| ADLI |
: "Adil".
This title was given to Bayezid II, Mehmed III and Mahmud II. It means equitable. |
| AGA |
: "Komutan".
It was a rank given to the high officers of the army or to the guards of the palace. |
| AHRETLIK |
: "It means
adopted child and this title was given to Durrushehvar. |
| AK BASLI |
: "It means the
white turbaned and Aktimur was called with this name. |
| ALP |
: "It means brave
soldiers". This rank was commonly used in the first years of the Empire. |
| AMCAZADE |
: It means the son of
one's uncle. |
| ARSLAN |
: "It means lion
or lion hearted". |
| AVCI |
: It means hunter as
Mehmed IV was very fond of hunting he was named as this. |
| BAHIR |
: "Marine" |
| BAHTI |
:
"Fortunate". Ahmed I used this name as his penname. |
| BAS |
:"Leader",
"Ruler". This title usually used with the other ranks. |
| BEDROS |
: "It means
cunning". Actually it is a common Armenian name. As if, Abdulhamid II's face looked
alike an Armenian he was called with this name. Wittlin claimed that, Abdulhamid's mother
had an affair with an Armenian and he was born from this relation. Abdulhamid's mother
Trimujgan was most probably an Armenian. |
| BEY |
: "Esquire",
"Shehzade". This title was lost its importance as the time past and begun to be
used as "Mr" in English. |
| BEYCEGIZ |
: "Young
Shehzade" |
| BEYLERBEYI |
: "Governor of a
Province". It was used for the governors of large provinces. |
| BEYZADE |
: "Son of a
Shehzade (prince)". The sultans' daughters' sons were called with this title. In the
first years of the empire "Sultanzade" was used instead of "Beyzade" |
| BIYIKLI |
: "Mustaged and
bearded" |
| BOSNAK |
: "Bosnian" |
| CEDDU'L OSMAN |
"Father of the
Ottomans". Suleyman Shah was called with this title. |
| CEMCA |
: "Strong". A
name given to the sultans in the Eastern languages. |
| CIHANDAR |
: "Master of the
World". Selim III had this title. |
| CIVAN |
: "Young".
2138/ Mehmed was called as this. |
| CAKIRCI |
: "Hawk
chaser" |
| CAVUS |
: "Sergeant",
"Messenger" |
| CELEBİ |
: "Master".
"Gentleman", "Young Master". Until the sultanate of Mehmed II, the
sons of the sultans were called with this title. Mehmed I was named with this title. |
| CELEBİ SULTAN |
:
"Gentle-Shehzade". Until 1594, the sons of the sultans appointed as province
governors was used this rank. |
| CUHADAR |
: "Steward". |
| DAMAD-I SEHRIYARI |
: "Son in law of a
sultan". Only the son in laws of the sovereign sultans were given this rank. |
| DAYE |
: "Foster
Mother" |
| DEFTERDAR |
: "Treasurer" |
| DELI |
: It means
"crazy". Mustafa I and Ibrahim were called with this name. |
| DIVITDAR |
"The one carries
the pencil box" |
| DOGANCI |
: "Falconer" |
| DUZME(CE) |
: "Fake".
Mustafa was called with this name to emphasis the suspicions about his origins, after his
revolt for the throne. |
| EBU'L FETH |
: "Father of the
conquest". The title given to Mehmed II. |
| EFENDI |
: It means master, the
sons of the sultans were called with this title after the sultanate od Abdulmecid I. |
| EGRİ |
: "Twisted".
