Ballaban Badera (also known as Ballaban Pasha or Ballaban Badheri) was an Albanian Ottoman military officer from Albania. A conscript of the Devshirme system, he became a Pasha. Ballaban Badera was said to be the first climbing the walls of Constantinople. He held a position of sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Ohrid in 1464 and 1465. Early life Ballaban Badera was born in Mat, Albania as a Catholic with the name Michael, the son of Mark and Helena. Conscripted through the Devshirme system he rose to the rank of Pasha in the Ottoman Army under Sultan Mehmed II. Ballaban fought Skanderbeg in April 1465 close to Ohrid. The Albanians were victorious, but many officers were captured, including Moisi Arianit Golemi of Dibra. They were sent to Constantinople, where they were executed in Istanbul for treason. Two Janissaries Mark had served in the army of the Wallachian Prince Mircea I, fighting against the Ottoman Turks. Michael, son of Mark and Helena, was kidnaped during the Ottoman Turkish raids. Ballaban Badera's mother, Helena, was killed during the Turkish raids Mark, father of Ballaban Badera, and brother Constantine escaped and survived the raids. Michael was raised as a Janissary and named Ballaban Badera, or Ballaban Pasha; he was a product of the Devshirme system, just as the entire troop of Janissaries was, and one of the best generals of the Ottoman Army under Sultan Mehmed II. Gjergj Kastrioti (Skanderbeg), with whom Ballaban Badera would cross paths of history, was raised as a Janissary as well, under the same Devshirme system Ballaban Badera was developed. Ballaban and Skanderbeg Ballaban fought Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg in April 1465 close to Ohrid. The Albanians were victorious, but at a terrible cost: Ballaban Pasha showed his military prowess and thirteen highest ranking generals of Gjergj Kastrioti were captured; among them was Moisi Arianit Golemi of Dibra, Gjergj Kastrioti's, (Skanderbeg's), second in command. Moisi Arianit Golemi was the organizer of Skanderbeg's desertion from the Ottoman Court and subsequent return to Albania. Moisi Golemi was also the main political organizer and the heart and soul, if you will, of the Albanian Cause. Moisi Arianit Golemi, two of Gjergj Kastrioti's nephews, and the other captured generals were sent to Constantinople, modern day Istanbul. Gjergj Kastrioti offered great many captured Ottoman Pashas and great many Ottoman Prisoners, and enormous amounts of treasure in exchange for Moisi Golemi and the other generals, but