A vizier (;
ar, وزير, wazīr; fa, وزیر, vazīr), or wazir, is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in the near east.
The
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Mutta ...
caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''
katib'' (secretary), who was at first merely a helper but afterwards became the representative and successor of the ''dapir'' (official scribe or secretary) of the
Sassanian kings.
In modern usage, the term has been used for government
ministers in much of the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
and beyond.
Several alternative spellings are used in English, such as ''vizir'', ''wazir'', and ''vezir''.
Etymology
Vizier is suggested to be an
Iranian word, from the
Pahlavi root of ''vičir'', which originally had the meaning of a ''decree'', ''mandate'', and ''command'', but later as its use in
Dinkard
The ''Dēnkard'' or ''Dēnkart'' (Middle Persian: 𐭣𐭩𐭭𐭪𐭠𐭫𐭲 "Acts of Religion") is a 10th-century compendium of Zoroastrian beliefs and customs during the time. The Denkard is to a great extent considered an "Encyclopedia of Ma ...
also suggests, came to mean ''judge'' or ''magistrate''.
Arthur Jeffery considers the word to be a "good Iranian" word, as has a well-established root in
Avestan language
Avestan (), or historically Zend, is an umbrella term for two Old Iranian languages: Old Avestan (spoken in the 2nd millennium BCE) and Younger Avestan (spoken in the 1st millennium BCE). They are known only from their conjoined use as the scrip ...
.
The Pahlavi ''vičir'', is in fact from the Avestan ''vīčira'', which means ''deciding''.
This Avestan root is behind the
Modern Persian form of the word which is ''večer'' which means ''judge''.
Another possibility is that the etymology of the word is derived from the Arabic ''wazara'' ("to bear a burden"), from the
Semitic root ''W-Z-R''. The word is mentioned in the
Quran
The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , ...
, where
Aaron is described as the ''wazir'' (helper) of Moses, as well as the word ''wizr'' (burden) which is also derived from the same root.
[Goyṭayn, Šelomo D.. Studies in Islamic history and institutions. P.171. Compare , and .] It was later adopted as a title, in the form of ''wazīr āl Muḥammad'' ("Helper of the Family of Muhammad") by the proto-
Shi'a leaders
al-Mukhtar and
Abu Salama. Under the
Abbasid caliphs, the term acquired the meaning of "representative" or "deputy".
Historical ministerial titles
The office of vizier arose under the first Abbasid caliphs, and spread across the Muslim world.
The vizier stood between sovereign and subjects, representing the former in all matters touching the latter.
["vizier"]
''Encyclopædia Britannica
The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various t ...
'' 2010, Retrieved on 2010-06-17. The 11th-century legal theorist
al-Mawardi
Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī Ibn Muḥammad al-Māwardī (), known in Latin as Alboacen (972–1058 CE), was an Islamic jurist of the Shafi'i school most remembered for his works on religion, government, the caliphate, and public and constitutional law ...
defined two types of viziers: ''wazīr al-tanfīdh'' ("vizier of execution"), who had limited powers and served to implement the caliph's policies, and the far more powerful ''wazīr al-tafwīd'' ("vizier with delegated powers"), with authority over civil and military affairs, and enjoyed the same powers as the caliph, except in the matter of the succession or the appointment of officials. Al-Mawardi stressed that the latter, as an effective viceroy, had to be a Muslim well versed in the ''
Shari'a'', whereas the former could also be a non-Muslim or even a slave, although women continued to be expressly barred from the office.
Historically, the term has been used to describe two very different ways: either for a unique position, the prime minister at the head of the monarch's government (the term
Grand Vizier always refers to such a post), or as a shared 'cabinet rank', rather like a British
secretary of state. If one such vizier is the prime minister, he may hold the title of Grand Vizier or another title.
In Islamic states
*The title was first used in the early Abbasid Caliphate, cf.
Vizier (Abbasid Caliphate).
*In Muslim
Persia
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, the prime minister under the political authority of the
Shahanshah was commonly styled ''Vazīr-e Azam'' ('Supreme -, i.e. Grand Vizier'; alternative titles include ''
Atabeg-e Azam'' and ''Sardār-e Azam''), and various Ministers held cabinet rank as ''vazir'', including a ''Vazir-i-Daftar'' (minister for finance) and a ''Vazir-i-Lashkar'' (war portfolio).
