Zekki Pasha

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Zekki Pasha was a World War I Field Marshal of the Ottoman forces in the Balkans. He was also a scholar and historian and traveled throughout the Ottoman Empire before WWI.[citation needed]

In 1894, as Commandant of the Fourth Army Corps, he was decorated for his participation during the Sassoun massacre[1][2][3]. During the massacres, he reportedly stated, "not finding any rebellion we cleared the country so none should occur in the future." [4].

In 1912-1913, he was commander of the Vardar Army during the Balkan Wars. Following the orders of Nizam Pasha, Chief of Staff of the Ottoman Army, Zekki Pasha initiated the Battle of Kumanovo[5].

His failure to emplace key artillery hindered the forces under his command and led to their defeat at Kumanovo [6]. During the frantic Ottoman retreat from Kumanovo, a disgruntled Ottoman soldier attempted to assassinated him, contributing to the panic. [7].

The Vardar Army; consisting of the 7th Corps commanded by Feti Pasha, the 6th Corps commanded by Djavid Pasha and the 5th Corps commanded by Kara Said Pasha, all under Zekki Pasha's command, had retreated to Bitola after the defeat at Kumanovo[8].

Zekki Pasha managed to establish a strong position on the Oblahov heights northwest of Bitola prior to the battle. Superior Serbian artillery and infantry defeated the Ottomans at the Battle of Bitola, Feti Pasha was killed in the process[9].

Both the Battle of Kumanovo and Battle of Bitola led to victories for the Kingdom of Serbia and ensured its independence from the Ottoman Empire.[citation needed]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Robert Melson, "Revolution and Genocide" (1992), p.60
  2. ^ W. Blackwood, "Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine" (1897),p.21
  3. ^ George Shaw/Lefevre Eversley, "The Turkish Empire from 1288 to 1914" (1914), p. 341
  4. ^ Arman Dzhonovich, "The Armenian Massacres, 1894-1896" (2004), pp. 63-64
  5. ^ Richard C. Hall, "The Balkan Wars, 1912-1913: Prelude to the First World War" (2000), p. 47
  6. ^ Hall,p. 48
  7. ^ Hall, p. 49
  8. ^ Hall, p. 51
  9. ^ Hall, p. 52
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