Ferhad Pasha Sokolović

Ferhad Pasha Sokolović (, ) (died 1590) was an Ottoman general and statesman from Bosnia. He was the last sanjak-bey of Bosnia and first beylerbey of Bosnia.

Origin Born into the Sokolović family, he was, like his close relative Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha (Mehmed-paša Sokolović) abducted as part of the devşirme system of collection of Christian boys to be raised to serve in the janissary corps, Islamized and recruited into Ottoman service. While one part of the family became Islamized, the other stayed Christian; notably, another relative (possibly Mehmed's brother His brother Derviš-beg died during an Ottoman battle in Georgia while he was serving as the beylerbey of the Diyarbekir Eyalet, Eastern Anatolia. He is first mentioned as the sanjakbey of Klis and was active in battles around Dalmatia.

Sanjakbey of Klis Ferhad Pasha was governor of the Sanjak of Klis between 1566 and 1574. Already by springtime 1577, he settled Serb families from Serbia to Bosnia around reconstructed towns in those areas to boost the population. The Bosnia Eyalet (or Pashaluk) comprised a total of ten sanjaks: Sanjak of Bosnia (central province), Sanjak of Herzegovina, Sanjak of Vučitrn, Sanjak of Prizren, Sanjak of Klis, Sanjak of Krka, Sanjak of Pojega and Sanjak of Pakrac.

Siege of Gvozdansko Ferhad Pasha Sokolović with 10,000 soldiers organized three major assaults and tried to take Gvozdansko Castle in the Kingdom of Croatia in the Habsburg monarchy. Finally, when the Ottomans entered the castle gates, all the defending forces were already dead of wounds, hunger and cold. The Siege of Gvozdansko ended with an Ottoman victory on 13 January 1578. Ferhad Pasha was so moved by their bravery that they were conceded a Christian burial and the local population freed from taxes.

Death Ferhad died in Buda (Budapest) in the year 1590, he was murdered by one of his slaves.