On October 9, 1430, Ioannina surrendered to Sinan Pasha, beylerbey (administrator) of Rumeli. It was the beginning of Ottoman rule across large part of Epirus.
Ioannina, in a picture taken in the mid-19th century by Frédéric Boissonnas.(Thessaloniki Museum of Photography)
The term “Rumeli” was used to describe a large administrative district that included the territory of the Balkan peninsula. In other words, it represented the Ottoman possessions in the Balkans. ‘Rumeli’ means “land of the Romans”, i.e. land of the Byzantine Empire which called itself “Roman Empire”. During Ottoman rule, Christian residents of the Balkans were called “Rum”, from which the name “Romioi” originates.
