What is ali pasha tepelena?

Ali Pasha Tepelena, also known as Ali Pasha of Ioannina, was a powerful and controversial Ottoman ruler who controlled a large portion of present-day Albania, Greece, and parts of North Macedonia during the early 19th century. He was born in 1741 in Tepelena in southern Albania and rose to power as a bandit leader before becoming the governor of Ioannina in 1787.

Ali Pasha was known for his cunning and ruthless tactics in consolidating power, including ordering the assassination of several political rivals and using bribery to gain support. He established a semi-autonomous state under the Ottoman Empire, and his rule was characterized by periods of both peace and violence. He was particularly known for his military campaigns against the Greeks in the early 1800s, earning him a reputation as a ferocious and brutal leader.

Despite his harsh tactics, Ali Pasha was also a patron of the arts and literature, attracting poets and writers to his court in Ioannina. He was also a supporter of education and established several schools in the region.

In 1820, Ali Pasha was overthrown and killed by Ottoman forces under the orders of Sultan Mahmud II. His legacy is still debated to this day, with some seeing him as a symbol of Albanian resistance against Ottoman rule, while others view him as a ruthless tyrant.