Az első szegedi bég, Dervis életpályája
The life-story of Dervish, the first sancakbeyi of Szeged

Summary/Abstract: He came from an influential family, the Yahyapashazade clan of Albanian origin. His father, Küçük Bali had a house in Jagodina, modern Svetozarevo. Dervish was probably born around 1500 since he is mentioned as a timar-holder in the sancak of Zvornik as early as 1519. When his father became the beylerbeyi of Buda in 1542, he became the commander of the Danube flotilla, a new post created specifically for him. When Szeged was taken by the Ottomans early in 1543, he became the first district governor there. On 28 January 1545, he was nominated sancakbeyi of Székesfehérvár (İstolni Belgrad). Then he went to administer the liva of Mohács in the last months of 1547. Usually he stayed in Pécs, where his cami was erected. He held this office for almost 10 years, an exceptionally long period. His many duties can be illustrated by several hitherto unknown orders which were sent to him. At the same time, he did not forget Jagodina where he had a cami built and where – as Hans Dernschwam reported – he also settled some Hungarians. This is shown by a defter of Szendrõ (Smederovo), in which several individuals with Hungarian names were registered. On 4 February 1557, he was appointed to Avlonya, partly as a punishment for the unsuccessful siege of Szigetvár in 1556. Four days later, however, he was allowed to return to Szeged. Like in Pécs, he was charged with the praparation of the new dommsday-book of some of the Hungarian sancaks. Dervish bey vanishes from sight around 1560/1561. In all likelihood he died, either in Hungary or on his way to Jagodina.

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