Little is known about the past of Ibrahim Pasha. He was born into a poor, Christian fisherman's family. The mother loved her son very much (then his name was Theo) and often played the violin for him. The boy remembered these melodies for the rest of his life and they can often be heard in the TV series "The Magnificent Century".
When Theo was 10 years old, there was another janissary raid in their area, in which a boy is kidnapped and given into slavery by the Ottoman Empire. The boy is forced to convert to Islam and is given a new name - Ibrahim.
The woman who bought Theo out in the slave market was very kind to the boy and, seeing his craving for music, allowed him to play the violin.
When Ibrahim grew up, he was noticed by the young heir of the Ottoman Empire - Suleiman. Since then, the young men spent a lot of time together and Suleiman appointed Ibrahim as the main falconer.
Suleiman, seeing the devotion and sincerity of Ibrahim, appointed him to more and more posts. But these positions did not please Ibrahim, but frightened. He understood that his every promotion brings him closer to death.
In addition, with each appointment, his salary also increased, and soon Pargala became a very rich and influential person - which added to the enemies and discontent of the common people.
Ibrahim did not hide his fear of new appointments, and in order to protect his friend even from himself, Suleiman gives a seal to Ibrahim and appoints him Grand Vizier.
Feeling power, the grand vizier began to often exceed his powers, thereby making enemies for himself and undermining the confidence of the sultan.
Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska from the very beginning disliked the imposing slave and in every possible way tried to blacken him in the eyes of the sovereign.
But the sovereign did not want to believe that his devoted slave and friend could suffer from a thirst for greatness.
Believing in his impunity, Ibrahim increasingly began to put himself on the same level with the sovereign. In a military campaign against Persia, Ibrahim, without waiting for the arrival of the sultan, called himself the sultan commander-in-chief. What the enemies immediately reported to Suleiman. This was the first serious offense that alienated Ibrahim from the Sultan.
But this incident did not stop Ibrahim, in one of the sessions, Ibrahim said:
- There is a lion, and there is a tamer. And it is the tamer who decides what to do and what to do. Lions are overlords, and tamers are their viziers.
When Suleiman found out about this, he realized that Ibrahim was swallowed up by power, greatness and pride and decided to execute him.
Here are just a decree on the execution, Suleiman could not issue, because he himself deprived himself of this right. Then Suleiman ordered his soldiers to strangle Ibrahim at night.
The Sultan invited Ibrahim to stay in the palace for the night, and he himself went to sleep in his chambers. While Suleiman slept, the fate of Ibrahim was judged. In the series "The Magnificent Century" this picture will be shown to the viewer in episodes 82 and 83 of the 3rd season.
In the series, we were shown how Suleiman regretted what he had done and for about 20 years doubted the correctness of his decision.
However, judging by historical data, the Sultan did not regret his decision, because the body of Ibrahim was buried by the road, and not in the mausoleum, where the Sultan buried his dear people.
Is Hürrem to blame for the death of Ibrahim? I think no.
Whatever intrigues she wove against Ibrahim, no one forced him to put himself on one level, and sometimes even higher, than the ruler himself.
