The rise of Sokollu Mustafa Pasha Beylerbey of Buda

This thesis examines the life of Sokollu Mustafa Pasha, who managed to hold the Beylerbeylik of Buda for 12 uninterrupted years. One of the aims of this study is to search for aspects of his life which had been written mostly through secondary sources (chronicles and manuscripts) in the literature, through archival records and to combine the two source groups in a definitive narrative. This narrative, which will start from Mustafa's childhood, will focus on what he was busy with at every stage of his life until his execution in 1578 and will aim to underline the remarkable issues. Some of these will touch on Mustafa's human relations and thus factions, some will touch on his military activities, and some will try to determine the borderlines of Mustafa's role in interstate diplomacy. Finally, the course leading up to his execution will be discussed and then findings about the property, foundation and reputation left behind by Mustafa will be presented.