Cihangir was called as "egri", because of his lameness. |
| EGRİ FATIHI |
: The name given to
Mehmed III. |
| EMIR |
: "Ruler",
"Shehzade". The ruler of the autonomies were called as this. Beside, Osman I was
called as this in the period when the Ottomans were ruled by the Selcuks. Between
1402-1413, in the Interregnum period Bayezid's sons used this rank. |
| EMIRU'L MU'MININ |
: "Ruler of all
the Muslims ". One of the ranks given to the Caliphs. After Selim I's Egypt
expedition the Ottoman sultans used this rank. |
| ENISTE |
: "Husband of
one's sister" |
| FAHREDDIN |
: "Pride of the
Religion". Osman I took this title. |
| FATIH |
: It means conqueror
and Mehmed II took this rank following the conquest of Istanbul. |
| FATIH-I BAGDAT |
: "Conqueror of
Baghdad" Murad IV had this rank. |
| FRENK |
: It means French, but,
as a word it indicates all the Europeans. |
| GAZI |
: It is a rank used for
the ones fought in the wars. Especially, the soldiers fought against the Christians named
as this. Osman I, Orhan, I. Murad, Bayezid I,Mehmet II and Murad IV were given this rank. |
| GENC |
: It means young. Osman
II was called with this name. |
| GOZDE |
: It is the name given
to the sultans' favourite concubines. |
| GULEC |
: "Joyful" |
| GURESCI |
: It means wrestler
Mehmed I was named as this due to his strength. |
| GUVEY |
:
"Bridegroom" |
| GUZELCE |
: "Handsome" |
| HACE, HACI |
: "Pilgrim".
Hace was used for women, Hacı was used for man. |
| HADIMU'L HARAMEYNI'S SERIFEYN |
: "The guardian of
holy Mecca and Medina". I. The rank was given to Selim I in 1517 by the Sherif of
Mecca. |
| HAFIZ |
: "Saviour".
The word with its extended meaning indicates the one who knows all the Koran. |
| HAKANI |
: "Imperial" |
HAKANU'L BERREYN
VE'L BAHREYN |
: "The Emperor of
the Sea and the Land". This rank indicates the Sultan's power and authority. |
| HALIFE |
: Caliph. The last
Abbasid Caliph died in 1538. Although Selim took the Caliphate in 1517 and his successors
continued to carry the rank, it is thought that the last Abbasid Chaliph took the power
until his dead. In Koran it is said that “Caliphate is the one of the most important
basis of Islam and all the Muslims will be ruled by only one imam. This imam should come
from Mohammed’s clan Kuveysh.” In 1517, Mehmed Ebu Cafer was holding the imam rank and
he was a very ineffective leader. He was living in Cairo Palace. He abandoned his rank and
gave to Selim I. This rank transfer was a symbolic one, although Selim was not coming from
the Kureysh Clan, he was declared as the Caliph of the Islamic world. The Sheriff of Mecca
sent the keys of the holy city and approved his caliphate by calling him as the
“Guardian of all Holy Places”. |
| HAN |
: This rank was used
for the Khans of Crimea. Selim II gave this rank to his grandson Ibrahim, as well. |
| HANCERLI |
: "The one carries
the dagger" |
| HANIM SULTAN |
: "Princess".
The granddaughters of the sultans. |
| HANTAL |
: "Clumsy" |
| HASEKI SULTAN |
: "Favourite
Sultana". The concubines gave birth to a son were given this rank. Usually, the rank
was limited with the first four or six mothers. |
| HASEKI KADIN |
: "Favourite
Women". The mothers of the sultan’s daughters were called with this title. |
| HATUN |
: "Lady". The
formal wives of the sultans. |
| HEZARPARE |
: "A Thousand
Pieces". To emphasis Ahmed’s assassin he was recalled like this. |
| HUMAYUN |
: It means
"Belongs to the Sultan". The word is derived from the bird of luck or
cheerfulness “Humay”. |
| HUNKAR |
: "Ruler".
Murad I and Mehmed II were called as
this. |
| HUDAVENDIGAR |
"Ruler",
"Leader". Murad I was called with this title later Bursa Province was begun to
be called as. Moreover, Orhan and Murad II were titled with this name. |
| IKBAL |
: "Fortune".
A rank in Harem. |
| ILHAMI |
: "Inspired".
Selim III was called with this pseudonym. |
| KALAYLIKOZ |
: "White
Nuts" |
| KANBUR |
: A name given to
Mahmud I. |
| KANLI |
: “Bloody”. To
indicate his policy Abdulhamid II was called as. |
| KANUNI |
: "Lawgiver".
