TRENDEFRAtlas of the Sultans

Glossary of Ottoman History: 70 Terms, Short and Sourced

Short explanations of the Ottoman terms that appear in the atlas's profiles and in its war and treaty cards. Each term's page also lists the events and sultans in which it appears.

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Sovereignty and central government (18)

BeratA sultan's document bearing the tughra that confirmed an appointment, the grant of a revenue or a privilege.CaliphateThe institution of headship of the Islamic state after the Prophet Muhammad; its holder is called the caliph.CülusFrom the Arabic word for “sitting”: a new ruler's accession to the throne and the ceremonies attached to it.DefterdarThe official at the head of Ottoman finances, who managed the revenues and expenditure of the state.FirmanAn imperial order bearing the tughra, written in line with the decisions taken in the Imperial Council.Grand vizierThe highest official of state, who governed as the sultan's absolute deputy.Hatt-ı HümayunAn order or note written in the sultan's own hand.Imperial CouncilThe highest council, where affairs of state were discussed and decided; the name means “the sultan's council”.KanunnameA sultan's decree bringing together the legal provisions on a particular subject.KazaskerA senior judicial official on the Imperial Council who heard the cases of the military class and had a say in the appointment of kadis.KhutbaThe sermon delivered at Friday and festival prayers; mentioning the ruler's name in it was a sign of sovereignty.NişancıThe high-ranking member of the Imperial Council who drew the sultan's tughra on documents.PadishahThe principal title of the Ottoman rulers, from the Persian pādshāh, “ruler, holder of power”.PashaThe title given in the Ottoman state to viziers, beylerbeys and high-ranking commanders.ŞeyhülislamThe head of the learned class in the Ottoman state and the highest authority issuing fatwas on religious and legal questions.Sublime Porte“The high gate”: the office of the grand vizier and, over time, the name used for the Ottoman government itself.TughraThe emblem that shows the sultan's name, his father's name and his titles in a special arrangement, serving as signature and seal on documents.VizierA high-ranking statesman who assisted the ruler in government and sat on the council.

Palace and dynasty (5)

EnderunThe inner section of the Topkapı Palace and the palace school there that trained statesmen.KafesThe closed life that the princes lived under supervision inside the palace after 1617.ŞehzadeThe male children of the Ottoman dynasty, the potential heirs to the throne.Seniority successionThe rule that the eldest male member of the dynasty succeeds to the throne.Valide sultanThe title given to the mother of the reigning sultan.

Provinces and land (12)

BeylerbeyThe military and administrative head of a province; the name means “bey of beys”.BeylikA state ruled by a bey; the name for the Turkmen states founded as the Anatolian Seljuk state broke up.EyaletThe largest administrative unit of the Ottoman provinces, governed by a beylerbey.İstimaletThe policy of looking after the people of conquered lands, especially non-Muslim subjects, and winning their goodwill.KadiA judge who settled cases according to Islamic law and also took part in governing the district where he served.KhediveThe title given to the governors of Egypt from 1867.SanjakA banner; the military unit it represented; and the administrative district governed by a sanjak bey.SürgünThe state's compulsory resettlement of population from one region to another.TahrirA survey recording the taxable population and sources of revenue of a region.TimarThe system of allotting the tax revenue of state land in return for military and administrative service.Uç beyiA bey who organised raids in a border zone (uç) and governed the region.ZeametA large military grant worth between 20,000 and 100,000 akçe.

Army and navy (12)

AkıncıLight cavalry who raided enemy territory along the frontiers.Asakir-i Mansure-i MuhammediyeThe new Ottoman army formed in 1826 after the abolition of the Janissary corps.Auspicious IncidentThe abolition of the Janissary corps by Mahmud II in 1826.DevshirmeThe practice of taking some Christian children among Ottoman subjects into state service for the army and the palace.GazaIn the narrow sense “fighting the enemy”; in the Ottoman founding era, both the purpose and the source of legitimacy of raids on the frontier.JanissariesThe salaried, permanent infantry of the kapıkulu army.KapıkuluSalaried soldiers and servants in permanent service, directly attached to the sultan.Kapudan pashaThe head and administrator of the Ottoman naval forces.MehterThe palace and army band that played Ottoman military music.Nizam-ı Cedid“New Order”: the reforms of Selim III's reign and the new army raised on the European model in this period.SeraskerThe commander of an army on campaign; after 1826, the commander-in-chief of the land forces and minister of war.SipahiFrom the Persian word for “soldier”: the cavalryman of the Ottoman army.

Finance and economy (8)

Ahdname and capitulationsDocuments by which Ottoman sultans granted commercial and legal privileges to foreign states and their merchants.AvarızTaxes and services originally levied in extraordinary times such as war.JizyaThe poll tax levied in the Islamic state on non-Muslim men in return for exemption from military service.MalikaneGranting a person the right to collect a tax source for life, in return for a lump sum paid in advance.ÖşürThe tax on agricultural produce; its name means “one tenth”.Ottoman Public Debt AdministrationThe administration set up in 1881 to pay the Ottoman foreign debt, run by representatives of the creditor countries.Tax farmingGranting a person the right to collect a state tax revenue in return for a set payment.WaqfThe permanent dedication of property by its owner to a religious or charitable purpose, and the institution created for it.

Society (6)

AyanThe notables of the provinces; local leaders who gained power in their regions in the 18th century.Celali revoltsThe widespread revolts that shook Anatolia from the late 16th century.DhimmiNon-Muslim subjects of the Islamic state, protected by a covenant (dhimma) and paying the jizya.Millet systemThe organisation of the subjects of the Ottoman state according to religious communities (millets).ReayaThe tax-paying, governed population, as opposed to the ruling military class.Sened-i İttifakThe deed of alliance signed in 1808 between the leading statesmen and the provincial ayan.

Reform and the final era (9)

Chamber of DeputiesThe lower house of the Ottoman parliament, made up of deputies elected by the people.Committee of Union and ProgressThe political organisation active from 1889 to 1918 that was decisive in the restoration of the constitution in 1908 and in the government that followed.Constitutional erasA form of government in which the ruler's powers are limited by a constitution and an elected parliament.Eastern QuestionThe name given to the rivalry of the European powers over the future of the Ottoman lands.National PactThe document adopted in 1920 by the last Ottoman Chamber of Deputies, setting out the indivisible borders of the homeland and the conditions of independence.Ottoman Constitution of 1876The first Ottoman constitution, proclaimed on 23 December 1876.Reform Edict of 1856The edict proclaimed on 18 February 1856 that gave non-Muslim subjects rights equal to those of Muslims.TanzimatThe period of reorganisation that began with the Hatt-ı Hümayun of Gülhane, proclaimed on 3 November 1839.Tulip EraThe period of peace and innovation from the Treaty of Passarowitz (1718) to the Patrona Halil revolt (1730).