Jusuf Mašković

Yusuf Pasha or Jusuf Mašković (1604-1646) was an Ottoman vezir and admiral (Kapudan Pasha, supreme commander of the Ottoman fleet), known as the conqueror of Chania in western Crete in only 54 days (1645). He built a large han, or Turkish inn, at Vrana in 1644 (Maškovića Han), which still stands.

Origin and early
Josef Mašković was born a Christian in ca. 1604, in Vrana, Dalmatia, then at the Venetian-Ottoman frontier.

According to Frane Difnico, Yusuf was the servant of Durak Bey, while Girolamo Brusoni claims that his father was the servant of Halil Bey, and that Yusuf was the groomer of Ibrahim Bey Bećiragić in Nadin. Brusoni said that Yusuf eventually came into good relations with the Beys, who even claimed him as a relative and near friend ("Durachbeg, che si dice suo parente" "Il Sapitan bie Bessiraghch, suo amico"). At the service of the Bećiragići in Nadin, Josef learned the Turkish language and alphabet. Though he was a sharp and intelligent boy, he was in serious poverty; once an elder lady of Nadin saw him barefooted and gave him opanci.

While following his master on a trip, he got to know a gatekeeper of the Porte, and decided to join Ottoman service in Constantinople.

Service
He was an ally of Jinji Hoja.

Legacy
He built a large han, or Turkish inn, at Vrana in 1644 (Maškovića Han).