Ali “The Lion of Yannina” Pasha of Tepelena

Ottoman Albanian ruler who served as pasha of a large part of western Rumelia, the Ottoman Empire's European territories, which was referred to as the Pashalik of Yanina. His court was in Ioannina, and the territory he governed incorporated most of Epirus and the western parts of Thessaly and Greek Macedonia. His effort to become an independent ruler finally caused the reaction of the Sublime Porte, which sent the army against him. After about two years of fighting, in January 1822, Ottoman forces had taken most of the fortifications of Ioannina except the fortified palace inside the kastro. Ali Pasha opened negotiations. Deceived with offers of a full pardon, he was persuaded to leave the fortress and settle in the Monastery of St Panteleimon on the island in Lake Pamvotis, previously taken by the Ottoman army during the siege. He was killed there and beheaded by an Ottoman unit in 1822. Ali Pasha was buried with full honours in a mausoleum next to the Fethiye Mosque, which still stands. Ali's head was buried in a tomb outside the Selvyria gate in Constantinople [Istanbul].