* In
al-Andalus
Al-Andalus translit. ; an, al-Andalus; ast, al-Ándalus; eu, al-Andalus; ber, ⴰⵏⴷⴰⵍⵓⵙ, label= Berber, translit=Andalus; ca, al-Àndalus; gl, al-Andalus; oc, Al Andalús; pt, al-Ândalus; es, al-Ándalus () was the M ...
, the
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE; , ; ar, ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, al-Khilāfah al-ʾUmawīyah) was the second of the four major caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. The caliphate was ruled by the ...
Caliphs of Córdoba appointed a varying number of viziers, as heads of departments in the bureaucracy, ministers with specific tasks, and royal councillors; at one point, in 1008, there were as many as 29 viziers at the same time. Unlike the Islamic east, the senior office of the Umayyad state was that of the chamberlain (''
hajib
A ''hajib'' or ''hadjib'' ( ar, الحاجب, al-ḥājib, to block, the prevent someone from entering somewhere; It is a word "hajb" meaning to cover, to hide. It means "the person who prevents a person from entering a place, the doorman". The ...
''). Under the
Taifa kingdoms the title proliferated and became a generic court title. During the later Umayyads, viziers were also appointed outside the capital as provincial governors or commanders, a practice which continued until the fall of the
Emirate of Granada
)
, common_languages = Official language: Classical ArabicOther languages: Andalusi Arabic, Mozarabic, Berber, Ladino
, capital = Granada
, religion = Majority religion: Sunni IslamMinority religions:R ...
in the 15th century. The Spanish word ''
alguacil'' (governor, official with civil or criminal duties) derives from this.
* In Muslim
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
, the most populous Arab country:
**
Vizier under the Fatimid Caliphs.
**Again since the effective end of Ottoman rule, remarkably since 1857 (i.e. before the last Wali (governor), Isma`il Pasha, was raised
Khedive (circa Viceroy, on 8 June 1867), exchanged for the western prime ministers on 28 August 1878 (before the formally independent sultanate was proclaimed).
*During the days of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...
, the
Grand Vizier was the—often de facto ruling—
prime minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...
, second only to the Sultan and was the leader of the Divan, the
Imperial Council. "Vizier" was also the title of some Ottoman provincial governors, such as in
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and ...
, where usage of the title often indicated a greater degree of autonomy for the province involved and the greater prestige of the title holder (this was, for example, a major issue in the
Bosnian uprising
Bosnian may refer to:
*Anything related to the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina or its inhabitants
*Anything related to Bosnia (region) or its inhabitants
* Bosniaks, an ethnic group mainly inhabiting Bosnia and Herzegovina and one of three constit ...
of 1831). Also, many of the viziers originated from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, as well as other countries and from various ethnicities.
*In the Sherifian kingdom of
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to A ...
(historically a sultanate till the incumbent assumed the higher royal style of ''Malik'' on 14 August 1957, shortly after the end of the simultaneous French and Spanish protectorates; the additional Islamic title ''
Amir al-Mu´minin
Amir al-Mu'minin ( ar, أَمِير ٱلْمُؤْمِنِين, amīr al-muʾminīn) is an Arabic title designating the supreme leader of an Islamic community. It is usually translated as "Commander of the Faithful", though sometimes also as "Prin ...
'' "Commander of the Faithful" stayed in use), a ''Sadr al-A'zam'' (Grand Vizier) was in office until 22 November 1955, replaced since 7 December 1955 a (part-political) Prime Minister; Vizier was the style of a minister of state (other titles for various portfolios).
*In the
Hashemite Kingdom of Hejaz (later merged into present-day
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the Ara ...
), the sole Vizier was (10 June 19163 October 1924) the future second king
Ali ibn Hussein al-Hashimi, under his father
Hussein ibn Ali al-Hashimi
Hussein bin Ali al-Hashimi ( ar, الحسين بن علي الهاشمي, al-Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī; 1 May 18544 June 1931) was an Arab leader from the Banu Hashim clan who was the Sharif and Emir of Mecca from 1908 and, after procl ...
