List of Ottoman Grand Viziers
The Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire (Turkish: Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam (Sadrazam); Ottoman Turkish: صدر اعظم or وزیر اعظم) was the de facto prime minister of the sultan in the Ottoman Empire, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissible 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 convene 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.
| Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire | |
|---|---|
![]() Seal of the Grand Vizier | |
| Style | His Excellency |
| Residence | Bab-ı Ali |
| Appointer | The Sultan |
| Formation | 1328 |
| First holder | Alaeddin Pasha |
| Final holder | Ahmet Tevfik Pasha |
| Abolished | 1 November 1922 |
| Succession | Prime Minister of Turkey |
History
| State organisation of the Ottoman Empire |
|---|
![]() |
|
|
| Classic period |
| Constitutional period |
During the nascent 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 distinguish the holder of the Sultan's seal from other viziers. The initially more frequently used title of vezir-i âzam was gradually replaced by sadrazam, both meaning grand vizier in practice. Throughout Ottoman history, the grand viziers have also been termed 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,[1] literally "prime minister" in Ottoman Turkish.
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.[2] 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.
Absolute monarchy (1320–1876)
![]() | Ottoman Grand Viziers | | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Constitutional Monarchy (1876–1878)
| Grand Vizier | Term of office | Political Party | Legislature | Sultan | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||||
| 185 | ![]() |
Mütercim Mehmed Rüşdi Pasha (4th time) | 12 May 1876 | 19 December 1876 | 221 days | Independent | (-) | Abdul Hamid II
(1876–1909) | |
| 189 | ![]() |
Ahmed Şefik Midhat Pasha (2nd time) | 19 December 1876 | 5 February 1877 | 48 days | Independent | (-) | ||
| 193 | ![]() |
İbrahim Edhem Pasha | 5 February 1877 | 11 January 1878 | 340 days | Independent | I
(1876) | ||
| II
(1877) | |||||||||
| 194 | ![]() |
Ahmed Hamdi Pasha | 11 January 1878 | 4 February 1878 | 24 days | Independent | |||
| 195 | ![]() |
Ahmed Vefik Pasha | 4 February 1878 | 18 April 1878 | 73 days | Independent | |||
| Constitution suspended | |||||||||
İstidbat (1878–1908)
| Grand Vizier | Term of office | Sultan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 195 | ![]() |
Ahmed Vefik Pasha (1st time) | 4 February 1878 | 18 April 1878 | 73 days | Abdul Hamid II
(1876–1909) |
| 196 | ![]() |
Mehmed Sadık Pasha | 18 April 1878 | 28 May 1878 | 40 days | |
| 185 | ![]() |
Mütercim Mehmed Rüşdi Pasha (5th time) | 28 May 1878 | 4 June 1878 | 7 days | |
| 197 | ![]() |
Saffet Pasha | 4 June 1878 | October 1878 | 119 days | |
| 198 | ![]() |
Tunuslu Hayreddin Pasha | October 1878 | 28 July 1879 | 300 days | |
| 199 | ![]() |
Ahmed Arifi Pasha | 28 July 1879 | September 1879 | 35 days | |
| 200 | ![]() |
Mehmed Said Pasha (1st time) | 18 October 1879 | 9 June 1880 | 235 days | |
| 201 | ![]() |
Kadri Pasha | 9 June 1880 | 12 September 1880 | 95 days | |
| 200 | ![]() |
Mehmed Said Pasha (2nd time) | 12 September 1880 | 2 May 1882 | 1 year, 232 days | |
