Grand Vizier

State organisation of the Ottoman Empire

House of Osman (Ottoman Dynasty)

Classic Period: Divan (Porte) • Grand Vizier Constitutional Period: Imperial Government

Millets • Subdivisions • Vassal & tributary states

The Grand Vizier giving an audience "under the dome"

Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam(Sadrazam) or Serdar-ı Ekrem (in Ottoman Turkish: صدر اعظم or وزیر اعظم), deriving from the Persian word vizier (وزير), was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself. He held the imperial seal and could convene all other viziers to attend to affairs of the state; the viziers in conference were called "Kubbealtı viziers" in reference to their meeting place, the Kubbealtı ('under the dome') in Topkapı Palace. His offices were located at the Sublime Porte. "Grand Vizier" (Vazīr-e Azam) is also the official Urdu title of the Pakistani Prime Minister (ministers are titled "vizier").

During the nascent phases of the Ottoman state, "Vizier" was the only title used. The first of these Ottoman Viziers who was titled "Grand Vizier" was Çandarlı Kara Halil Hayreddin Pasha. The purpose in instituting the title "Grand Vizier" was to distinguish the holder of the Sultan's seal from other viziers. The initially more frequently used title of vezir-i âzam was gradually replaced by sadrazam, both meaning grand vizier in practice. Throughout Ottoman history, the grand viziers have also been termed sadr-ı âlî ('high vizier'), vekil-i mutlak ('absolute attorney'), sâhib-i devlet ('holder of the state'), serdar-ı ekrem, serdar-ı azam and zât-ı âsafî ('vizieral person').

In the Köprülü Era (1656–1703) the Empire was controlled by a series of powerful grand viziers. The relative ineffectiveness of the sultans and the diffusion of power to lower levels of the government was a feature of the Köprülü Era.

After the Tanzimat period of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century, the grand viziers came to assume a role more like that of the prime ministers of contemporary Western monarchies.

Hacıkemaleddinoğlu Alaeddin Pasha (1320–1331) · Mahmudoğlu Nizamüddin Ahmed Pasha (1331–1348) · Hacı Pasha (1348–1349) · Sinanüddin Fakih Yusuf Pasha (1349–1364) · Çandarlı Kara Halil Hayreddin Pasha (1364–1387) · Çandarlı Ali Pasha (1387–1406) · Osmancıklı Imamzade Halil Pasha (1406–1413) · Amasyalı Beyazıd Pasha (1413–1421) · Çandarlı Ibrahim Pasha (1421–1429) · Osmancıklı Koca Mehmed Nizamüddin Pasha (1429–1439) · Çandarlı Halil Pasha (1439–1453)

Grand Viziers of the Ottoman Empire – Growth (1453–1606)

Zağanos Pasha (1453–1456) • Veli Mahmud Pasha (1456–1466) • Rum Mehmed Pasha (1466–1469) • Ishak Pasha (1469–1472) • Veli Mahmud Pasha (1472–1474) • Gedik Ahmed Pasha (1474–1477) • Karamanlı Mehmet Pasha (1477–1481) • Ishak Pasha (1481–1482) • Davud Pasha (1482–1497) • Hersekzade Ahmed Pasha (1497–1498) • Çandarlı Ibrahim Pasha (2nd) (1498–1499) • Mesih Pasha (1499–1501) • Hadim Ali Pasha (1501–1503) • Hersekzade Ahmed Pasha (1503–1506) • Hadim Ali Pasha (1509–1511) • Koca Mustafa Pasha (1511–1512) • Dukakinoğlu Ahmed Pasha (1512–1515) • Hersekzade Ahmed Pasha (1515–1516) • Hadım Sinan Pasha (1516–1517) • Yunus Pasha (1517) • Piri Mehmed Pasha (1517) • Pargalı İbrahim Pasha (1523–1536) • Ayas Mehmed Pasha (1536–1539) • Lûtfi Pasha (1539–1541) • Hadim Suleiman Pasha (1541–1544) • Rüstem Pasha (1544–1553) • Kara Ahmed Pasha (1553–1555) • Rüstem Pasha (1555–1561) • Semiz Ali Pasha (1561–1565) • Sokollu Mehmet Pasha (1565–1579) • Şemsi Pasha (1579–1580) • Lala Kara Mustafa Pasha (1580) • Koca Sinan Pasha (1580–1582) • Siyavush Pasha (1582–1584) • Özdemiroğlu Osman Pasha (1584–1585) • Hadim Mesih Pasha (1585–1586) • Siyavush Pasha (1586–1589) • Koca Sinan Pasha (1589–1591) • Ferhad Pasha (1591–1592) • Siyavush Pasha (1592–1593) • Koca Sinan Pasha (1593–1595) • Ferhad Pasha (1595) • Lala Mehmed Pasha (1595) • Koca Sinan Pasha (1595–1596) • Damat İbrahim Pasha (1596) • Cigalazade Yusuf Sinan Pasha (1596) • Damat Ibrahim Pasha (1596–1597) • Hadim Hasan Pasha (1597–1598) • Cerrah Mehmed Pasha (1598–1599) • Damat Ibrahim Pasha (1599–1601) • Yemişçi Hasan Pasha (1601–1603) • Yavuz Ali Pasha (1603–1604) • Sokolluzade Lala Mehmed Pasha (1604–1606)

