Baltaci Mehmed Pasha vs Monte Melkonian

Baltacı Mehmed Pasha was appointed Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire in 1710. He was tasked with managing the empire's response to the Great Northern War and the presence of Swedish King Charles XII, who had taken refuge in Ottoman territory after his defeat at Poltava.

Baltacı Mehmed Pasha led the Ottoman army in the Pruth River Campaign against Russia. He surrounded Peter the Great's forces near the Pruth River, forcing the Tsar to negotiate. The resulting Treaty of the Pruth returned Azov to the Ottomans and secured Ottoman borders.

Baltacı Mehmed Pasha signed the Treaty of the Pruth with Russia in July 1711. The treaty ceded Azov back to the Ottomans, required Russia to demolish fortifications on the border, and allowed Charles XII safe passage to Sweden. It was a diplomatic victory for the Ottomans.

Baltacı Mehmed Pasha was dismissed as Grand Vizier in 1711 shortly after the Pruth Campaign. Sultan Ahmed III and court factions accused him of not fully exploiting the victory over Peter the Great. He was exiled to Lesbos and later executed in 1712.

Melkonian fought in the Lebanese Civil War as a member of the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) and other leftist groups. He was involved in guerrilla operations against Turkish targets.

Melkonian was arrested in France in 1985 and sentenced to six years in prison for possession of explosives and false documents. He was released in 1989 and subsequently moved to Armenia.

Melkonian served as a commander in the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. He led Armenian forces in several key battles, including the capture of Shusha in May 1992.

Melkonian was killed in action on June 12, 1993, near the village of Merzili in Nagorno-Karabakh, during a battle with Azerbaijani forces. His death made him a national hero in Armenia and Karabakh.