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Native name | Омер-паша Латас Omer-paša Latas |
Birth name | Mihajlo Latas / Михајло Латас |
Born | Janja Gora, Military Frontier, Austrian Empire (now Plaški, Croatia) | 24 September 1806
Died | 18 April 1871 Constantinople, Ottoman Empire (now Istanbul, Turkey) | (aged 64)
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() |
Service/ | ![]() |
Years of service | 1823–1869 |
Rank | Field marshal |
Commands | Commander of Ottoman Forces in Moldavia & Wallachia |
Battles/wars | Albanian Revolt of 1843–1844 Albanian revolt of 1845 Kurdish Revolts Bosnian uprising Wallachian Revolution of 1848 Great Cretan revolt Crimean War
Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1861–1862) Cretan revolt (1866–1869) |
Spouse(s) | Ida Hanım (divorced without issue) Adviye Hanım (with issue) |
Omer Pasha, also known as Omer Pasha Latas (Turkish: Ömer Lütfi Paşa, Serbian: Омер-паша Латас, romanized: Omer-paša Latas; 24 September 1806 – 18 April 1871) was an Ottoman field marshal and governor. Born in Austrian territory to Serbian Orthodox Christian parents, he initially served as an Austrian soldier. When faced with charges of embezzlement, he fled to Ottoman Bosnia in 1823 and converted to Islam; he then joined the Ottoman army, where he quickly rose through the ranks. Latas crushed several rebellions throughout the Ottoman Empire, and served as a commander in the Crimean War of 1853-1856, where he defeated the Russians at Silistra (1854), regaining Bucharest and occupying the Danubian Principalities. He also won notable victories at Oltenița, Eupatoria (1855) and participated in the Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855). As a commander Omer Pasha was noted especially for his excellent strategic skills.