Military ranks of the Ottoman Empire

The military ranks of the Ottoman Empire may be visually identified by the military insignia used during the Military of the Ottoman Empire.

Army ranks

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Classic Army

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  • Aghas were commanders of the different branches of the military services, like "azap agha", "besli agha", "janissary agha", for the commanders of azaps, beslis, and janissaries, respectively. This designation was given to commanders of smaller military units, too, for instance the "bölük agha", and the "ocak agha", the commanders of a "bölük" (company) and an "ocak" (troops) respectively.
  • Boluk-bashi was a commander of a "bölük", equivalent with the rank of captain.
  • Chorbaji (Turkish for "soup server") was a commander of an orta (regiment), approximately corresponding to the rank of colonel (Turkish: Albay) today. In seafaring, the term was in use for the boss of a ship's crew, a role similar to that of boatswain.

Modern Army

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Military personnel in the Ottoman Empire were assigned different duties according to their capabilities in order to administer the Armed Forces and particularly to be successful in battle. They were given various ranks so that they could conduct relations with each other and be fully aware of their duties. The issue of what sort of duties should be allocated to which unit or to which military institution used to be determined by the ranking within the Armed Forces. In Islamic countries, certain 'degrees', instead of ranks, were given in accordance with the categorization of government duties. In the course of time, these 'degrees' had taken on certain characteristics. In the Ottoman Empire, besides the ranks that were awarded after passing through certain stages of promotion, there was also the rank of "Pasha" that was given directly by the Ottoman Sultan. This rank, which continued until the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, was also given to civilian administrators who were approved of and found suitable. After the establishment of the Republic, the Sultanate was abolished, and the title became synonymous with the General rank, restricted to the Armed Forces only. Paymaster of a regiment - Captain of the Right Wing (Alay Emini - Sağ Kolağası): The rank of the Captain of the Right Wing was very high. The rank of the Adjutant and Paymaster of a regiment was also high but such individuals were not from the military class and they dealt with clerical duties and equipment needed by the regiment. Captain of the Wing - The Captain of the Left Wing- (Kolağası - Sol Kolağası): Captain of the Wing or the Captain of the Left Wing was the senior Captain. If he was educated in the regiment, he was called "Ağa" but if he was the son of a pasha, he was called "Bey".

Officers

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The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
 Ottoman Army
(1827-1856)[1][a]
Müşir Ferik Mirliva Miralay Kaymakam Alay emini Binbaşı Kolağası Yüzbaşı Mülâzım
 Ottoman Army
(1856-1876)[1][b]
Müşir Ferik Mirliva Miralay Kaymakam Binbaşı Kolağası Yüzbaşı Mülâzım-ı evvel Mülâzım-ı sânî
 Ottoman Army
(1876-1909)[1]
Müşir Ferik Mirliva Miralay Kaymakam Binbaşı Kolağası Yüzbaşı Mülâzım-ı evvel Mülâzım-ı sânî
 Ottoman Army
(1909–1922)[1]
Müşir Ferik-i evvel Ferik-i sani Mirliva Miralay Kaymakam Binbaşı Kolağası[c] Yüzbaşı Mülâzım-ı evvel Mülâzım-ı sânî

Other ranks

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The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group Non-commissioned officer Enlisted
 Ottoman Army
(1827-1856)[1][a]
No insignia
Çavuş Sancaktar Onbaşı Nefer
 Ottoman Army
(1856-1876)[1][d]
No insignia
Başçavuş Çavuş Bölük emini Onbaşı Nefer
 Ottoman Army
(1876-1911)[1][d]
No insignia
Başçavuş Çavuş Bölük emini Onbaşı Nefer
 Ottoman Army
(1911–1916)[1]
No insignia
Takım başı[e]
(Machine Guns)
Başçavuş
(Artillery)
Başçavuş muavini
(Cavalry)
Çavuş
(Infantry)
Onbaşı
(Infantry)
Nefer
 Ottoman Army
(1916–1922)[1]
No insignia
Takım başı
(Machine Guns)
Başçavuş
(Artillery)
Başçavuş muavini
(Cavalry)
Çavuş
(Infantry)
Onbaşı
(Infantry)
Nefer
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Officers

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The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
 Ottoman Navy
(1827-1856)[1][a]
Kaptan paşa Bâhriye feriki Bâhriye mirlivası Üç ambarlı süvarisi Miralay Kaymakam Binbaşı Kolağası Yüzbaşı Mülâzım
 Ottoman Navy
(1856-1861)[1]
Reis paşa Ferik paşa Liva paşa Üç ambarlı süvarisi Miralay Kaymakam Binbaşı Buyrultulu kaptan
 Ottoman Navy
(1861-1876)[1]
Reis paşa Ferik paşa Liva paşa Üç ambarlı süvarisi Miralay Kaymakam Binbaşı Buyrultulu kaptan Mülâzım
 Ottoman Navy
(1876-1909)[1]
Müşir Ferik Mirliva Miralay Kaymakam Binbaşı Kolevvel Kolsânî Yüzbaşı Mülâzım-ı evvel Mülâzım-ı sânî
 Ottoman Navy
(1909–1922)[1]
Müşir amiral Amiral Vice amiral Liva amiral Komodor Kalyon kaptanı Fırkateyn kaptanı Korvet kaptanı Birinci sınıf yüzbaşı Yüzbaşı Mülâzım-ı evvel Mülâzım-ı sânî Mühendis[a]

Other ranks

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The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group Non-commissioned officer Enlisted
 Ottoman Navy
(1827-1856)[1][a]
No insignia
Çavuş Onbaşı Nefer
 Ottoman Navy
(1856-1876)[1][d]
No insignia
Başçavuş Çavuş Bölük emini Onbaşı Nefer
 Ottoman Navy
(1876-1914)[1][d]
No insignia
Sergedikli Gedikli evvel Gedikli sânî Gedikli sâlis Başçavuş Çavuş Bölük emini Onbaşı Nefer
 Ottoman Navy
(1914–1922)[1][d]
No insignia
Birinci sınıf gedikli İkinci sınıf gedikli Üçüncü sınıf gedikli Gedikli namzedi Başçavuş Çavuş Onbaşı Nefer

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e Worn on the collar.
  2. ^ Insignia kept until 1909 for the following: Imperial Entourage, Aides-de-Camp of His Majesty the Sultan, Imperial Guard Units, the Gendarmerie, the Dragoon Regiment, the Fire Brigade Regiment, the Rifle Company and the 1. Army.
  3. ^ Rank discontinued in 1910.
  4. ^ a b c d e Only worn on the left sleeve.
  5. ^ Introduced in 1916.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Geçer 2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ot3cQgsc9o

Bibliography

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  • Geçer, Kadir (2022). Osmanlı İmparatorluğu Askerî Kıyafetleri 1826-1922 [Ottoman Empire Military Clothing 1826-1922] (in Turkish). Hisart Culture Publications. ISBN 9786050699814.