Köprülü Abdullah Pasha

Köprülü Abdullah Paşa (Abdullah pashë Kypriljoti; died 1735) was an Ottoman general of the first half of the 18th century and one of the commanders during the Ottoman-Persian War.

He was a member of the renowned Köprülü Family, originated from Albania, that had given three grand viziers to the Ottoman Empire (four counting Kara Mustafa Pasha who was an adopted son). He rose through the ranks of the Ottoman army to the rank of General during the reign of Sultan Ahmed III. In 1716, he was the first appointment at the rank of Pasha (though not yet at that of a governor), to the hitherto small but fastly growing international trade town of İzmir.

He was the commander of the Ottoman forces during parts of the campaigns of the Ottoman-Persian War. In 1724 the Safavid Shah Tahmasp II of Iran had concluded an agreement with the Russians and recognized Russian influence in Transcaucasia and the Caspian Sea. Since this was against Ottoman interests in the region, an army under Köprülü Abdullah Pasha was dispatched and had easily taken Nahçıvan, Merend, Ardabil, Tabriz and Karabagh. As a result, an agreement under the auspices of the French ambassador to Constantinople has been concluded between Ottoman and Russia on 23 June 1724, dividing spheres of influence in the region for the two powers. The provisions of this agreement have also been recognized by the Afghan pretender to the Iranian throne, Eshref Shah.

But soon, in 1729, the Afshar leader Nadir Shah forced the Afghans out of Persia and inflicted several defeats on the Ottoman armies. A first peace agreement has been signed in 1732, which did not last for long.

Köprülü Abdullah Pasha met the Persian general Nadir Shah (soon the Shah of Persia) in the Battle of Baghavand in 1735. Ordering his forces to entrench in preparation for the advancing Persian army, he managed to avoid an open battle against Nadir. However, recognizing a weakness in the Persian lines, Köprülü launched a successful attack against the Persian forces. Despite initial success, Köprülü's army was defeated in a carefully planned counterattack and Köprülü himself was killed in battle (near present day Kars).