| 202 | ![]() |
Abdurrahman Nureddin Pasha | 2 May 1882 | 12 July 1882 | 71 days | |
| 200 | ![]() |
Mehmed Said Pasha (3rd time) | 12 July 1882 | 30 November 1882 | 141 days | |
| 195 | ![]() |
Ahmed Vefik Pasha (2nd time) | 1 December 1882 | 3 December 1882 | 2 days | |
| 200 | ![]() |
Mehmed Said Pasha (4th time) | 3 December 1882 | 24 September 1885 | 2 years, 295 days | |
| 202 | ![]() |
Kâmil Pasha (1st time) | 25 September 1885 | 4 September 1891 | 5 years, 344 days | |
| 203 | ![]() |
Ahmed Cevat Şakir Pasha | 4 September 1891 | 8 June 1895 | 3 years, 277 days | |
| 200 | ![]() |
Mehmed Said Pasha (5th time) | 9 June 1895 | 3 October 1895 | 116 days | |
| 202 | ![]() |
Kâmil Pasha (2nd time) | 3 October 1895 | 7 November 1895 | 35 days | |
| 204 | ![]() |
Halil Rifat Pasha | 7 November 1895 | 9 November 1901 | 6 years, 2 days | |
| 200 | ![]() |
Mehmed Said Pasha (6th time) | 13 November 1901 | 15 January 1903 | 1 year, 63 days | |
| 205 | ![]() |
Mehmed Ferid Pasha | 15 January 1903 | 22 July 1908 | 5 years, 189 days | |
| 200 | ![]() |
Mehmed Said Pasha (7th time) | 22 July 1908 | 6 August 1908 | 15 days | |
| Young Turk Revolution | ||||||
Second Constitutional Monarchy (1908–1920)
| Grand Vizier | Term of office | Political Party | Legislature | Sultan | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||||
| 200 | ![]() |
Mehmed Said Pasha (7th time) | 22 July 1908 | 6 August 1908 | 15 days | Independent | (-) | Abdul Hamid II
(1876–1909) | |
| 202 | ![]() |
Kâmil Pasha (3rd time) | 5 August 1908 | 14 February 1909 | 193 days | Independent | |||
| III
(1908) | |||||||||
| 206 | ![]() |
Hüseyin Hilmi Pasha (1st time) | 14 February 1909 | 14 April 1909 | 59 days | Independent | |||
| 207 | ![]() |
Ahmet Tevfik (Okday) Pasha (1st time) | 14 April 1909 | 5 May 1909 | 21 days | Independent | |||
| Mehmed V
(1909–1918) | |||||||||
| 206 | ![]() |
Hüseyin Hilmi Pasha (2nd time) | 5 May 1909 | 12 January 1910 | 252 days | Independent | |||
| 208 | ![]() |
İbrahim Hakkı Pasha | 12 January 1910 | 30 September 1911 | 1 year, 261 days | Independent | |||
| 200 | ![]() |
Mehmed Said Pasha (8th time) | 30 September 1911 | 22 July 1912 | 296 days | Independent | |||
| IV
(1912) | |||||||||
| 209 | ![]() |
Ahmed Muhtar Pasha | 22 July 1912 | 29 October 1912 | 99 days | Independent | |||
| (-) | |||||||||
| 202 | ![]() |
Kâmil Pasha (4th time) | 29 October 1912 | 23 January 1913 | 86 days | Freedom and Accord Party | |||
| 210 | ![]() |
Mahmud Shevket Pasha | 23 January 1913 | 11 June 1913 | 139 days | Independent | |||
| 211 | ![]() |
Said Halim Pasha | 12 June 1913 | 4 February 1917 | 3 years, 237 days | Union and Progress Party | |||
| V
(1914) | |||||||||
| 212 | ![]() |
Mehmed Talat Pasha | 4 February 1917 | 14 October 1918 | 1 year, 252 days | Union and Progress Party | |||
| Mehmed VI
(1918–1922) | |||||||||
| 213 | ![]() |
Ahmed İzzet (Furgaç) Pasha | 14 October 1918 | 11 November 1918 | 28 days | Independent | |||
| 207 | ![]() |
Ahmet Tevfik (Okday) Pasha (2nd time) | 11 November 1918 | 4 March 1919 | 113 days | Independent | |||
| (-) | |||||||||
| 214 | ![]() |
Damat Ferid Pasha (1st time) | 4 March 1919 | 2 October 1919 | 212 days | Freedom and Accord Party | |||
| 215 | ![]() |
Ali Rıza Pasha | 2 October 1919 | 8 March 1920 | 158 days | Independent | |||
