Talk:Gazi Osman Pasha

This page is very poorly written, badly referenced and strongly POV. I modified, as a minimal correction, the information regarding the capitulation of Osman-Pasha: he surrendered his sword to Romanians (not Russians) - i.e., to colonel Mihai Cerchez. However, this is not the only modification necessary in order to balance the report about this accomplished Turkish soldier.--MarioF 17:41, 31 January 2006 (UTC)

Not so fast
New International Encyclopedia lists two men. Osman Digna (c.1836-1900) and Osman Nuri Pasha (1837-1900).

Osman Digna was a follower of the Mahdi in the Sudan. His birthplace is not known with certainty. Some people identified his birthplace as Suakin; others claim that he was born at Rouen, France, and his father as a Scotchman named Nisbet. According to this latter account the family moved in 1849 to Alexandria, where the father soon died, and the widow married a Turk named Osman who called him Osman Ali. * NIE Osman Ali became a trader of slaves. His business was curtailed by the British, after which he joined in the revolt of Arabi Pasha (c. 1841-1911). That revolt failed (September 13, 1882).

Osman Digna then attached himself to the cause of the Mahdi. About this time he received the name Digna because of the fullness of his beard. He maintained himself at the head of a powerful army around Suakin and inflicted a severe defeat on Baker Pasha near Tokar (February 4, 1884). Immediately after this victory, however, he was defeated by General Graham near Tokar and at Tamanieh. In 1888 he suffered a terrible loss at the hands of General Grenfell at Suakin (Suakim), where he lost an arm.

In 1899 he fought in the last campaign of the Mahdist forces. On January 19, 1900 he was captured near Tokar and sent as a prisoner to Rosetta.


 * (So much for him).

Osman Nuri Pasha was a Turkish general, called Ghazi (the victorious). He was born at Amasia in Asia Minor. He fought in Europe, not in Egypt. In July, 1877, he took up a strongly fortified position at Plevna, thus arresting the advance of the Russians.

He fought until December, 1877, when he was captured, taken to Russia as a prisoner, and held until the signing of the Treaty of San Stefano (1878). He died in Constantinople, (April, 1900.) (The article in Wikipedia states that he died in April, 1897).



Osman Nuri Pasha and Osman Digna were born at about the same time, led similar lives (in different places), and died at about the same time. Apparently, Wikipedia does not contain any information on Osman Digna.

Wikipedia appears to contain two articles on Osman Nuri Pasha. Unlike Osman Digna, Osman Nuri Pasha saw no combat after being captured late in 1877 and being imprisoned in Russia in 1878.

The article in the New International Encyclopedia may have mis-identified the year of death of Osman Nuri Pasha, confusing it with the year of death of Osman Digna.

Superslum 15:50, 2 July 2006 (UTC)

Valentine Baker added at the Baker Pasha link. Superslum 23:51, 2 July 2006 (UTC)

Place Toka at Tokar. Superslum 00:03, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
 * Toka was vandalism. Osman Digna appears to have been called Usman Digna, sometimes.  I have created a page called Osman Digna.  I hope that it isn't a duplicate page.  Osman Digna was a red link (like this one) at four pages.  Usman Digna is still a red link at two pages (Muhammad Ahmad and History of Sudan (1884-1898)).  Superslum 20:39, 3 July 2006 (UTC)