State organisation of the Ottoman Empire
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The Ottoman Empire developed a highly advanced organisation of state over the centuries. Even though it had a very centralized government with the Sultan as the supreme ruler, it had an effective control of its provinces and citizens, as well as its officials.
The system was very professional. Wealth and rank wasn't necessarily something you inherited, rather it had to be earned. Positions were perceived as titles such as viziers and ağas. Military service was a key to advancement in the hierarchy.
Imperial Governing
House of Osman
- Further information: House of Osman, Ottoman Dynasty
The Court
Though the sultan was the sublime monarch he had a number of advisors and ministers. The most powerful of these were the viziers of the Divan, led by the Grand Vizier. The Divan was a council where the viziers met and debated the politics of the empire. It was the Grand Vizier's duty to inform the sultan of the opinion of the divan. The sultan often took his vizier's advices in consideration, but he by no means had to obey the divan. Sometimes the sultan called a divan meeting himself if he had something important to inform his viziers of, such as coming war. The viziers then carried out his orders. The divan consisted of three viziers in the 14th century and eleven in the 17th century, four of them served as Viziers of the Dome, the most important ministers next to the Grand Vizier. Sometimes the commander (ağa) of the Janissaries attended at the divan meetings as well.
The Ottoman society had a ruling class called the askeri, including the noblemen, court officials, military officers and the religious class called the ulema. Townspeople, villagers and farmers formed a lower class called the reaya. This class had nothing to do with what religion one belonged to but rather meant anyone who was not askeri. Nobles sometimes used the word turk for Muslim farmers and villagers, referring to them as ignorant.
Grand Vizier
- For more details on this topic, see List of Ottoman Grand Viziers.
Administrative Elite
The ministers (Nazır) had not as much influence over the sultans as the viziers, but controlled the ministries (Nezareti). The ministries and departments were important parts of the Ottoman bureaucracy. The ministries also supplied the viziers with whatever information they required. The most important minister was the minister of justice, the Adliye Nazırı, whose ministry included the civil judges (kadis) and the military judges (kadiaskers or kaziaskers) who were the highest judicial authority of the Empire after the seyhulislam, the supreme religious leader of the ulema. Other officials within a ministry included the Kethüdar, a representative of the ministry and assistant to the minister with several clerks (kalfas) under him. The kalfas did all the paper-work in the Ottoman bureaucracy.Military Elite
For each military corps there was a Nazır who had the administrative power. Under him was the Ağa who had the ceremonial command of the corps. There were also a corps of palace guards (Zuluflu Baltaci) under the command of the Swordmaster and palace gardeners (Bostancı) who also were responsible for the Sultan's luxury boat. Those taught in European etiquette and language (mainly French) served as Yasakçi, guards for foreign ambassadors. Also stationed near the palace was the Six Divisions of Cavalry (Altı Bölük) and, of course, the Janissaries.
Political Elite
The viziers were the core of the nobles, though they were really servants of the sultan.In addition, the viziers had their own advisers called the kahya.
Other noble families inhabited Istanbul and often visited the court during parties or ceremonies. The clergy was another prominent part of the court. The muftis and imams were always present at religious ceremonies, which were plentiful. The müteferrika was a sort of young nobleman's club, where the sons of effendis, paşas and other notables got together. They often accompanied the sultan when he went out hunting.
The Imperial Government
The center of decision making is named as imperial government.Provincial Governing
Vassal States
The Ottoman Empire had many vassal states of varying size attached to it. Vassals paid taxes to the sultan and often contributed with troops in various Ottoman military campaigns. Many of the imperial provinces were vassal states before being reduced to provinces. A vassal state that never became a province was the Khanate of Crimea in the region around Crimea, north of Black Sea - it would fall to Russia instead (1774-83; later in modern Ukraine).- A special case was the Greek orthodox 'monastic republic' of Mount Athos, were Istanbul was only represented by an aga (officer) as its agent in Karyaes.
- As the empire weakened militarily, it would inevitably lose control through foreign victories (Russia took large chunks of territory; the Christian empires helped ever more parts of the Balkans secede, often after a vassalic stage, such as the hospodars) but also see real control over some if its (mainly remote) provinces slip away to a state of little more than formal sovereignty over tributary, de facto autonomous states.
Local governing
- Further information: Millet (Ottoman Empire)
References
- Encyclopaedia Britannica 2006
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