| VI
(1919) | |||||||||
| 216 | ![]() |
Salih Hulusi (Kezrak) Pasha | 8 March 1920 | 5 April 1920 | 28 days | Independent | |||
| Constitution suspended | |||||||||
Last Grand Viziers (1920–1922)
| Grand Vizier | Term of office | Sultan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 216 | ![]() |
Salih Hulusi (Kezrak) Pasha | 8 March 1920 | 5 April 1920 | 28 days | Mehmed VI
(1918–1922) |
| 214 | ![]() |
Damat Ferid Pasha (2nd time) | 5 April 1920 | 21 October 1920 | 199 days | |
| 207 | ![]() |
Ahmet Tevfik (Okday) Pasha (3rd time) | 21 October 1920 | 4 November 1922 | 2 years, 14 days | |
| End of the Ottoman Empire | ||||||
Prime Minister of the Government of the Grand National Assembly (1920–1923)
| Prime Minister | Term of office | Political party | Cabinet | Legislature | Speaker(Term) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||||||
| 1 | ![]() |
Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk) Pasha | 3 May 1920 | 24 January 1921 | 266 days | Independent | 1 | Atatürk | I
(1920) |
Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk) Pasha
(1920–1923) | |
| 2 | ![]() |
Mustafa Fevzi (Çakmak) Pasha | 24 January 1921 | 19 May 1921 | 1 year, 166 days | Independent | 2 | Çakmak I | |||
| 19 May 1921 | 9 July 1922 | 3 | Çakmak II | ||||||||
| 3 | ![]() |
Hüseyin Rauf (Orbay) | 12 July 1922 | 4 August 1923 | 1 year, 23 days | Independent | 4 | Orbay | |||
| 4 | ![]() |
Ali Fethi (Okyar) | 14 August 1923 | 27 October 1923 | 74 days | Independent | 5 | Okyar | |||
| Declaration of the Republic of Turkey | |||||||||||
See also
References
- Archivum Ottomanicum, p. 240, at Google Books
- Encyclopedia of the Ottoman Empire, p. 235, at Google Books
Sources
- Aktaş, Necati; Kaplan, Mustafa (2003). Osmanlı fermanları. Osmanlı Arşivi. ISBN 9789751934925.
- Dânişmend, İsmail Hâmi (1971). Osmanlı devlet erkânı: Sadr-ı-a'zamlar (vezir-i-a'zamlar), şeyh-ül-islâmlar, kapdan-ı-deryalar, baş-defterdarlar, reı̂s-ül-küttablar. Türkiye Yayınevi.
- Imber, Colin (2009). The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1650: The Structure of Power. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-137-01406-1.
- Necipoğlu, Gülru (2005). The Age of Sinan: Architectural Culture in the Ottoman Empire. London: Reaktion Books. ISBN 978-1-86189-253-9.
- Somel, Selcuk Aksin (2003). Historical Dictionary of the Ottoman Empire. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-6606-5.
- Uzunçarşılı, İsmail Hakkı; Karal, Enver Ziya (1954). Osmanlı tarihi: cilt. Uzunçarşılı, İ.H. 1. kısım. II. Selim'in tahta çıkışından 1699 Karlofça andlaşmasına kadar (1973) 2. kısım. XVI. yüzyıl ortalarından XVII. yüzyıl sonuna kadar (1954). Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi.
- Yücel, Yaşar (1992). Türkiye tarihi (IV.): Osmanli dönemi. Türk Tarih Kurumu. ISBN 978-975-16-0257-2.
- Yücel, Yaşar (1991). Türkiye tarihi (II.). Istanbul.


.svg.png.webp)






_-_Sultan_Murad_II._-_2237_-_Bavarian_State_Painting_Collections.jpg.webp)




.jpg.webp)






.jpg.webp)

.png.webp)















.jpg.webp)









_illustration_Bataille_du_Prout.jpg.webp)



.jpg.webp)







.jpg.webp)
las_-_Sultan_Mahmud_II_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg.webp)






















































