WI: Sultanate of Yanina

Ali Pasha of Ioannina was an Ottoman Albanian ruler who was Pasha of a realm in western Rumelia called the Pashalik of Yanina. Pashalik was never recognized by Ottoman authorities, but did exist de facto. Interestingly, though he was Albanian, his court language was Greek. Over time he and his sons would go on to control de facto most of Albania (south and central portions of today's albania), the peloponnese, Western Greece, and bits of Thessaly and Greek Macedonia before he was declared a rebel in 1820 and killed in 1822.

In his time, he befriended Husein Gradascevic (who would lead the 1831-32 Bosnian Revolt), Ibrahim Pasha (of Scutari/Shkoder), and Muhammad Ali of Egypt.

What if Ali Pasha, along with Ibrahim of Scutaria, Husein Gradascevic, and the souliotes, established a sultanate of Yanina separate from the Ottoman Empire comprised of the lands from Peloponnese to Bosnia?

Hypothetical boundaries below.

upload_2018-9-8_10-27-25.png
 
Ali Pasha of Ioannina was an Ottoman Albanian ruler who was Pasha of a realm in western Rumelia called the Pashalik of Yanina. Pashalik was never recognized by Ottoman authorities, but did exist de facto. Interestingly, though he was Albanian, his court language was Greek. Over time he and his sons would go on to control de facto most of Albania (south and central portions of today's albania), the peloponnese, Western Greece, and bits of Thessaly and Greek Macedonia before he was declared a rebel in 1820 and killed in 1822.

In his time, he befriended Husein Gradascevic (who would lead the 1831-32 Bosnian Revolt), Ibrahim Pasha (of Scutari/Shkoder), and Muhammad Ali of Egypt.

What if Ali Pasha, along with Ibrahim of Scutaria, Husein Gradascevic, and the souliotes, established a sultanate of Yanina separate from the Ottoman Empire comprised of the lands from Peloponnese to Bosnia?

Hypothetical boundaries below.


Not gonna work because:

A. Husein Gradascevic had no intention to seperate from Mahmud II rule. He was against the reforms implenented and the concessions given to the Principality of Serbia at the cost of Slavic Muslims. He had only a little intention to support Ali Pasha. Other than the fact he started to revolt when Mahmuds reforms reached Bosnia, like 6 years after Ali's death.

B. Ali Pasha could recruit big armies but not of the quality Mehmed Ali could and was too close to Istanbul to not be noticed.

Theoretically this state could exist but for a short while. Too new and Russia will bully it until consessions are made which will piss of the Muslims even more.
 
Ali Pasha of Ioannina was an Ottoman Albanian ruler who was Pasha of a realm in western Rumelia called the Pashalik of Yanina. Pashalik was never recognized by Ottoman authorities, but did exist de facto. Interestingly, though he was Albanian, his court language was Greek. Over time he and his sons would go on to control de facto most of Albania (south and central portions of today's albania), the peloponnese, Western Greece, and bits of Thessaly and Greek Macedonia before he was declared a rebel in 1820 and killed in 1822.

In his time, he befriended Husein Gradascevic (who would lead the 1831-32 Bosnian Revolt), Ibrahim Pasha (of Scutari/Shkoder), and Muhammad Ali of Egypt.

And he was cooperating with the Russians in (at least) taking Corfu from the French: most of the infantry was his. But at that time Russia and the Ottomans had been allies so the Russian support for his independence was unrealistic.

What if Ali Pasha, along with Ibrahim of Scutaria, Husein Gradascevic, and the souliotes, established a sultanate of Yanina separate from the Ottoman Empire comprised of the lands from Peloponnese to Bosnia?

Hypothetical boundaries below.


So, if we assume that everybody is cooperating as you described, would that Sultanate be powerful enough to stand up to the Ottomans? As I understand, "Sultanate" assumes a complete independence so the Ottomans would be forced to react.

OTOH, what if the timetable is of the Russian-Ottoman War of 1806 - 12? Admittedly, Russians did not have troops in the region but they had a navy powerful enough to establish blockade of Dardanelles and cut Istanbul from supplies. A new theater on the Balkans would be welcomed. During the 1st Ottoman War of Catherine II they tried to stir up an insurrection in Greece but the Greeks had been crushed by the Albanians on Ottoman employ. Now there is an ally (with whom they already cooperated earlier) with a reasonably powerful military force of his own. Potentially, he can be quite useful by forcing the Ottomans to move some forces from the Danube and/or Caucasus. Perhaps they could even ship his troops to the Dardanelles and creating a direct danger to Istanbul (taking the land fortifications with an Albanian infantry which would allow Seniavin's squadron to sail to the city and threaten it with a bombardment while advance of Albanian troops would mean looting and many other interesting things) and forcing the Ottomans to the early peace with all relevant concessions.
 
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I was thinking that the Sultanate initially is comprised of Peloponnese, Albania, Epirus, Thessaly, West Greece, Central Greece, and Greek Macedonia west of the Axios (Vardar) river.

When the Bosnian Revolt happens, Yanina uses the opportunity to conquer the Vardar-Morava corridor up to Nis as well as incorporate Bosnia. I was thinking Salonika too, but thought that might be too much.

Might the Sultanate look to Austria for support? I think a Hapsburg Naxos/Cyclades (which had many catholics) and/or Crete could be in order. Alternatively, they could seek assistance from France who at the time was helping Muhammad Ali in Egypt.
 
