Koja Yusuf Pasha

Koja Yusuf Pasha (Died in 1800), Grand Vizier (the First Minister) of Ot toman Empire. As a child, he waskidnapped in Georgia and sold into slavery in Turkey. After getting free from of bondage, thanks to his talent and wits, he attracted the attention of one of the most influential Turkish statesmen Jezairli Hassan Kapudan Pasha, the Naval Minister and Admiral of Ottoman Empire. Later on the latter assisted Koja Yusuf to fill the position of Grand Vizier of Ottoman Empire in 1786. Twice in his political carrier, in 1786-1789 and in 1791-1792, he held the high post of Grand Vizier. In 1791 Koja Yusuf participated in signing the Turkish-Russian Treaty of Jassy (on the Russian side the Agreement was signed by S. Lashkarov, Russian diplomat of Georgian origin). Later Koja Yusuf was assigned to the post of the Pasha of Medina and Jidda (modern Saudi Arabia) where he died in 1800.