Serasker
Serasker,orseraskier(Ottoman Turkish:سرعسكر;Turkish pronunciation:[ˈseɾaskeɾ]), is a title formerly used in theOttoman Empirefor avizierwho commanded an army.
Following thesuppressionof theJanissariesin 1826, SultanMahmud IItransferred the functions of the oldAgha of the Janissariesto theserasker.The latter now became a distinct office at the head of the Ottoman military, combining the functions of acommander-in-chiefand aminister of war.[1]He also took over the Janissary Agha's former duties regarding the upkeep of order inIstanbul.Indeed, as the police system developed and expanded with the empire's progressive centralization, it became one of the main duties of theseraskeruntil 1845, when policing became a separate agency.[1]
The seat of theseraskerand his department (bab-i seraskeri,orserasker kapısı— "Gate of theserasker") initially was in theEski Saray,but these functions transferred to dedicated buildings in 1865. In 1879 the office was renamed to Ministry of War (Harbiye Nezareti) until 1890, when it reverted to its old name; it was finally renamed again to Ministry of War in 1908.[1]
Notableseraskersincluded:
- AdmiralKoca Hüsrev Mehmed Pasha(1769–1855)
- Lala Mustafa Pasha(c. 1500 – 1580)
- Mehmed Namık Pasha[2](1804-1892)
- Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha(c.1495 – 1536)
- Damat Rüstem Pasha(c.1500 – 1561)
- Mehmed Riza Pasha(1844–1920)
References
[edit]- ^abcLewis, Bernard(1986)."Bāb-i Serʿaskeri".The Encyclopedia of Islam, New Edition, Volume I: A–B.Leiden and New York: BRILL. p. 838.ISBN90-04-08114-3.
- ^Sinaplı, Ahmet Nuri. "Şeyhül Vüzera, Serasker Mehmet Namık Paşa". İstanbul: Yenilik Basımevi, 1987.
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