(the first to assume the title
Malik, i.e. King, instead of
Grand Sharif
The Sharif of Mecca ( ar, شريف مكة, Sharīf Makkah) or Hejaz ( ar, شريف الحجاز, Sharīf al-Ḥijāz, links=no) was the title of the leader of the Sharifate of Mecca, traditional steward of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina an ...
), maintained after the
assumption of the Caliphal style (only 11 March 19243 October 1924)
*In the 'regency' of
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
, under the
Husainid Dynasty, various ministers of the Bey, including:
**''Wazir al-Akbar'' (or ''El Ouzir El Kébir''): 'great minister', i.e.
grand vizier, chief minister or prime minister.
**''Wazir al-'Amala'' (or ''El Ouzir El Amala''): Minister for the Interior.
**''Wazir al-Bahr'' (or ''El Ouzir El Bahr''): Minister 'of the Sea', i.e. for the Navy/ Marine.
**''Wazir al-Harb'' (or ''El Ouzir El Harb''): Minister for the Army or Minister for War.
**''Wazir al-Istishara'' (or ''El Ouzir El Istichara''): Minister-Counsellor.
**''Wazir al-Qalam'': Minister of the Pen.
**''Wazir ud-Daula'' (or ''El Ouzir El Dawla''): Minister of State.
**''Wazir us-Shura'' (or ''El Ouzir Ech Choura''): Privy Counsellor.
*In Oman the Hami/Sultan's chief minister was styled ''Wazir'' till 1966, but in 1925–1932 there was also or instead a chairman of the council of Ministers; since 1970 the style is prime minister.
*In the
Bengal Sultanate, many local officials had the title of Wazir/Uzir
*Viziers to the Sultans of
Zanzibar (a branch of the Omani dynasty); since 1890 filled by British, also known as
first minister
A first minister is any of a variety of leaders of government cabinets. The term literally has the same meaning as "prime minister" but is typically chosen to distinguish the office-holder from a superior prime minister. Currently the title of '' ...
s, (1 July 191323 February 1961) the British
Resident (Minister)s, an extremely direct form of indirect rule (before and after chief- or prime ministers, generally native).
*
Grand Viziers
Grand vizier ( fa, وزيرِ اعظم, vazîr-i aʾzam; ota, صدر اعظم, sadr-ı aʾzam; tr, sadrazam) was the title of the effective head of government of many sovereign states in the Islamic world. The office of Grand Vizier was first ...
to the
Sultan of Sokoto – however, this is disputed. The title "Waziri" is apparently a derivative of this word, and is a highly regarded
chieftaincy
A tribal chief or chieftain is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom.
Tribe
The concept of tribe is a broadly applied concept, based on tribal concepts of societies of western Afroeurasia.
Tribal societies are sometimes categorized as ...
title in most of northern
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
. Indeed, most of the
emir
Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cer ...
s in northern Nigeria have a "Waziri", who is usually a high-ranking adviser to the emir.
*In pre- and colonial (notably British)
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
many rulers, even some Hindu princes, had a vizier as chief minister – compare
Diwan,
Nawab wasir
Nawab ( Balochi: نواب; ar, نواب;
bn, নবাব/নওয়াব;
hi, नवाब;
Punjabi : ਨਵਾਬ;
Persian,
Punjabi ,
Sindhi,
Urdu: ), also spelled Nawaab, Navaab, Navab, Nowab, Nabob, Nawaabshah, Nawabshah or Noba ...
,
Pradhan, etc.
*In the (former) sultanate of the
Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
(Divehi language), the prime minister was styled ''Bodu Vizier'', and various Ministers held cabinet rank as ''vazierin'' (plural), including ''Hakura'a'' (portfolio of Public Works), ''Shahbandar'' (Navy portfolio, also admiral in chief), ''Vela'ana'a'' (Foreign Affairs).
* In
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...
, under the
Durrani dynasty, the chief minister was styled ''Vazīr-e Azam'' or ''Wazir-i-azam'' (1801–1880); the ''Vazīr-e Darbār'' or ''Wazir al-durbar'' was the ('House') Minister of the Royal Court.