I was thinking that the Sultanate initially is comprised of Peloponnese, Albania, Epirus, Thessaly, West Greece, Central Greece, and Greek Macedonia west of the Axios (Vardar) river.

When the Bosnian Revolt happens, Yanina uses the opportunity to conquer the Vardar-Morava corridor up to Nis as well as incorporate Bosnia. I was thinking Salonika too, but thought that might be too much.

Might the Sultanate look to Austria for support? I think a Hapsburg Naxos/Cyclades (which had many catholics) and/or Crete could be in order. Alternatively, they could seek assistance from France who at the time was helping Muhammad Ali in Egypt.

Too ambitious. Ali Pasha had not even secured Greece let alone trying to incorporate Bosnia. This scenario to happen would require the Ottoman Army to be non-existent which will not happen.

Ali's Yanina can survive mostly as a sole Greek-Albanian Kingdom if things go as OTL. But considering he had militia our some Albanian Janissary regiments his Army won't be good enough to deal with the Greeks if they were to rebel.
 
I'm pretty sure Ali Pasha of Ioannina never befriended Husein Gradaščević. I mean, Husein was only 18 when the mess started and 20 at the time of Ali Pasha's death.
I'm also not sure about this alliance with Ibrahim of Shkoder...weren't Ali and the Bushatli clan rivals or something?

In general, Ali Pasha had some similarities to the later coalitions of rebellious local governors, but I don't think he had any strong ties to them. And I agree that the borders on that map are way too ambitious. Ali Pasha could carve out an independent Sultanate (Emirate? Vilayet?) for some time, but I don't see that realm going beyond the territories of central Greece + southern Albania.
 
How about this for boundaries of a Sultanate of Yanina then? With the exception Attica, Euboea, and bits of Thessaly all the marked off lands were controlled by Ali Pasha or his sons historically.

upload_2018-9-8_23-33-22.png
 
Rivers are usually iffy boundaries and often river valleys are single entities that can't be divided so easily. I based of more off of mountain ranges.
But you have core Albanian territory outside of your sultanate(?) Post your base map and I'll put th border on it I'd suggest.
 
I was thinking that the Sultanate initially is comprised of Peloponnese, Albania, Epirus, Thessaly, West Greece, Central Greece, and Greek Macedonia west of the Axios (Vardar) river.

When the Bosnian Revolt happens, Yanina uses the opportunity to conquer the Vardar-Morava corridor up to Nis as well as incorporate Bosnia. I was thinking Salonika too, but thought that might be too much.

Might the Sultanate look to Austria for support? I think a Hapsburg Naxos/Cyclades (which had many catholics) and/or Crete could be in order. Alternatively, they could seek assistance from France who at the time was helping Muhammad Ali in Egypt.

IMO your implied timeline is too late for being successful and the potential allies are, well, just potential ones. For the enterprise to succeed you need the Ottomans to be seriously busy (and being beaten) elsewhere by someone who would benefit from having Ali as an ally and as a result ready to support his claim for independence. The realistic time would be September 1806 - early 1807: Russian navy controls Adriatic Sea and then Aegean as well, Russians are in alliance with the Brits and there is a British squadron being ready to launch a disastrous Dardanelles Operation. Having few thousands Albanian infantry available for the landings and attack on the forts could make serious difference and the grateful allies could easily acknowledge Ali's independence as a reward. In a meantime the main Ottoman armies are tied on the Danube and Caucasus against the Russians and can't be used elsewhere.
 
Important clarification: all the way to 1807 Catarro (North of Albania) and the Ionian Islands ("Republic of the 7 Islands") had been under Russian Control, Moldavia and Wallachia had been occupied by the Russian army, and there was still ongoing uprising in Serbia. By July 1807 the Ottomans lost a combat-capable fleet, their troops on Tenedos Island (at the entry to Dardanelles) capitulated and had been transported to Anatolia leaving all their guns and arms.

You can figure out potential effect of a major uprising in Albania.
Europe_1815_map_en.png
 

Interesting. I could see those borders working. I was trying to be more conservative in my second proposed border map, but I think the boundaries you indicate are feasible.

If the first Serbian uprising (1804-1813) is successful here, that is beneficial not only to Russia (who supported the Serbs) but also Austria (particularly Hungary) as the 100,000 Serbs who were historically exiled to Austria do not do so TTL, meaning that the demographics of Vojvodina are less Serb-heavy.

I think the Sultanate might be poised to expand down the line as there are uprisings in Serbia and Bosnia. Maybe they strike a deal and take over Bosnia and the territory in between during the Bosnian uprising? Alternatively there's an independent allied Bosnia (which would probably be more preferable to Austria) and Yanina just absorbs other territory to its immediate north (Shkoder and Kosovo being the most apparent). Eventually Serbia and Yanina will butt heads over Kosovo and the southern portion of the Morava Valley I think.
 
Maybe. I see them as being likelier to pursue Greek lands, but given the Muslim populations in Sanjak, Bosnia, and Kosovo, you may well be right.
 
Maybe. I see them as being likelier to pursue Greek lands, but given the Muslim populations in Sanjak, Bosnia, and Kosovo, you may well be right.

Greek lands and the northern Balkans aren't mutually exclusive. Crete in particular tended to revolt quite a bit. Salonika, being so close, would also be quite tempting.

A Greco-Albanian Heterodox Muslim Kingdom rising in the 19th Century is a fun concept to play around with though.
 
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