Çavuş, also anglicized Chaush and Chiaus (from tr, çavuş / , "messenger"),

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; Walte ...

'shawish, شاويش', (from

Old Turkic Old Turkic (also East Old Turkic, Orkhon Turkic language, Old Uyghur) is the earliest attested form of the Turkic languages, found in Göktürk and Uyghur Khaganate inscriptions dating from about the eighth to the 13th century. It is the ...

''Çabuş'' or ''Çawuş'', "person who gives order, person who yells") was an Ottoman title used for two separate soldier professions, both acting as messengers although differing in levels. It was a rank below '' agha'' and ''

kethüda ( ota, كدخدا), often corrupted to or in daily speech, was an Ottoman Turkish title meaning "steward, deputy, lieutenant". It derives from the Persian word ("master of a household", later "chieftain, headman"). The term originated in me ...

'' (from

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

, kad-khuda, "magistrate"), in units such as the

Janissaries A Janissary ( ota, یڭیچری, yeŋiçeri, , ) was a member of the elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman Sultan's household troops and the first modern standing army in Europe. The corps was most likely established under sultan Orhan ...

and

Sipahi ''Sipahi'' ( ota, سپاهی, translit=sipâhi, label=Persian, ) were professional cavalrymen deployed by the Seljuks, and later the Ottoman Empire, including the land grant-holding (''timar'') provincial '' timarli sipahi'', which constitute ...

, and was also a term for members of the specialized unit of '' çavuşān'' (, also ''çavuşiyye'', ''çavuş(an)-i divan(i)'') consisting of combined cavalry and infantry serving the Imperial Council (as in

Ottoman Egypt The Eyalet of Egypt (, ) operated as an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire from 1517 to 1867. It originated as a result of the conquest of Mamluk Egypt by the Ottomans in 1517, following the Ottoman–Mamluk War (1516–17) and the ...

). The leaders of the council's ''çavuş'' were titled ''çavuşbaşı'' / (or ''başçavuş'' / ). The ''çavuşbaşı'' was an assistant (or deputy) to the Grand Vizier, dealing with security matters, accompanying ambassadors visiting the Grand Vizier, and also carried out the first examination of petitions submitted to the Council, and led council meetings when the Grand Vizier was not present. The title has its origin in Uyghur use, where it was the title of ambassadors, and then entered Seljuq use for

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantin ...

imperial messengers, and Persian and Arabic use for various court attendants. The word gave rise to surnames, such as

Çavuş Çavuş, also anglicized Chaush and Chiaus (from tr, çavuş / , "messenger"), Arabic 'shawish, شاويش', (from Old Turkic ''Çabuş'' or ''Çawuş'', "person who gives order, person who yells") was an Ottoman title used for two separate sol ...

(Turkish), Çavuşoğlu (Turkish),

Čaušević Čaušević () is a common family name found in Bosnia and Herzegovina and neighbouring countries. It stems from the root ''chaush'', which was a term for military officers in the early Ottoman period, and a Slavic patronymic suffix '' -ević''. It ...

(Serbo-Croatian),

Čaušić Čaušić is a Serbo-Croatian surname, derived from ''čauš'', a borrowing of the Turkish word ''çavuş''. It may refer to: * Andrej Čaušić (born 1990), Croatian footballer * Goran Čaušić (born 1992), Serbian footballer {{surname See also ...

(Serbo-Croatian), Baščaušević (Serbo-Croatian), Çaushaj (Albanian), Ceaușu (Romanian), Ceaușescu (Romanian), Τσαούσης (Tsaousis in Greek), and others. It is also the stem of place names, such as

(in Turkey), Çavuşlu (in Turkey), Çavuşlar (in Turkey), Çavuşköy (in Turkey), Çavuşbayırı (in Turkey), Čauševac (in Bosnia),

Čauševići Čauševići is a village in the municipality of Prijepolje, Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of ...

(in Bosnia and Serbia), Čaušev Do (in Bosnia), Čauševina (in Bosnia), Čaušlije (in Bosnia), Čaušlija (in Macedonia),

Chavusy Chaussy, Chavusy or Chausy ( be, Чавусы; pl, Czausy; russian: Чаусы; Łacinka: Čavusy) is a town in the eastern Belarusian Region of Mogilev. Chavusy serves as an administrative center of Chavusy Raion. As of 2009, its population w ...

(in Belarus), Çaushi (in Albania), and others. In the past in

former Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yug ...

, the word ''čauš'' was also sometimes applied to the wedding-planner. __NOTOC__

List of ''çavuşbaşı''

*Daut Bey (fl. 1484), served Sultan

Bayezid II Bayezid II ( ota, بايزيد ثانى, Bāyezīd-i s̱ānī, 3 December 1447 – 26 May 1512, Turkish: ''II. Bayezid'') was the eldest son and successor of Mehmed II, ruling as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1481 to 1512. During his reign, Ba ...

(r. 1481–1512) *Kuyumcu Süleyman Agha, served Grand Vizier Ipşir Pasha (1653–54) *Mehmed Raşid, served Sultan

Mahmud II Mahmud II ( ota, محمود ثانى, Maḥmûd-u s̠ânî, tr, II. Mahmud; 20 July 1785 – 1 July 1839) was the 30th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. His reign is recognized for the extensive administrative, ...

(r. 1808–1839) *Mustafa Agha *Ahmed Agha *Selim Pasha *Zulfiqar Agha *Mohammed Haji-Ajvazade *Abdul Kerim Izet

Modern Turkish military usage

In the modern

Turkish Armed Forces The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF; tr, Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri, TSK) are the military forces of the Republic of Turkey. Turkish Armed Forces consist of the General Staff, the Land Forces, the Naval Forces and the Air Forces. The current Ch ...

, the rank of ''Çavuş'' is equivalent of "sergeant" (and NATO OR-5 rank), and ranks above the rank of ''Onbaşı'' ("corporal"). The insignia is two inverted chevrons, in red or camouflage pattern, depending on the dress.

References

Sources

* * * * * * *

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cavus Turkish titles Turkish words and phrases Ottoman titles Military ranks of the Ottoman Empire Military ranks of Turkey