Grand Viziers of the Ottoman Empire – Stagnation (1606–1699)

Dervish Mehmed Pasha (1606) • Kuyucu Murad Pasha (1606–1611) • Nasuh Pasha (1611–1614) • Kara Mehmed Pasha (1614–1616) • Damat Halil Pasha (1616–1619) • Kara Mehmed Pasha (1619–1619) • Güzelce Ali Pasha (1619–1621) • Ohrili Hüseyin Pasha (1621) • Dilaver Pasha (1621–1622) • Kara Davud Pasha (1622) • Mere Hüseyin Pasha (1622) • Lefkeli Mustafa Pasha (1622) • Gürcü Hadim Mehmed Pasha (1622–1623) • Mere Hüseyin Pasha (1623) • Kemankeş Kara Ali Pasha (1623–1624) • Çerkes Mehmed Pasha (1624–1625) • Filibeli Hafız Ahmed Pasha (1625–1626) • Damat Halil Pasha (1626–1628) • Gazi Ekrem Hüsrev Pasha (1628–1631) • Hafiz Ahmed Pasha (1631–1632) • Topal Recep Pasha (1632) • Tabanıyassı Mehmed Pasha (1632–1637) • Bayram Pasha (1637–1638) • Tayyar Mehmed Pasha (1638) • Kemankeş Kara Mustafa Pasha (1638–1644) • Civankapıcıbaşı Sultanzade Semiz Mehmed Pasha (1644–1645) • Nevesinli Salih Pasha (1645–1647) • Kara Musa Pasha (1647) • Hezarpare Ahmed Pasha (1647–1648) • Mevlevi Mehmed Pasha (1648–1649) • Kara Dev Murad Pasha (1649–1650) • Melek Ahmet Pasha (1650–1651) • Siyavush Pasha (1651) • Gürcü Mehmed Pasha (1651–1652) • Tarhuncu Sarı Ahmed Pasha (1652–1653) • Bıyıklı Koca Derviş Mehmed Pasha (1653–1654) • Ipşiri Mustafa Pasha (1654–1655) • Kara Dev Murad Pasha (1655) • Ermeni Süleyman Pasha (1655) • Gazi Hüseyin Pasha (1656) • Zurnazen Mustafa Pasha (1656) • Siyavush Pasha (1656) • Boynuyaralı Mehmed Pasha (1656) • Köprülü Mehmed Pasha (1656–1661) • Köprülü Fazıl Ahmed Pasha (1661–1676) • Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha (1676–1683) ) • Bayburtlu Kara Ibrahim Pasha (1683–1685) • Sarı Süleyman Pasha (1685–1687) • Köprülü Damadı Abaza Siyavuş Pasha (1687–1688) • Ayaşlı Nişancı Ismail Pasha (1688) • Tekirdağlı Bekri Mustafa Pasha (1688–1689) • Köprülü Fazıl Mustafa Pasha (1689–1691) • Bahadırzade Arabacı Ali Pasha (1691–1692) • Merzifonlu Çalık Hacı Ali Pasha (1692–1693) • Bozoklu (Bıyıklı) Mustafa Pasha (1694) • Sürmeli Ali Pasha (1694–1695) • Elmas Mehmed Pasha (1695–1697) • Köprülü Amcazade Hacı Hüseyin Pasha (1697–1702)

Grand Viziers of the Ottoman Empire – Decline (1699–1792)

