Agha
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Agha (or Aga) (modern Turkish: Ağa, Persian: آغا ) from Turkish Agha 'big brother' , ‘leader’, ‘ruler’. Title for a civil or military officer, or often part of such title. As a title it was placed after the name of the certain military functionaries at the same time some Court functionaries were entitled to the agha title.
Contents |
[edit] Military titles
In the Ottoman Empire, commanders of the different branches of military services were called aghas i.e. azap agha, besli agha, janissary agha: the commanders of azaps, beslis, and janissaries.
This designation was given to commanders of smaller military units too, for instance the bulyuk agha, odzsak agha: the commander of a bulyuk and odzsak both meaning troops.
[edit] Civilian titles
- Agha baba uses for eldest son in the family. He is agreed as a father in kai tribe.
- agha bey or ağabey or abi is used for elderly broother.
- The Kizlar Agha was the Chief Black Eunuch; the Kapi Agha was the Chief White Eunuch- both held very important offices at the Sultan's court, within the Topkapi Seraglio Miles Agha
- Aga Khan is the title of the leader of the Shia Muslim Nizari Ismaili sect. The title Agha Khan was an honorific title bestowed by Qajar Shah Fath Ali Shah of Iran on his son-in-law Hassan Ali Shah (ca.1800-1881), the leader of the Ismaili Shi'as of Persia.
[edit] Other uses
- Agha is both title and family name in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
- In Romanian, the Turkish title, spelled Aga, was used for the chief of an agie, a law enforcement office
[edit] Honorific
Pakistan's former President Yahya Khan also had Agha as the hereditary title. In usage, the title followed the given name. Although the word serves as a non-hereditary title, English-speakers have commonly used Agha as if it formed part of a personal name, as for instance in Mohammad Agha.
[edit] Sources and references
(incomplete)
