other · Balkans and Hungary

Pashalik of Yanina

1788 CE – 1822 CE · capital Ioannina

Virtually independent domain of Ali Pasha of Tepelena, who ruled Epirus and much of mainland Greece from Ioannina and dealt with European powers as an equal.

Origins

Ali Pasha, an Albanian notable from Tepelena, rose through brigandage and Ottoman service, becoming governor of Trikala and then, in the late 1780s, pasha of Ioannina. By force, alliances and intrigue he extended his authority over Epirus, southern Albania, Thessaly and parts of the Peloponnese, controlling the main routes of the western Balkans.

Rule and society

Ali ruled from his fortress palace in Ioannina through a personal network of officials and Albanian troops, with Greek secretaries and merchants prominent at court. Ioannina became a centre of Greek learning and trade. He negotiated with Napoleon and Britain, entertained Lord Byron in 1809, crushed the Souliotes and acquired Parga in 1819.

Decline and legacy

Sultan Mahmud II declared Ali a rebel in 1820 and besieged Ioannina; Ali was killed in January 1822. The long campaign tied down Ottoman forces just as the Greek War of Independence broke out in 1821, helping the revolt survive.

Connections (3)

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Pashalik of Yanina. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/pashalik-of-yanina
MLA
“Pashalik of Yanina.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/pashalik-of-yanina. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Pashalik of Yanina.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/pashalik-of-yanina.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Pashalik of Yanina’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/pashalik-of-yanina (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