughly the area of ​​present-day Belgium). However, there he also had a quarrel with one senior official – Marquis de Prié. This time the court martial also condemned him to death, but the Emperor commuted the sentence to one year’s imprisonment and banishment.

Bonneval immigrated to the territory of the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire. There he even converted to Islam and took the name of Ahmed. The Turks made him a pasha and gave him command of the artillery in the fight against the Austrians. It seems that his skills contributed to Turkish victories, with which they managed to take northern Serbia with Belgrade from the Austrians.




It is interesting that Ahmed Pasha met with famous Giacomo Casanova in Istanbul. Count Pasha de Bonneval died in Istanbul on this day in the year 1747. In Turkey, his name is written as “Humbaracı Ahmet Paşa”.

Facebook Comments Box






Related posts