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.

Contents

Army ranks

Classic Army

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 groupGeneral / flag officersSenior officersJunior officersOfficer cadet
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Army
(1827-1839) [1]
Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg
Müşir Ferik Mirliva Miralay Kaymakam Alay emini Binbaşı Kolağası Yüzbaşı Mülâzım
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Army
(1839-1876) [1]
Yaveran-i hazreti sehriyari dis.svg Yaveran-i hazreti sehriyari dis.svg Yaveran-i hazreti sehriyari dis.svg Ottoman-Army-OF-5 (1861-1876).svg Ottoman-Army-OF-4 (1861-1876).svg Ottoman-Army-OF-3 (1861-1876).svg Ottoman Army OF-2b - Mulazim-i Sani (1861-1876).png Ottoman-Army-OF-2 (1861-1876).svg Ottoman-Army-OF-1b (1861-1876).svg Ottoman-Army-OF-1a (1861-1876).svg
MüşirFerikMirlivaMiralayKaymakamBinbaşıKolağasıYüzbaşıMülâzım-ı evvelMülâzım-ı sânî
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Army
(1876-1908) [1]
Maresal.svg Maresal.svg Piyade mirliva.svg Piyade miralay.svg Piyade kaymakam.svg Piyade binbasi.svg Piyade kolaga.svg Piyade yuzbasi.svg Piyade mulazim-i evveller.svg Piyade mulazim-i saniler.svg
MüşirFerikMirlivaMiralayKaymakamBinbaşıKolağasıYüzbaşıMülâzım-ı evvelMülâzım-ı sânî
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Army
(1908–1922) [1]
Ottoman-Army-OF-10.svg Ottoman-Army-OF-9.svg Ottoman-Army-OF-8.svg Ottoman-Army-OF-7.svg Ottoman-Army-OF-5.svg Ottoman-Army-OF-4.svg Ottoman-Army-OF-3.svg Ottoman-Army-OF-2b.svg Ottoman-Army-OF-2a.svg Ottoman-Army-OF-1b.svg Ottoman-Army-OF-1a.svg
MüşirFerik-i evvelFerik-i saniMirlivaMiralayKaymakamBinbaşıKolağası [lower-alpha 1] YüzbaşıMülâzım-ı evvelMülâzım-ı sânî

Other ranks

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

Rank groupNon-commissioned officerEnlisted
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Army
(1827-1839) [1]
Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg
Çavuş SancaktarOnbaşıNefer
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Army
(1839-1876) [1]
Blank.svg Ottoman Army OR-7 - Bascavus (1861-1876).png Ottoman Army OR-6 - Bascavus Muavini (1861-1876).png Ottoman Army OR-4 - Cavus (1861-1876).png Ottoman Army OR-3 - Onbasi (1861-1876).png Ottoman Army OR-1 - nefer (1861-1876).png
BaşçavuşÇavuşBölük eminiOnbaşıNefer
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Army
(1876-1908) [1]
Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg
BaşçavuşÇavuşBölük eminiOnbaşıNefer
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Army
(1908–1922) [1]
Takim basi.png Bascavus.png Bascavusmuavini.png Onbasi.png Nefer.png Blank.svg
Takım başı
(Machine Guns)
Başçavuş
(Artillery)
Başçavuş muavini
(Cavalry)
Çavuş
(Infantry)
Onbaşı
(Infantry)
Nefer

Officers

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank groupGeneral / flag officersSenior officersJunior officersOfficer cadet
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Navy
(1827-1839) [1]
Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg
Kaptan paşaBâhriye ferikiBâhriye mirlivasıÜç ambarlı süvarisiMiralayKaymakamBinbaşıKolağasıYüzbaşıMülâzım
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Navy
(1839-1861) [1]
Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-9-sleeve (1839-1861).png Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-8-sleeve (1839-1861).png Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-7-sleeve (1839-1861).png Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-7-sleeve (1839-1861).png Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-4-sleeve (1839-1861).png Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-3-sleeve (1839-1861).png Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-2-sleeve (1839-1861).png Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-1c-sleeve (1839-1861).png
Reis paşaFerik paşaLiva paşaÜç ambarlı süvarisiMiralayKaymakamBinbaşıBuyrultulu kaptan
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Navy
(1861-1876) [1]
Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-9-sleeve (1861-1876).png Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-8-sleeve (1861-1876).png Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-7-sleeve (1861-1876).png Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-7-sleeve (1861-1876).png Imperial Japan-Navy-OF-4 (1870)-sleeve.svg Imperial Japan-Navy-OF-3 (1870)-sleeve.svg Imperial Japan-Navy-OF-2 (1870)-sleeve.svg Imperial Japan-Navy-OF-1c (1870)-sleeve.svg Imperial Japan-Navy-OF-1c (1870)-sleeve.svg
Reis paşaFerik paşaLiva paşaÜç ambarlı süvarisiMiralayKaymakamBinbaşıBuyrultulu kaptanMülâzım
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Navy
(1876-1908) [1]
Blank.svg Generic-Navy-11.svg Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-7-sleeve(1876-1908).png Generic-Navy-8.svg Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-4a-sleeve (1876-1908).png Generic-Navy-6.svg Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-4-sleeve (1876-1908).png Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-3a-sleeve (1876-1908).png Generic-Navy-4.svg Generic-Navy-3.svg Generic-Navy-2.svg
MüşirFerikMirlivaMiralayKaymakamBinbaşıKolevvelKolsânîYüzbaşıMülâzım-ı evvelMülâzım-ı sânî
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Navy
(1908–1922) [1]
Generic-Navy-13.svg Generic-Navy-12.svg Generic-Navy-11.svg Generic-Navy-10.svg Generic-Navy-9.svg Generic-Navy-8.svg Generic-Navy-7.svg Generic-Navy-6.svg Generic-Navy-5.svg Generic-Navy-4.svg Generic-Navy-3.svg Generic-Navy-2.svg Ottoman Empire-Navy-OF-1d-collar (1908-1920).png
Müşir amiral Amiral Vice amiral Liva amiral Komodor Kalyon kaptanı Fırkateyn kaptanı Korvet kaptanı Birinci sınıf yüzbaşı YüzbaşıMülâzım-ı evvelMülâzım-ı sânî Mühendis [lower-alpha 2]

Other ranks

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

Rank groupNon-commissioned officerEnlisted
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Navy
(1827-1839) [1]
Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg
ÇavuşOnbaşıNefer
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Navy
(1839-1876) [1]
Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg
BaşçavuşÇavuşBölük eminiOnbaşıNefer
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Navy
(1876-1908) [1]
Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg
SergedikliGedikli evvelGedikli sânîGedikli sâlisBölük eminiOnbaşıNefer
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Navy
(1908–1922) [1]
Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg
Birinci sınıf gedikliİkinci sınıf gedikliÜçüncü sınıf gedikliGedikli namzediBaşçavuşÇavuşOnbaşıNefer

Notes

  1. Rank discontinued in 1910.
  2. Worn on the collar.

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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.