Zaganos Pasha

Lala Zaganos Pasha
Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire
In office 1 June 1453 – 1456
Monarch	Mehmed II
Preceded by	Çandarlı Halil Pasha the Younger
Succeeded by	Mahmud Pasha Angelovic
Kapudan Pasha
In office 1463–1466
Preceded by	Yakup Bey
Succeeded by	Mahmud Pasha Angelovic
Personal details
Died	1462 or 1469 Balıkesir, Turkey, Ottoman Empire
Nationality	Ottoman
Spouse(s)	Sitti Nefise Hatun Fatma Hatun Anna Hatun
Religion	Sunni Islam
Ethnicity	Unknown; thought to be Albanian, Greek, or Serbian
Military service
Allegiance	Ottoman Empire
Service/branch	Ottoman Navy  Ottoman Army
Rank	Kapudan Pasha (grand admiral; 1463–1466)
Battles/wars	Fall of Constantinople

Zaganos Pasha (Turkish: Zağanos Paşa; fl. 1446 – 1462 or 1469) was an Ottoman military commander, with the titles and ranks of kapudan pasha and the highest military rank, grand vizier, during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II "the Conqueror". Originally a Christian who was conscripted and converted through the devşirme system, he became a Muslim and rose through the ranks of the janissaries. He became one of the prominent military commanders of Mehmed II and a lala – the sultan's advisor, mentor, tutor, councillor, , all at once. He removed his rival, the previous Grand Vizier Çandarlı Halil Pasha the Younger, amid the fall of Constantinople. He later served as the governor of Thessaly of Macedonia.

Zaganos was conscripted through the Devşirme system and rose through the ranks of the janissaries. He was originally Christian. Sources do not mention his descent.D. Nicolle, J. F. Haldon and S. R. Turnbull believes that he was of South Slavic or Albanian origin. M. Philippides believes that he was of either Greek or Albanian origin. According to İnalcık he was possibly the son of Vrana Konti. He became a committed Muslim after conversion.

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