One of the main reasons we are putting out this newsletter is to help share information about the Ottomans of the Napoleonic Era. If you have questions, please forward them to us. If we can answer them we will, if not, we'll post them in this column where, we hope, one of our readers can give us some insight.

Since this is our first issue, I'll go first. I've got two questions that have me stumped.

Pasvanoglu

I am very eager to learn more about Omar Agha Pasvanoglu (died 1807). What I do know is that he was a ruthless, cunning and immensely skilled bandit chieftain and ruler of the Pashalik of Vidin who supported the Janissaries in their revolt against the reforms of Sultan Selim III. In 1798 Napoleon briefly considered overthrowing Sultan Selim III and placing Pasvanoglu on the throne of a reorganized and French-dominated Ottoman Empire. He was one of two Pashas who fought almost single-handedly against the Russian invasion of the Balkans in 1806-07. (Also Osman Pazvantoglu, Passvan Oglu)

Do you know more, or where I can find more?

Artillery

Each regiment of Ottoman foot artillery was made up of 10 cannons; four of the older, heavy Balyemez and Sahi cannons, two of the older, lighter Abus guns and four of the new Frenchdesign six-pounders, known as Surats.

So what is a Balyemez, a Sahi and an Abus?

One source lists the Abus as a howitzer- like gun, similar in design to a Russian Licorne, though the reference is far from exact.

In The Linqua Franca of the Levant, the Balyemez is defined as an "old- style Ottoman field gun. A long-range battering gun, usually found on warships." It goes on to say that 100 Kantars of copper were required to make each gun, and that the guns fired balls of 24 Okas each. Translated into modern weights that comes out to a gun weighing about 12,500 pounds and firing balls of 68 pounds.

Is this to mean that the average Ottoman field battery had two 68-pounders? It seems a little high for a field gun.

And finally, as for the Sahi, I have no information at all.

Can any of you help me out?