Serdar (Ottoman rank)

Serdar was a military rank in the Ottoman Empire and Montenegro. It means a head (ser) of place/land (dar). Serdars especially served at the borders of Ottoman Empire. They were responsible for security of lands. For example, Yakup Ağa who was the father of Barbaros from Yenice.

Etymology

Serdar is a two-part name. "Ser" is a prefix meaning head or chief; "dar" is a suffix, it means patriot. "Ser" is a Persian word and "dar" is an Arabic word.

Uses

• Serdar is a popular male name in Turkey.
• Serdar-ı Ekrem or (Serdar-ı Azam) means the chief commander with the highest rank and thus it sometimes refers to the Sadrazam of the Ottoman Empire.
• Serdar is also used as a noun (especially to give a nostalgic feeling) with its original meaning (i.e. commander-in-chief) in Turkish.

For example, "Ordunun serdarı yiğit savaşçılarına saldırı emrini verdi." (means "The commander-in-chief of the force ordered his brave fighters to attack."

• The word has been adapted in English with its original or related spellings, i.e. serdar, sardar, sirdar, all meaning commander-in-chief of an army. However, these words are not used in everyday terminology.

See also

• Serdar or Gyzylarbat is a city in Turkmenistan state.