Mehmed II and especially Suleyman I were called with this name. |
| KAPUDAN PAŞA |
: "Admiral".
The commander of the Ottoman Naval Forces. |
| KARA |
: Dark. Osman I and
many people were called as this. |
| KEHLE-İ IKBAL |
: "Fortune is
finished" |
| KETHUDA |
: "Steward". |
| KIZIL |
: "Scarlet" |
| KOCA |
: "Huge,
grand". |
| KOZHEYCI |
:"Hazel-nut
Dealer" |
| KOSE |
:
"Beardlessness" |
| KRAL |
: King. The rank given
to the rulers of Serbia. |
| KUL |
: "Slave". |
| KULOGLU |
: "Son of a
slave" |
| KURUSHCU |
: "Bower".
Bir sanatta pir kabul edildiği için I. Mehmed'e verilmiştir. |
| LALA |
: "Tranier".
The rank especially given to the trainers or scholars of the Shehzades. |
| Lİ/LI/LU |
: "den,dan"
Suffixes attached to the names of the places to indicate one's homeland. |
| MAKBUL |
: "Favourite" |
| MAKTUL |
: "Killed" |
MEHD-İ ULYA-YI
SALTANAT |
: "The grand
craddle of the sultanate". Diğer bir ismi de Valide Sultan'dır. |
| MEKRİ |
: "Cunning" |
| MEST |
: "Drunken".
II. Selim'e verilmiştir. |
| MEYVEİ |
: "Fruit
Dealer" |
| MIRAHOR |
: "Guardian of
royal stables". "Emir-i Ahur"dan gelmedir. |
| MİRZA |
: "Shehzade".
A Persian rank. |
| MUHASSIL |
: "Tax
Collector" |
| MUHSİN |
: "Forgiver" |
| MUHTESHEM |
: Magnificent. The
Europeans called Suleyman I with this rank. But, the Turks call him as Suleyman the
Lawgiver. |
| MUID |
: "Supervisor in a
shcool" |
| MUSAHIP |
: "The servant
administrates the Sultan's privite issues. In a more extended manner it means favourite
concubine."" ". |
| MUVERRİH |
: "Historian" |
| NEBİL / NEBİLE |
:
"Prince/Princess". Mısır ünvanıdır. |
| NAİB |
: "Regent". |
| NAKKASH |
: "Designer" |
| NAMZET |
:
"Candidate". The rank given to the single or engaged daughters of a sultan. |
| NISHANCI |
: "Guardian of the
royal seal". |
| NISHANCI OGLU |
: "The son of the
royal seal's guardian". |
| OGUZ |
: "Clean" or
"young male" |
| OSMANCIK |
: "Little
Osman". A nickname given to Osman I. |
| PADISHAH |
:
"Sovereign". It is a Persian word. As a word it indicates the highest rank that
a sultan desires to posses. During the last years of the empire, this rank was used for
the French Kings. |
| PALABIYIK |
: "Large curved
mustage". |
| PARE |
:
""Piece". " |
| PEHLIVAN |
: "Champion
wrestler", "Wrestler". Mehmed I was called with this title. |
| REİSU'L-KUTTAB |
: "The Director of
the clerks". |
| RUM |
: "Roumelia".
