On the Identity of a Pseudo-Memibegović: Who Was Mehmed, Kapudan of the River Drava?

Fóti, Miklós (2025) On the Identity of a Pseudo-Memibegović: Who Was Mehmed, Kapudan of the River Drava? ARCHIVUM OTTOMANICUM, 42. pp. 133-142. ISSN 0378-2808

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Abstract

In an effort to correct a long-standing historical error, this study re-examines the identity of Mehmed kapudan, a 16th-century Ottoman military official. Previous scholarship, based on misinterpretations of sources, incorrectly identified him as the ancestor of the prominent Memibegović dynasty and a governor of multiple sanjaks. Through the analysis of primary sources, including ruznamçe defters and other archival documents, this research reconstructs the true career of Mehmed. He is identified as Mehmed bin Ya'kub, a mid-level official who rose through the ranks due to his military competence and administrative skills. The study traces his progression from a horseman in Szeged, to a miralay, kapudan of the Dráva river, and a successful tax farmer, before he ultimately achieved the high-ranking position of sancakbeyi.

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