Military ranks of the Ottoman Empire

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 honorific style of "Pasha" that was given directly by the Ottoman Sultan. This style, which continued until the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, was also given to civilian administrators who were approved of and found suitable. Around 1900, all General Officers ranks had long been entitled to the style of "Pasha". Colonels and some Lieutenant Colonels, as well as some majors, were referred to as "Beys"; some Lieutenant Colonels and some Majors, as well as all captains, bore the title "Effendi". Lieutenants held the title "Agha".^[1]

After the establishment of the Republic, the Sultanate was abolished, and the title "Pasha" 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".

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

More information Rank group, General / flag officers ...

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
1827–1856[2][a]
	مشير Müşîr		فريق Ferîk				ميرلواء Mirliva				ميرالاي Miralay		قايمقام Kaymakam		بن باشي Binbaşı		كول اغاسي Kolağası		يوزباشي Yüzbaşı		ملاظم Mülâzım
1856–1876[2][3][b]
	مشير Müşîr		فريق Ferîk				ميرلواء Mirliva				ميرالاي Miralay		قايمقام Kaymakam		بن باشي Binbaşı		كول اغاسي Kolağası		يوزباشي Yüzbaşı		ملاظم اول Mülâzım-ı evvel		ملاظم ثاني Mülâzım-ı sânî
1876–1909[2][3]
	مشير Müşîr		فريق Ferîk				ميرلواء Mirliva				ميرالاي Miralay		قايمقام Kaymakam		بن باشي Binbaşı		كول اغاسي Kolağası		يوزباشي Yüzbaşı		ملاظم اول Mülâzım-ı evvel		ملاظم ثاني Mülâzım-ı sânî
1909–1922[2]
	مشير Müşîr		فريق اول Ferîk-i evvel		فريق Ferîk		ميرلواء Mirliva				ميرالاي Miralay (Combat engineer)		قايمقام Kaymakam (Artillery)		بن باشي Binbaşı (Cavalry)		كول اغاسي Kolağası[c] (General staff)		يوزباشي Yüzbaşı (Medical)		ملاظم اول Mülâzım-ı evvel (Infantry)		ملاظم ثاني Mülâzım-ı sânî (Machine guns)
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

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Other ranks

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

More information Rank group, Non-commissioned officers ...

Rank group	Non-commissioned officers				Enlisted
1827–1856[2][a]							No insignia
				چاووش Çavuş	سنققدار Sancaktar	اون باشي Onbaşı	نفر Nefer
1856–1876[2][3][d]							No insignia
		باش چاووش Başçavuş (Universal)		چاووش Çavuş (Artillery)	بلوك اميني Bölük emini (Infantry)	اون باشي Onbaşı (Chasseur)	نفر Nefer
1876–1911[2][3][d]							No insignia
		باش چاووش Başçavuş (Infantry)		چاووش Çavuş (Rifleman)	بلوک امینی Bölük emini (Combat engineer)	اون باشی Onbaşı (Infantry)	نفر Nefer
1911–1916[2]							No insignia
		باش چاووش Başçavuş (Artillery)	باش چاووش معینی Başçavuş muavini (Cavalry)	چاووش Çavuş (Infantry)		اون باشی Onbaşı (Infantry)	نفر Nefer
1916–1916[2]							No insignia
	تاکم باشی Takımbaşı (Machine Guns)	باش چاووش Başçavuş (Artillery)	باش چاووش معینی Başçavuş muavini (Cavalry)	چاووش Çavuş (Infantry)		اون باشی Onbaşı (Infantry)	نفر Nefer
1916–1922[2]							No insignia
	تاکم باشی Takımbaşı (Machine guns)	باش چاوش Başçavuş (Artillery)	باش چاوش معینی Başçavuş muavini (Cavalry)	چاوش Çavuş (Infantry)		اون باشی Onbaşı (Infantry)	نفر Nefer

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Gendarmerie

Other ranks

More information Rank group, Non-commissioned officers ...

Rank group	Non-commissioned officers				Enlisted
Ottoman Gendarmerie
1876–1911 Gendarmerie in the Capital[2][3][d]							No insignia
		باش چاوش Başçavuş (Mounted)		چاووش Çavuş (Foot)	بلوک امینی Bölük emini (Mounted)	اون باشی Onbaşı (Foot)	نفر Nefer
1876–1911 Gendarmerie in the Provinces[2][3]							No insignia
		باش چاوش Başçavuş (Foot)		چاووش Çavuş (Foot)	بلوک امینی Bölük emini (Mounted)	اون باشی Onbaşı (Mounted)	نفر Nefer
1911–1913[2]							No insignia
		باش چاوش Başçavuş		چاوش Çavuş		اون باشی Onbaşı	نفر Nefer
1913–1914[2]							No insignia
		باش چاوش Başçavuş		چاوش Çavuş		اون باشی Onbaşı	نفر Nefer
1914–1922[2]							No insignia
		باش چاوش Başçavuş		چاوش Çavuş		اون باشی Onbaşı	نفر Nefer
Rank group	Non-commissioned officers				Enlisted

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Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

More information Rank group, General / flag officers ...

