''Serasker'', or ''seraskier'' (; ), is a title formerly used in the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

for a

vizier A vizier (; ; ) is a high-ranking political advisor or Minister (government), minister in the Near East. The Abbasids, Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was at first merely a help ...

who commanded an army. Following the suppression of the

Janissaries A janissary (, , ) was a member of the elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman sultan's household troops. They were the first modern standing army, and perhaps the first infantry force in the world to be equipped with firearms, adopted du ...

in 1826, Sultan

Mahmud II Mahmud II (, ; 20 July 1785 – 1 July 1839) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. Often described as the "Peter the Great of Turkey", Mahmud instituted extensive administrative, military, and fiscal reforms ...

transferred the functions of the old

Agha of the Janissaries The Agha of the Janissaries or Janissary Agha (; ) was a top Ottoman Empire, Ottoman military official and courtier, and the commander of the Janissary corps. Apart from the commander-general of the entire corps, the title of "Agha of the Janissar ...

to the ''serasker''. The latter now became a distinct office at the head of the Ottoman military, combining the functions of a commander-in-chief and a

minister of war A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...

. He also took over the Janissary Agha's former duties regarding the upkeep of order in

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

. Indeed, as the police system developed and expanded with the empire's progressive centralization, it became one of the main duties of the ''serasker'' until 1845, when policing became a separate agency. The seat of the ''serasker'' and his department (''bab-i seraskeri'', or ''serasker kapısı''—"Gate of the ''serasker''") initially was in the

Eski Saray Eski Saray ( Turkish for "Old Palace"), also known as Sarây-ı Atîk-i Âmire, was a palatial building in Constantinople under the Ottoman Empire in the Beyazıt neighborhood of the Fatih district, between the Süleymaniye Mosque and the Bayezid ...

, but these functions transferred to dedicated buildings in 1865. In 1879 the office was renamed to Ministry of War (''Harbiye Nezareti'') until 1890, when it reverted to its old name; it was finally renamed again to Ministry of War in 1908. Notable ''seraskers'' included: * Admiral Koca Hüsrev Mehmed Pasha (1769–1855) * Lala Mustafa Pasha ( 1500 – 1580) * Mehmed Namık PashaSinaplı, Ahmet Nuri. "Şeyhül Vüzera, Serasker Mehmet Namık Paşa". İstanbul: Yenilik Basımevi, 1987. (1804-1892) *

Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha ( 149515 March 1536), was the first Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire appointed by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Ibrahim, born as Orthodox Christian, was enslaved during his youth. He and Suleiman became close frie ...

( 1495 – 1536) * Damat Rüstem Pasha ( 1500 – 1561) * Mehmed Riza Pasha (1844–1920)

References

Government of the Ottoman Empire Military ranks of the Ottoman Empire {{mil-rank-stub