Abstract:

Damat İbrahim Pasha is one of the statesmen who left a mark in Ottoman history. In the “Tulip Age”, later in the Ottoman history, some reforms and innovations he implemented together with Sultan Ahmet III formed the basis of radical reforms to be realized in the following years. The development activities led by İbrahim Pasha have changed the face of the capital city, Istanbul, to a certain extent and contributed to the city’s expansion on both sides of the Bosphorus and the golden horn. As it can be understood from the deed of trust of a pious foundation, İbrahim Pasha had many different structures built in various parts of Anatolia, especially in Istanbul and Nevşehir. Among his charitable works in Istanbul, the social complex in Şehzadebaşı, which he had built with his wife, Fatma Sultan, comes to the fore. He had the most comprehensive complex of the period built in Nevşehir, which was the centre of his efforts to revive his hometown. The construction purposes of the social complexes built by Damat İbrahim Pasha in Şehzadebaşı and Nevşehir contain differences. The complex in Istanbul results from a reconstruction activity he carried out with his wife. Like the other social complexes of the period, it has a medium-sized establishment. It is more modest than the social complex that Ahmet III had built in Üsküdar for his mother. However, with its layout and innovative design, it is a development product that expresses the “Tulip Period”. Ibrahim Pasha must have behaved somewhat modestly in the construction of the complex since he was both the new grand vizier and he abstained from undertaking a more grandiose construction activity than Sultan Ahmet III. The construction story of the complex in Nevşehir is entirely different. When Ibrahim Pasha started to build this complex, he was a senior grand vizier. His influence increased within the Ottoman bureaucracy, and he became the closest name to Ahmet III. In addition, he spared no expense to reconstruct his country. Finally, the aforementioned social complex was built outside of Istanbul. This means that no situation will cause him to be compared with Ahmet III. When these three elements were combined, Damat İbrâhim Pasha realized the construction of a complex in his hometown, perhaps with features he wanted to do in Istanbul but could not. For this reason, the construction activities that changed the face of the capital was conducted while at the same time an environment that allowed the development of the state in all areas and brought peace and prosperity to the country was necessary. Ibrahim Pasha took specific measures in this direction. However, while these measures were taken, the entertainments and halva conversations of Sultan Ahmet III and the courtiers received a severe reaction from the public and prepared the inevitable end. All that remains from Ibrahim Pasha, who was killed sadly due to the Patrona Halil Rebellion in 1730, are tangible products that help us understand the structure of the period.

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