*
List of Ghaznavid Viziers
* In the
Mataram Kingdom and subsequent sultanates, a ''wazir'' was a chief minister to the sultan.
Modern post-monarchy use
''Wazīr'' is the standard
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
word for a government minister. Prime ministers are usually termed as ''Ra'īs al-Wuzara'' (literally, president of the ministers) or ''al-Wazīr al-'Awwal'' (prime minister). The latter term is generally found in the
Maghreb
The Maghreb (; ar, الْمَغْرِب, al-Maghrib, lit=the west), also known as the Arab Maghreb ( ar, المغرب العربي) and Northwest Africa, is the western part of North Africa and the Arab world. The region includes Algeria, ...
, while the former is typical of usage in the
Mashriq (broadly defined, including
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
,
Sudan
Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
,
Levant
The Levant () is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is ...
,
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
and the
Arabian Peninsula). Thus, for example, the
Prime Minister of Egypt is in Arabic a ''wazīr''.
In
Brunei
Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely surrounded by th ...
the vizier is known as ''Pengiran
Bendahara''.
In
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
the ministers of government are called ''Vazir'' in
Persian (e.g. foreign/health ''Vazir''), and
prime minister of state before the removal of the post, was called as ''Nokhost Vazir''.
In
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, the prime minister (de facto ruling politician, formally under the president) is called ''Vazīr-e Azam'' (Persian for
Grand vizier), other Ministers are styled ''vazir''s.
In
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
, ''Vazīr'' is the official translation of minister in the
language, and is used in ministerial oath taking ceremonies conducted in Urdu.
In
East Africa –
Kenya
)
, national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairobi
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Nairobi
, ...
and
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...
, ministers are referred to as Waziri in
Swahili and prime ministers as Waziri Mkuu.
In the
Nation of Islam,
Louis Farrakhan is sometimes given the honorific title of Wazir
In
Brunei
Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely surrounded by th ...
, Viziers are divided into 5 titles, although two remain vacant since Brunei independence.
In
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, the
foreign minister is known as ''Vazir-e-Xārjah.
*The current head of vizier or ''Perdana Wazir'' of Brunei is Prince
Mohamed Bolkiah
Mohamed Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III (born 27 August 1947) is a member of the royal family of Brunei. He is the second son of Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei, and Raja Isteri (Queen) Pengiran Anak Damit. He is the ...
. His full title is His Royal Highness Perdana Wazir Sahibul Himmah Wal-Waqar Prince Haji
Mohamed Bolkiah
Mohamed Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III (born 27 August 1947) is a member of the royal family of Brunei. He is the second son of Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei, and Raja Isteri (Queen) Pengiran Anak Damit. He is the ...
.
*His Royal Highness Pengiran Bendahara Seri Maharaja Permaisuara Prince Haji
Sufri Bolkiah
Sufri Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III (born 31 July 1951) is a member of the royal family of Brunei. He is the third son of Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei, and Raja Isteri (Queen) Pengiran Anak Damit. He is also the ...
*His Royal Highness Pengiran Digadong Sahibul Mal Prince Haji
Jefri Bolkiah
Jefri Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III (born 6 November 1954), is a member of the Brunei Royal Family. His elder brother is the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah. Prince Jefri was the finance minister of his oil-rich country from 1986 ...
*Pengiran Pemancha Sahibul Rae' Wal-Mashuarah – vacant
*Pengiran Temanggong Sahibul Bahar – vacant
Princely title
In the rare case of the Indian princely state of
Jafarabad (Jafrabad, founded c. 1650), ruled by ''Thanadar''s, in 1702 a state called
Janjira was founded, with rulers (six incumbents) styled ''wazir''; when, in 1762, Jafarabad and Janjira states entered into personal union, both titles were maintained until (after 1825) the higher style of
Nawab
Nawab ( Balochi: نواب; ar, نواب;
bn, নবাব/নওয়াব;
hi, नवाब;
Punjabi : ਨਵਾਬ;
Persian,
Punjabi ,
Sindhi,
Urdu: ), also spelled Nawaab, Navaab, Navab, Nowab, Nabob, Nawaabshah, Nawabshah or Nobab, ...
was assumed.