Daltaban Mustafa Pasha (1702–1703) • Rami Mehmed Pasha (1703) • Sührablı Kavanoz Nişancı Ahmed Pasha (1703) • Moralı Damat Hasan Pasha (1703–1704) • Kalaylıkoz Hacı Ahmed Pasha (1704) • Baltacı Mehmet Pasha (1704–1706) • Çorlulu Ali Pasha (1706–1710) • Köprülü Numan Pasha (1710) • Baltacı Mehmet Pasha (1710–1711) • Gürcü Ağa Yusuf Pasha (1711–1712) • Silahdar Süleyman Pasha (1712–1713) • Kel Hoca Ibrahim Pasha (1713) • Silahdar Damat Ali Pasha (1713–1716) • Hacı Halil Pasha (1716–1717) • Tevkii Nişancı Mehmed Pasha (1717–1718) • Nevşehirli Damat Ibrahim Pasha (1718–1730) • Silahdar Damat Mehmed Pasha (1730–1731) • Kabakulak Ibrahim Pasha (1731) • Topal Osman Pasha (1731–1732) • Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha (1732–1735) • Gürcü Ismail Pasha (1735–1736) • Silahdar Seyyid Mehmed Pasha (1736–1737) • Muhsinzade Abdullah Pasha (1737) • Yeğen Mehmed Pasha (1737–1739) • Hacı İvazzade Mehmed Pasha (1739–1740) • Nişancı Şehla Hacı Ahmed Pasha (1740–1742) • Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha (1742–1743) • Seyyid Hasan Pasha (1743–1746) • Tiryaki Hacı Mehmed Pasha (1746–1747) • Boynueğri Seyyid Abdullah Pasha (1747–1750) • Divitdar Mehmed Emin Pasha (1750–1752) • Çorlulu Köse Bahir Mustafa Pasha (1752–1755) • Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha (1755) • Naili Abdullah Pasha (1755) • Silahdar Bıyıklı Ali Pasha (1755) • Yirmisekizzade Mehmed Said Pasha (1755–1756) • Çorlulu Köse Bahir Mustafa Pasha (1756–1757) • Koca Ragıp Pasha (1757–1763) • Tevkii Hamza Hamid Pasha (1763) • Çorlulu Köse Bahir Mustafa Pasha (1763–1765) • Muhsinzade Mehmed Pasha (1765–1768) • Silahdar Hamza Mahir Pasha (1768) • Yağlıkçızade Nişancı Hacı Mehmed Emin Pasha (1768–1769) • Moldovancı Ali Pasha (1769) • Ivazzade Halil Pasha (1769–1770) • Silahdar Mehmed Pasha (1770–1771) • Muhsinzade Mehmed Pasha (1771–1774) • Safranbolulu Izzet Mehmed Pasha (1774–1775) • Moralı Derviş Mehmed Pasha (1775–1777) • Darendeli Cebecizade Mehmed Pasha (1777–1778) • Kalafat Mehmed Pasha (1778–1779) • Silahdar Karavezir Seyyid Mehmed Pasha (1779–1781) • Safranbolulu Izzet Mehmed Pasha (1781–1782) • Yeğen Hacı Mehmed Pasha (1782) • Halil Hamid Pasha (1782–1785) • Hazinedar Şahin Ali Pasha (1785–1786) • Koca Yusuf Pasha (1786–1789) • Kethüda Meyyit Hasan Pasha (1789) • Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha (1789–1790) • Çelebizade Şerif Hasan Pasha (1790–1791) • Koca Yusuf Pasha (1791–1792)

Grand Viziers of the Ottoman Empire – Dissolution (1792–1922)

