Hasan Rıza Pasha

For the Turkish painter, see Hasan Rıza

In this Ottoman Turkish style name, the given name is Hasan Rıza, the title is Pasha, and there is no family name.

Hasan Rıza Pasha
Born	1871 (1871) Tosya, Kastamonu Vilayet, Ottoman Empire (modern Turkey)
Died	30 January 1913 (aged 41–42) Shkodër, Scutari Vilayet, Ottoman Empire (modern Albania)
Buried	Parrucë Mosque, Shkodër
Allegiance	Ottoman Empire
Service / branch	Ottoman Army
Rank	General
Battles / wars	Siege of Shkodër X
Relations	Mehmed Namık Pasha (father)

Hasan Rıza Pasha (1871 – 30 January 1913) was a general in the Ottoman Army.

Life

The son of the distinguished Ottoman statesman Mehmed Namık Pasha, who was the Governor of Baghdad where Hasan Riza was born. He was of Turkish origin, as Mehmed Namık's grandfather migrated from Konya to Constantinople. He entered the Ottoman Military Academy in 1892 and graduated on March 13, 1895. He continued his studies in Germany (1899–1900). After serving in Iraq (1901–-1911) he was promoted to the rank of General and assigned as wali of Shkodër.[1]

He was the main commander during the Siege of Shkodër and became the symbol of resistance against the Serbian and Montenegrin invasion. He did his utmost to defend the town, stating "Shkodra is our fate or our grave, but not our shame".[1] He was assassinated by Osman Bali and Mehmed Kavaja,[2] both servants of Essad Pasha.[3]

Legacy

A Turkish-Albanian college in Shkodër bears his name. He was decorated for "First Class Bravery" (Albanian: "Trimëri e Klasit të Parë) in August 1996, by Albanian President Sali Berisha.[4] and a monument was erected in his honor in 2007.[5]

Monument dedicated to Hasan Riza Pasha in Shkodër

References

1. Elsie, Robert (2012), A Biographical Dictionary of Albanian History, I. B. Tauris, p. 192, ISBN 978-1780764313
2. Vickers, Door Miranda (1999). The Albanians: A Modern History. ISBN 9781860645419.
3. Ulli, Prenk (1995). Hasan Riza Pasha: Mbrojtës i Shkodrës në Luftën Ballkanike, 1912–1913 [Hasan Riza Pasha: Defender of Shkodra in the Balkan War] (in Albanian). Shkodër, Albania: Albin. pp. 34–40. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
4. Shkodra përkujtoi Hasan Riza Pashën [Shkodra commemorates Hasan Riza Pasha] (in Albanian), lajmeshqip.com, 2011-03-18, retrieved 2014-12-06
5. "Hakmarrja: Dhunohet monumenti i Hasan Riza Pashes". July 7, 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2017.