Ahmed-Pasa Hercegovic’s Real Estates in Dubrovnik Subject to Plunder by the Dubrovnik Republic

Abstract

In this paper the author follows, on the basis of the three firmans examined (from 1551, 1589 and 1606), the struggle of descendants for the right to dispose of Ahmed-pasha Hercegović's real estates. From the earlier paper of the same author we have learn t that Ahmed-pasha Hercegović was the son of Herceg Stjepan Vukčić. As a young man he converted to Islam and married the daughter of Sultan Bajazid II with whom he had two sons - Alija and Mustafa. The firman of 1551 mentions a certain el kiras Huma-sultan, who appears to be the rent holder of some Ahmed-pasha's estates in Dubrovnik. On the basis of this datum the author concludes that el kiras Huma-sultan was Ahmed-pasha Hercegović's daughter who has been unknown to historiography so far. The fmnan in question also mentions Vlatko, grand son of Ahmed-pasha's brother Vlatko Vukčić, as one of the heirs. However, this firman deprives him of the right to inheritance.

73 years after Ahmed-pasha Hercegović's death his last heirs were also dead so that by the firman from 1589 his real estates, consisting of several houses and vineyards in Dubrovnikiand some land in the nahiyas of Konavle and Gruž in the rear of Dubrovnik, were given to be used by the Dubrovnik authorities.

The third firman, the one from 1606, delas with the dispute between a certain Eynehan and the Dubrovnik nobles concerning the mentioned estates. Eynehan appears as the renter of these estates for the rent of 100 loads of aspras (type of coin) for three years. Dubrovnik backs up its right to these estates by the firman from 1589.

The author gives an interesting supposition concerning the mentioned Eynehan. Since he has asecertained that Ejne-han was not in blood kinship with Ahmed-pasha Hercegović and since he appears as the renter of his estates, the author came to an assumption - did not Eynehan, renting these estates and trying to form a separate sanjak, want to encircle Dubrovnik from land, in other words cut it from its rear, or was it only the plan of the grand Vizier Sinan-pasha, Eynehan being only a tool in his hands? Anyway, one thing at least is evident - Eynehan undouhtedly was in favor of the Grand Vizier for he obtained his berat which assigned him the sanjakbey of the "sanjak made of Dubrovnik land".

This firman from 1606 as a matter of fact cancels the formation of a sanjak out of Dubrovnik regions Konavle and Gruž and it also mentions a Hizir, court official as an aspirant to this sanjak.