Damat Melek Mehmed Pasha (1792–1794) • Safranbolulu Izzet Mehmed Pasha (1794–1798) • Kör Yusuf Ziyaüddin Pasha (1798–1805) • Bostancıbaşı Hafız Ismail Pasha (1805–1806) • Keçiboynuzu Ibrahim Hilmi Pasha (1806–1807) • Çelebi Mustafa Pasha (1807–1808) • Alemdar Mustafa Pasha (1808) • Çavuşbaşı Memiş Pasha (1808–1809) • Kör Yusuf Ziyaüddin Pasha (1809–1811) • Laz Aziz Ahmed Pasha (1811–1812) • Hurşid Ahmed Pasha (1812–1815) • Mehmed Emin Rauf Pasha (1815–1818) • Burdurlu Derviş Mehmed Pasha (1818–1820) • Seyyid Ali Pasha (1820–1821) • Benderli Ali Pasha (1821) • Hacı Salih Pasha (1821–1822) • Bostancıbaşı Deli Abdullah Pasha (1822–1823) • Turnacızade Silahdar Ali Pasha (1823) • Mehmed Said Galip Pasha (1823–1824) • Benderli Mehmed Selim Sırrı Pasha (1824–1828) • Darendeli Topal Izzet Mehmed Pasha (1828–1829) • Reşid Mehmed Pasha (1829–1833) • Mehmed Emin Rauf Pasha (1833–1839) • Koca Mehmed Hüsrev Pasha (1839–1840) • Mehmed Emin Rauf Pasha (1840–1841) • Darendeli Topal Izzet Mehmed Pasha (1841–1842) • Mehmed Emin Rauf Pasha (1842–1846) • Koca Mustafa Reşid Pasha (1846–1848) • Ibrahim Sarim Pasha (1848) • Koca Mustafa Reşid Pasha (1848–1852) • Mehmed Emin Rauf Pasha (1852) • Koca Mustafa Reşid Pasha (1852) • Mehmed Emin Âli Pasha (1852) • Damat Mehmed Ali Pasha (1852–1853) • Giritli Mustafa Naili Pasha (1853–1854) • Kıbrıslı Mehmed Emin Pasha (1854) • Koca Mustafa Reşid Pasha (1854–1855) • Mehmed Emin Âli Pasha (1855–1856) • Koca Mustafa Reşid Pasha (1856–1857) • Giritli Mustafa Naili Pasha (1857) • Koca Mustafa Reşid Pasha (1857–1858) • Mehmed Emin Âli Pasha (1858–1859) • Kıbrıslı Mehmed Emin Pasha (1859) • Mütercim Mehmed Rüşdi Pasha (1859–1860) • Kıbrıslı Mehmed Emin Pasha (1860–1861) • Mehmed Emin Âli Pasha (1861) • Keçecizade Mehmed Emin Fuad Pasha (1861–1866) • Yusuf Kamil Pasha (1863) • Keçecizade Mehmed Emin Fuad Pasha (1863–1866) • Mütercim Mehmed Rüşdi Pasha (1866–1867) • Mehmed Emin Âli Pasha (1866–1871) • Mahmud Nedim Pasha (1871–1872) • Ahmet Şefik Mithat Pasha (1872) • Mütercim Mehmed Rüşdi Pasha (1872–1873) • Sakızlı Ahmed Esad Pasha (1873) • Şirvanlızade Mehmed Rüşdi Pasha (1873–1874) • Hüseyin Avni Pasha (1874–1875) • Sakızlı Ahmed Esad Pasha (1875) • Mahmud Nedim Pasha (1875–1876) • Mütercim Mehmed Rüşdi Pasha (1876–1876) • Ahmet Şefik Mithat Pasha (1876–1877) • Ibrahim Edhem Pasha (1877–1878) • Ahmed Hamdi Pasha (1878) • Ahmed Vefik Pasha (1878) • Mehmed Sadık Pasha (1878) • Mütercim Mehmed Rüşdi Pasha (1878) • Mehmed Esad Saffet Pasha (1878) • Tunuslu Hayreddin Pasha (1878–1879) • Ahmed Arifi Pasha (1879) • Küçük Mehmed Said Pasha (1879–1880) • Cenanizade Mehmed Kadri Pasha (1880) • Küçük Mehmed Said Pasha (1880–1882) • Abdurrahman Nureddin Pasha (1882) • Küçük Mehmed Said Pasha (1882) • Ahmed Vefik Pasha (1882) • Küçük Mehmed Said Pasha (1882–1885) • Kıbrıslı Mehmed Kamil Pasha (1885–1891) • Kabaağaçlızade Ahmed Cevat Pasha (1891–1895) • Küçük Mehmed Said Pasha (1895) • Kıbrıslı Mehmed Kamil Pasha (1895) • Halil Rıfat Pasha (1895–1901) • Küçük Mehmed Said Pasha (1901–1903) • Avlonyalı Mehmed Ferid Pasha (1903–1908) • Küçük Mehmed Said Pasha (1908) • Kıbrıslı Mehmed Kamil Pasha (1908–1909) • • Hüseyin Hilmi Pasha (1909) • Ahmed Tevfik Pasha (1909) • Hüseyin Hilmi Pasha (1909–1910) • Ibrahim Hakkı Pasha (1910–1911) • Küçük Mehmed Said Pasha (1911–1912) • Gazi Ahmed Muhtar Pasha (1912) • Kıbrıslı Mehmed Kamil Pasha (1912–1913) • Mahmud Şevket Pasha (1913) • Said Halim Pasha (1913–1917) • Mehmed Talat Pasha (1917–1918) • Ahmed Izzet Pasha (1918) • Ahmed Tevfik Pasha (1918–1919) • Damat Ferid Pasha (1919) • Ali Rıza Pasha (1919–1920) • Hulusi Salih Pasha (1920) • Damat Ferid Pasha (1920) • Ahmed Tevfik Pasha (1920–1922)

Grand Vizier

See also