Ali-Riza Paša: POSLEDNJI TURSKI KOMANDANT BEOGRADSKE TVRĐAVE
Ali Riza Pasha: Зe Last Turkish Commander of the Belgrade Fortress

Summary/Abstract: The bombing of Belgrade by the Turkish army situated at fortress in June 1862 was followed by the diplomatic conference in Kanlidza. The conference aimed at preventing the war between the Ottoman Empire and Serbia which was back then under the formal reign of the Turkish Sultan. The conflict was resolved by destroying two fortified towns in Serbia, the town of Uzice and Soko, while the Turkish military garrisons remained in the fortresses on the Sava and Danube (Sabac, Belgrade, Smederevo and Fetislam). The four cities represented the last stronghold of the Ottoman Empire in the Principality until 1867, when Ali Riza Pasha, the last Belgrade Vizier, handed over the keys to Prince Mihailo. Ali Riza Pasha was very fond of the Serbs, and Prince Mihailo as well, and relations between the Principality and Empire improved a lot after the bombing of Belgrade and the conflicts that preceded his arrival. Like his predecessors, Ali Riza Pasha was both Belgrade Vizier and the commander of Belgrade Fortress – Belgrade Muhafiz. The period during which Ali Riza Pasha was in charge of the Turkish army at Belgrade fortress was a turning point in the development of Belgrade. Muslim population had left the city before the Turkish army. This caused the Turkish part of the city and its oriental physiognomy to disappear and transformed Belgrade into a city with European character.

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