Serdar-ı Ekrem

The grand vizier of the Ottoman Empire ( or ''Sadr-ı Azam'' (''Sadrazam''); Ottoman Turkish: or ) was the ''de facto'' prime minister of the sultan in the Ottoman Empire, with the absolute power of attorney and, in principle, removable only by the sultan himself in the classical period, before the Tanzimat reforms, or until the 1908 Revolution. He held the imperial seal and could summon all other viziers to attend to affairs of the state in the Imperial Council; the viziers in conference were called "''kubbe'' viziers" in reference to their meeting place, the ''Kubbealtı'' ('under-the-dome') in Topkapı Palace. His offices were located at the Sublime Porte.

History

During the emerging phases of the Ottoman state, "vizier" was the only title used. The first of these Ottoman viziers who was titled "grand vizier" was Çandarlı Kara Halil Hayreddin Pasha (also known as Çandarlı Halil Pasha the Elder). The purpose in instituting the title "grand vizier" was to differentiate the holder of the sultan's seal from other viziers. The initially more regularly used title of ''vezir-i âzam'' was slowly replaced by ''sadrazam'', both meaning grand vizier in practice. Throughout Ottoman history, the grand viziers have also been called ''sadr-ı âlî'' ('high vizier'), ''vekil-i mutlak'' ('absolute attorney'), ''sâhib-i devlet'' ('holder of the state'), ''serdar-ı ekrem'' ('gracious general'), ''serdar-ı azam'' ('grand general'), and ''zât-ı âsafî'' ('vizieral person') and ''başnazır'', literally "prime minister" in Ottoman Turkish. The Office of the Grand Vizier was called the ''sadaret''.

In the late periods of the Ottoman Empire, especially during and after the 19th century, the grand vizier began to hold a position almost identical to that of a prime minister in other European states. Reforms seen during and after the Tanzimat (1838), the First Constitutional Era (1876–1878), and the Second Constitutional Era (1908–1920) further brought the office of the grand vizier in line with the European standard, making the incumbent the head of a Cabinet of other ministers. During the two constitutional eras, the grand vizier also served as the speaker of the Senate, the upper house of the bicameral Ottoman Parliament. With the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, the Prime Minister of Turkey took on the roles of the former office.

Grand viziers were often replaced or resigned in rapid succession, frequently leading to political instability. In the final 10 years of the Empire alone, the office of the grand vizier changed hands 13 times between 12 men; some, such as Ahmed Izzet Pasha and Salih Hulusi Pasha, held office for less than a month.

Office of the Grand Vizierate

The Office of the Grand Vizierate was known as the ''Sadaret-i Uzma'', or alternatively the ''Baş Vekâlet'' (The Prime Ministry), or ''Bâb-ı Âli'' (Literally the Sublime Porte, all the departments under the Vezierate). In 1839, this office included only included the ''Âmedi-i Divan-ı Hümayun'', (Office of the Imperial Council).

List of grand viziers

Chief viziers (1320–1439)

Grand Viziers (1439–1839)

The position of grand vizier was established with Murad II's appointment of Çandarlızade Halil Pasha the Younger to such a position. In the 19th century, Mahmud II would abolish the title of Grand Vizier, and appointed Mehmed Emin Rauf Pasha as ''Başvekil'', or Prime Minister. Upon Sultan Abdülmecid I's ascention to the throne, the Grand Vizierate was restored.

Tanzimat (1839–1876)

The Gülhane edict was announced soon after Abdul Mecid's sword girding, ushering in the Tanzimat period, a time of major bureaucratic and administrative reform.

First Constitutional Monarchy (1876–1878)

Under pressure from constitutionalist ministers which overthrew his relatives Abdülaziz and Murad V, Abdülhamid II promulgated a constitution and parliament upon his ascension to the throne.

''İstibdat'' (1878–1908)

Abdul Hamid II suspended the constitution and parliament in the aftermath of the 1877–1878 Russo Turkish war, and ruled the Ottoman Empire for the next three decades in a personal dictatorship. Opposition politicians dubbed this era of Ottoman history as the era of ''İstibdat'' (despotism). Abdul Hamid revived the use of the title ''Başnazır'', or Prime Minister, though he eventually settled on his government chiefs being called ''Sadr-ı Azam'', or Grand Vizier.

Second Constitutional Monarchy (1908–1920)

The Young Turks force Abdul Hamid II to reinstate the constitution and parliament on 24 July 1908. Political parties were introduced in the Second Constitutional Era.

Last grand viziers (1920–1922)

Following the end of the Second Constitutional Era in 1920, the Ottoman Empire was in a state of diarchy, with the government based in Constantinople and the government based in Ankara both asserting themselves as the legitimate Turkish government. Mehmed VI abolished the constitution and suspended parliament when the Chamber of Deputies voted in support of the National Pact in the Turkish War of Independence.

During the Conference of London, Ahmet Tevfik Pasha recognized the ambassador of the Grand National Assembly as the legitimate government of Turkey. On 1 November 1922, the Grand National Assembly voted to abolish the Sultanate. Ahmet Tevfik Pasha was the last grand vizier of the Ottoman Empire, and resigned from the premiership on November 4, 1922, without a replacement.

Prime Minister of the

Government of the Grand National Assembly (1920–1923)

See also

*List of prime ministers of Turkey
*List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire
*List of Kapudan Pashas

References

Citations

Bibliography

*

Further reading

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Viziers, List Of Ottoman Grand

Grand Viziers
Ottoman titles