Iljaz Bej Mirahori
Imrahor Ilyas Bey was an Ottoman military commander and governor of Albanian origin, who served sultan Bayezid II. He married the daughter of sultan Mehmet II and founded the town of Korçë in the 15th century.
He was born in Panarit, Korçë District and entered Janissary service probably during the reign of Murad II.
He was one of the most loyal subjects of the young emperor Mehmet II, and dedicated his life to the service of the Emperor against Skanderbeg and his forces. In the year 1453, Iljaz Hoxha's role in the Siege of Constantinople earned him the title Mirahor. Later he received the Mirahor Evel title. After the conquest he became the sanjak-bey of Korçë. Under the command of Mehmet II he founded and developed Korçë as both a cultural center and garrison city. He constructed its first mosque, the Mirahori Mosque.
The Frashëri brothers Abdul, Naim and Sami were descendants of Ilyas Bey through their mother Emine who was from Korçë. Sami Frashëri in his publications wrote about his ancestor Ilyas Bey.