As a word it indicates the lands belong to the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire. By
this term, the Anatolian and the Iranian Seljucs were separated from each other. Beside,
"Rum Beylerbeyi" means the Ottoman Empire's lands in Europe. |
| SAHİB-KIRAN |
: "Always
successful sultan". Suleyman I and Murad IV were called with this rank. |
| SAİBU'L-ASHERETİ'L - KAMİLET |
: "The
tenth.". Suleyman I had this rank as he was the tenth Ottoman sultan. |
| SANCAK |
: "A grand
flag". "Province". |
| SANCAK BEYİ |
: "Governor of a
province". |
| SARHOSH |
: Drunken. Selim II was
called with this nick name |
| SARI |
: "Blonde,
yellow", "Soluk". Selim II's another nick name. |
| SARIKCHI |
: "The turban
artisan" |
| SEDEF-İ DURR-İ HİLAFET |
: "Caliphate's
pearl". Mother Sultana ""dır. |
| SEMEN/SEMİZ |
: "Fat" |
| SERASKER |
: "Army
Commander". |
| SEYYİD |
: "The one comes
from Mohammed's family" |
| SİLAHDAR |
: "Guardian of the
guns and weapons". One of sultan's private officers. |
| SİPAHİ |
: "Cavalry
soldier" |
| SIGIR |
: A nick name given to
Selim II. |
| SOFU |
: Islam theologian. A
name given to Bayezid II |
| SULTAN |
: "Prince".
As a word, it has at least three meanings. Most common one is, the head of the state"
"it was usually used with "Khan" rank, as in Sultan Khan Murad"da
""it has also Shehzade meaning"indicating the sultan's son. This meaning
was popular especially in Mehmet II's reign. If "sultan" is before a name it
indicates a princess as Fatma Sultan.Moreover it was used with "Haseki"(wife)
and "Valide" (mother) words. |
| SULTANU'L-GUZAT |
: "Sultan of the
Ghazis.". A first period rank. Murad I and other first sultans used this rank. |
| SULTANZADE |
: "Son of a
princess". The grandsons of the sultans were called as this. |
| SHAH-I ALEM-PENAH |
: "Emperor",
"The heart of the world". It is a Persian term indicating the sultan's
superiority. |
| SHAHİN |
Falcon. A nickname
given to Sokollu Mehmed Pasha |
| SHAHZADE/SHEHZADE |
: "Son of a
Sultan". This rank was begun to be used until Mehmed I's period. |
| SHEHİD |
: The one died for his
religion, martyr. Murad I and Osman II were called as this. |
| SHEHRİ |
: "Townsman" |
| SHEYH |
: Edebali's rank. |
| SHEYHULISLAM |
: " The rank comes
nexted to the Caliph. Means the Minister of Islamic issues. |
| SHUCAEDDİN |
: "Hero of the
Religion". One of Orhan's ranks. |
| TAVASHI |
: "Eunuch" |
| TAVIL |
: "Tall".
Sokullu Mehmed Pasha's nickname. |
| TEKFUR |
: "King". As
a word derived form Armenian "Tagavor". |
| TIRNAKCHI |
: "Swindler" |
| TIRYAKI |
: Addicted. |
| UGURLU |
: "Lucky" |
| VALIDE |
: "Mother". |
| VALIDE SULTAN |
: "Mohter
Sultan". This rank was begun to be used from the XVI. century, for the mothers of the
sultans. |
| VELI |
: Saint. A rank given
to Bayezid II. |
| VELIAHT |
: "Crown
Prince". This rank was begun to be used in the last peirod of the empire. With 1876
constitution, the crown prince was defined the crown prince as the eldest son of the
sultan. Until this constitution, the crown prince was uncertain. For example; Mehmed VI
was the Second Crown Prince (Veliahd-ı Sani). A similar rank was also given to Nureddin a
Khan of Crimea. |
| VEZIR |
: "Vizier,
minister". "As a word it means the officer who has a great
roesponsibility". |
| VEZIR-I AZAM |
: "Prime
Minister", "Grand Vizier" or Sadr-i Azam. |
| VOYNUK |
: "Bulgarian
warrior" |
| VOYVODA |
: "Ruler".
The rulers of Polland and Moldavia were called with this rank. |
| YAGLIKCI |
: "Oil
Delear" |
| YAVUZ |
: "Brave".
Selim I's rank. |
| YENICERİ |
: "New
soldiers." Infantry corps established in the first periods of the Ottoman Sultanate. |
| YILDIRIM |
: Thunderbolt. Bayezid
I's nick name. |
| ZADE |
: "son". |