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
1827–1856[2][a]
	قَبْطَان پَاشَا Kaptan paşa		بَحْرِيَّة فَرِيقِی Bâhriye ferîki				بَحْرِيَّة مِيرلِيوَاسِی Bâhriye mirlivası		اُچْ آمْبَارْلِی سُوَارِيسِی Üç ambarlı süvarisi		مِيرَلاَی Miralay		قَايْمَقَام Kaymakam		بِينبَاشِی Binbaşı		قُول آغَاسِی Kolağası				يُوزبَاشِی Yüzbaşı		مُلَازِم Mülâzım
1856–1861[2]
	رَئِيس پَاشَا Reis paşa		فَرِيق پَاشَا Ferîk paşa				لِوَاء پَاشَا Liva paşa		اُچْ آمْبَارْلِی سُوَارِيسِی Üç ambarlı süvarisi		مِيرَلاَی Miralay		قَايْمَقَام Kaymakam		بِينبَاشِی Binbaşı						بُويْرُلْتُلُو قَبْطَان Buyrultulu kaptan
1861–1876[2]
	رَئِيس پَاشَا Reis paşa		فَرِيق پَاشَا Ferîk paşa				لِوَاء پَاشَا Liva paşa		اُچْ آمْبَارْلِی سُوَارِيسِی Üç ambarlı süvarisi		مِيرَلاَی Miralay		قَايْمَقَام Kaymakam		بِينبَاشِی Binbaşı						بُويْرُلْتُلُو قَبْطَان Buyrultulu kaptan		مُلَازِم Mülâzım
1876–1909[2][3]
	مُشِير Müşîr		فَرِيق Ferîk				مِيرلِيوَا Mirliva				مِيرَلاَی Miralay		قَايْمَقَام Kaymakam		بِينَباشِی Binbaşı		كُولْ أُول Kolevvel		كُولْ صَانِی Kolsânî		يُوزبَاشِی Yüzbaşı		مُلَازِمِ اوَّل Mülâzım-ı evvel		مُلَازِمِ ثَانِی Mülâzım-ı sânî
1909–1916[2]																											[a]
	مُشِير أَمِيرَال Müşîr amiral		أَمِيرَال Amiral		فِيس أَمِيرَال Vice amiral		لِوَاء أَمِيرَال Liva amiral		قُومُودُور Komodor		قَلْيُون قَبْطَانِی Kalyon kaptanı		فِرْقَاطَيْن قَبْطَانِی Fırkateyn kaptanı		قُورْوِيت قَبْطَانِی Korvet kaptanı			بِيرِينْجِی صِنِفْ يُوزبَاشِی Birinci sınıf yüzbaşı			يُوزبَاشِی Yüzbaşı		مُلَازِمِ اوَّل Mülâzım-ı evvel		مُلَازِمِ ثَانِی Mülâzım-ı sânî		مُهَنْدِس Mühendis
1916–1922[2]																												[a]
	مُشِير أَمِيرَال Müşîr amiral		أَمِيرَال Amiral		فِيس أَمِيرَال Vice amiral		لِوَاء أَمِيرَال Liva amiral		قُومُودُور Komodor		قَلْيُون قَبْطَانِی Kalyon kaptanı		فِرْقَاطَيْن قَبْطَانِی Fırkateyn kaptanı		قُورْوِيت قَبْطَانِی Korvet kaptanı			بِيرِينْجِی صِنِفْ يُوزبَاشِی Birinci sınıf yüzbaşı			يُوزبَاشِی Yüzbaşı		مُلَازِمِ اوَّل Mülâzım-ı evvel		مُلَازِمِ ثَانِی Mülâzım-ı sânî		مُهَنْدِس Mühendis
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

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Technical officer ranks

More information Rank group, General / flag officers ...

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
1876–1909[3]
											أجزاجی Eczacı (Pharmacist)	جراح Cerrah (Surgeon)	اطباء Etibbâ (Medical Personnels)
Equivalent											Unknown

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Other ranks

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

More information Rank group, Senior non-commissioned officers ...

Rank group	Senior non-commissioned officers						Non-commissioned officers			Enlisted
1827–1856[2][a]												No insignia
									چاووش Çavuş		اُونباشی Onbaşı	نَفَر Nefer
1856–1876[2][3][d]												No insignia
								باش چاووش Başçavuş	چاووش Çavuş	بُولُوك اَمينی Bölük emini	اُونباشی Onbaşı	نَفَر Nefer
1876–1914[2][3][d]												No insignia
	سِرْگِدِيكْلِی Sergedikli	گِدِيكْلِی اَوَّل Gedikli evvel	گِدِيكْلِی ثَانِی Gedikli sânî		گِدِيكْلِی ثَالِث Gedikli sâlis			باش چاووش Başçavuş	چاووش Çavuş	بُولُوك اَمِينی Bölük emini	اُونباشی Onbaşı	نَفَر Nefer
1914–1922[2][d]												No insignia
	بِيرِينْجِی صِنِفْ گِدِيكْلِی Birinci sınıf gedikli		اِيكِينْجِی صِنِفْ گِدِيكْلِی İkinci sınıf gedikli		اُچُونْجِی صِنِفْ گِدِيكْلِی Üçüncü sınıf gedikli		گِدِيكْلِی نَامْزَدِی Gedikli namzedi	ماکینه باشچاووشی Başçavuş	چاووش Çavuş		اُونباشی Onbaşı	نَفَر Nefer

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Technical ranks

More information Rank group, Non-commissioned officers ...

Rank group	Non-commissioned officers
1876–1914[3][d]
	سرتوب Sertob (Chief Gunner)	سردومن Serdümen (Helmsman)	آتشچی اول Ateşçi evvel (First Stoker)	آتشچی ثانی Ateşçi sani (Second Stoker)
Equivalent	Başçavuş (Sergeant Major)			Çavuş (Sergeant)

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