Art
In contemporary literature and
pantomime
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speakin ...
, the "
Grand Vizier" is a character
stereotype and is usually portrayed as a scheming backroom plotter and the clear
power behind the throne of a usually bumbling or incompetent monarch. A well-known example of this is the sinister character of
Jafar in the
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
animated film ''
Aladdin
Aladdin ( ; ar, علاء الدين, ', , ATU 561, ‘Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part o ...
'', who plots and uses magic to take over the entire Kingdom of Agrabah under the nose of the nation's naïve sultan, just as Jaffar in the 1940 movie ''
The Thief of Bagdad'' dethroned his master, caliph Ahmad. Others include Zigzag from ''
The Thief and the Cobbler
''The Thief and the Cobbler'' is an unfinished animated fantasy film co-written and directed by Richard Williams. Originally conceived in the 1960s, the film was in and out of production for nearly three decades due to independent funding and ...
'' (the original inspiration for the character of Jafar in Disney's ''Aladdin''), the comic book character
Iznogoud, Prince Sinbad's advisor Yusuf in the
DC Vertigo
Vertigo Comics, also known as DC Vertigo or simply Vertigo, was an imprint of American comic book publisher DC Comics started by editor Karen Berger in 1993. Vertigo's purpose was to publish comics with adult content, such as nudity, drug us ...
series ''
Fables'', and the villains of the
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedba ...
s ''
Prince of Persia'' and ''
King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow''.
Perhaps the origin of this character archetype is the
biblical account of
Esther. The book details the rise of a
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
woman to
Queen
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
of
Persia
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, and her role in stopping the plot of
Haman
Haman ( ; also known as Haman the Agagite or Haman the evil) is the main antagonist in the Book of Esther, who according to the Hebrew Bible was an official in the court of the Persian empire under King Ahasuerus, commonly identified as Xerxes I ...
, chief advisor to the Persian king, to wipe out all Jews living in Persia.
Throughout history the notion of the sinister Grand Vizier has often been invoked when a political leader appears to be developing a cozy relationship with a spiritual advisor of questionable scruples or talents. This stereotype is frequently mentioned in Terry Pratchett's
Discworld series, as for example in both
Sourcery and
Interesting Times. Another instance of a sinister Grand Vizier in entertainment can be found in the science fiction series
Lexx, the primary antagonist in the second season being Mantrid, the self-proclaimed "greatest Bio-Vizier of all time."
Some famous viziers in history
*
Yahya ibn Khalid of
Harun al Rashid (Whose son
Jafar bin Yahya was an inspiration for the aforementioned
Arabian Nights Jafar)
*
Amir Kabir of the
Qajar dynasty in
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
history
*
Hasanak vazir Abū Alī Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Abbās ( fa, ابو علی حسن بن محمد بن عباس), better known as Hasanak the Vizier (), also Hasanak Mīkālī (), was an Iranian statesman from the Mikalid family, who served as the vizier of the Gh ...
of the
Ghaznavid dynasty in
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
history
*
Almanzor of the
Caliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ( ar, خلافة قرطبة; transliterated ''Khilāfat Qurṭuba''), also known as the Cordoban Caliphate was an Islamic state ruled by the Umayyad dynasty from 929 to 1031. Its territory comprised Iberia and part ...
was the de facto ruler of
Islamic Spain
*
Nizam al-Mulk of
Malik Shah I in
Seljuks history
*
Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...
.
*
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...
.
*
Köprülü Mehmed Pasha and his son
Köprülü Fazıl Ahmed Pasha of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...
.
Influence on chess
In
Shatranj, from which modern
chess
Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...
developed, the piece corresponding to the modern chess "
queen
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
" (though far weaker) was often called ''Wazīr''.
Up to the present, the word for the queen piece in
chess
Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...
is still called by variants of the word "vazīr" in Middle Eastern languages, as well as in
Hungarian ("vezér", meaning "leader") and
Russian ("ferz' (ферзь)").
See also
*
List of grand viziers of Persia
*
Wasita (title)
*
Wuzurg framadar
Notes
References
Sources
*
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Etymology OnLine
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