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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
Classic Army
- 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
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
The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 Ottoman Army(1827-1856)[1][a] |
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| Müşir | Ferik | Mirliva | Miralay | Kaymakam | Alay emini | Binbaşı | Kolağası | Yüzbaşı | Mülâzım | |||||||||||||||
| Ottoman Army (1856-1876)[1][b] |
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| Müşir | Ferik | Mirliva | Miralay | Kaymakam | Binbaşı | Kolağası | Yüzbaşı | Mülâzım-ı evvel | Mülâzım-ı sânî | |||||||||||||||
| Ottoman Army (1876-1909)[1] |
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| Müşir | Ferik | Mirliva | Miralay | Kaymakam | Binbaşı | Kolağası | Yüzbaşı | Mülâzım-ı evvel | Mülâzım-ı sânî | |||||||||||||||
| Ottoman Army (1909–1922)[1] |
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| Müşir | Ferik-i evvel | Ferik-i sani | Mirliva | Miralay | Kaymakam | Binbaşı | Kolağası[c] | Yüzbaşı | Mülâzım-ı evvel | Mülâzım-ı sânî | ||||||||||||||
Other ranks
The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Non-commissioned officer | Enlisted | ||||||
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| Ottoman Army (1827-1856)[1][a] |
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No insignia | ||
| ㅤ | ㅤ | Çavuş | Sancaktar | Onbaşı | Nefer | |||
| Ottoman Army (1856-1876)[1][d] |
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No insignia | ||
| ㅤ | Başçavuş | Çavuş | Bölük emini | Onbaşı | Nefer | |||
| Ottoman Army (1876-1911)[1][d] |
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No insignia | ||
| ㅤ | Başçavuş | Çavuş | Bölük emini | Onbaşı | Nefer | |||
| Ottoman Army (1911–1916)[1] |
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No insignia | ||
| Takım başı[e] (Machine Guns) |
Başçavuş (Artillery) |
Başçavuş muavini (Cavalry) |
Çavuş (Infantry) |
Onbaşı (Infantry) |
Nefer | |||
| Ottoman Army (1916–1922)[1] |
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No insignia | ||
| Takım başı (Machine Guns) |
Başçavuş (Artillery) |
Başçavuş muavini (Cavalry) |
Çavuş (Infantry) |
Onbaşı (Infantry) |
Nefer | |||
Navy ranks
Officers
The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Ottoman Navy (1827-1856)[1][a] |
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| Kaptan paşa | Bâhriye feriki | Bâhriye mirlivası | Üç ambarlı süvarisi | Miralay | Kaymakam | Binbaşı | Kolağası | Yüzbaşı | Mülâzım | |||||||||||||||
| Ottoman Navy (1856-1861)[1] |
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| Reis paşa | Ferik paşa | Liva paşa | Üç ambarlı süvarisi | Miralay | Kaymakam | Binbaşı | Buyrultulu kaptan | |||||||||||||||||
| Ottoman Navy (1861-1876)[1] |
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| Reis paşa | Ferik paşa | Liva paşa | Üç ambarlı süvarisi | Miralay | Kaymakam | Binbaşı | Buyrultulu kaptan | Mülâzım | ||||||||||||||||
| Ottoman Navy (1876-1909)[1] |
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| Müşir | Ferik | Mirliva | Miralay | Kaymakam | Binbaşı | Kolevvel | Kolsânî | Yüzbaşı | Mülâzım-ı evvel | Mülâzım-ı sânî | ||||||||||||||
| Ottoman Navy (1909–1922)[1] |
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| 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
The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Non-commissioned officer | Enlisted | ||||||||
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| Ottoman Navy (1827-1856)[1][a] |
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No insignia | ||
| ㅤ | ㅤ | ㅤ | ㅤ | ㅤ | Çavuş | Onbaşı | Nefer | |||
| Ottoman Navy (1856-1876)[1][d] |
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No insignia | ||
| ㅤ | ㅤ | ㅤ | Başçavuş | Çavuş | Bölük emini | Onbaşı | Nefer | |||
| Ottoman Navy (1876-1914)[1][d] |
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No insignia | ||
| Sergedikli | Gedikli evvel | Gedikli sânî | Gedikli sâlis | Başçavuş Çavuş | Bölük emini | Onbaşı | Nefer | |||
| Ottoman Navy (1914–1922)[1][d] |
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No insignia | ||
| Birinci sınıf gedikli | İkinci sınıf gedikli | Üçüncü sınıf gedikli | Gedikli namzedi | Başçavuş | Çavuş | Onbaşı | Nefer | |||
Notes
- ^ a b c d e Worn on the collar.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Rank discontinued in 1910.
- ^ a b c d e Only worn on the left sleeve.
- ^ Introduced in 1916.
References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ot3cQgsc9o
Bibliography
- Geçer, Kadir (2022). Osmanlı İmparatorluğu Askerî Kıyafetleri 1826-1922 [Ottoman Empire Military Clothing 1826-1922] (in Turkish). Hisart Culture Publications. ISBN 9786050699814.