Piyale Pasha

Piali Pasha (–1578) was an Ottoman Grand Admiral (Kapudan Pasha) between 1553 and 1567, and a Vizier (minister) after 1568. He is also known as Piale Pasha in English. Early life His exact place of birth is unknown, though he was probably born in Hungary. He was of Hungarian or Croatian origin. It is said that Piali was the son of a shoemaker from Tolna, a Hungarian shoemaker according to Hidden, who speaks of the son of a "Hungarian shoemaker" as early as 1912, or of a Croatian according to a 2007 entry in the TDV Islam Encyclopedia. He would become a soldier and be captured by the Ottomans in the Hungarian battlefields (in the 1526 Battle of Mohács). Piyale Pasha received his formal education at the Enderun School (Imperial Academy) in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), Ottoman Empire. He graduated from the Enderun with the title of Kapıcıbaşı and was appointed Sanjak Bey (Province Governor) of Gallipoli. Admiral of the Ottoman Fleet He was promoted to Bahriye Beylerbeyi (i.e. First Lord of Admiralty) and became Admiral-in-Chief of the Ottoman Fleet at the age of 39.