Military ranks of the Ottoman Empire

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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[edit]

Classic Army[edit]

• 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[edit]

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[edit]

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Ottoman Army (1827-1839)[1]
	Müşir		Ferik				Mirliva				Miralay		Kaymakam		Alay emini	Binbaşı	Kolağası		Yüzbaşı		Mülâzım
Ottoman Army (1839-1876)[1]
	Müşir		Ferik				Mirliva				Miralay		Kaymakam		Binbaşı		Kolağası		Yüzbaşı		Mülâzım-ı evvel		Mülâzım-ı sânî
Ottoman Army (1876-1908)[1]
	Müşir		Ferik				Mirliva				Miralay		Kaymakam		Binbaşı		Kolağası		Yüzbaşı		Mülâzım-ı evvel		Mülâzım-ı sânî
Ottoman Army (1908–1920)[1]
	Müşir		Ferik-i evvel		Ferik-i sani		Mirliva				Miralay		Kaymakam		Binbaşı		Kolağası[a]		Yüzbaşı		Mülâzım-ı evvel		Mülâzım-ı sânî

Other ranks[edit]

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

Rank group	Non-commissioned officer				Enlisted
Ottoman Army (1827-1839)[1]
	ㅤ	ㅤ	Çavuş	Sancaktar	Onbaşı	Nefer
Ottoman Army (1839-1876)[1]
	ㅤ	Başçavuş	Çavuş	Bölük emini	Onbaşı	Nefer
Ottoman Army (1876-1908)[1]
	ㅤ	Başçavuş	Çavuş	Bölük emini	Onbaşı	Nefer
Ottoman Army (1908–1920)[1]
	Takım başı (Machine Guns)	Başçavuş (Artillery)	Başçavuş muavini (Cavalry)	Çavuş (Infantry)	Onbaşı (Infantry)	Nefer

Navy ranks[edit]

Officers[edit]

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Ottoman Navy (1827-1839)[1]
	Kaptan paşa		Bâhriye feriki				Bâhriye mirlivası		Üç ambarlı süvarisi		Miralay		Kaymakam		Binbaşı		Kolağası	Yüzbaşı		Mülâzım
Ottoman Navy (1839-1861)[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 (1876-1908)[1]
	Müşir		Ferik				Mirliva				Miralay		Kaymakam		Binbaşı		Kolevvel	Kolsânî	Yüzbaşı		Mülâzım-ı evvel	Mülâzım-ı sânî
Ottoman Navy (1908–1920)[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[b]

Other ranks[edit]

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

Rank group	Senior Non-commissioned officer			Non-commissioned officer			Enlisted
Ottoman Navy (1827-1839)[1]
	ㅤ	ㅤ	ㅤ	ㅤ	ㅤ	Çavuş	Onbaşı	Nefer
Ottoman Navy (1839-1876)[1]
	ㅤ	ㅤ	ㅤ	Başçavuş	Çavuş	Bölük emini	Onbaşı	Nefer
Ottoman Navy (1876-1908)[1]
	ㅤ	Sergedikli	Gedikli evvel	Gedikli sânî	Gedikli sâlis	Bölük emini	Onbaşı	Nefer
Ottoman Navy (1908–1920)[1]
	Birinci sınıf gedikli	İkinci sınıf gedikli	Üçüncü sınıf gedikli	Gedikli namzedi	Başçavuş	Çavuş	Onbaşı	Nefer

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

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