Ottoman titles

There were many titles of nobility in the Ottoman Empire, but as in many oriental traditions nobility was generally not hereditary as in the west, except for the ruling house, but rather conferred by office, with limited rights for one or more following generations.

Widely known are Pasha, Bey, Effendi, Kaymakam, Wāli and Kaptan-ı Derya.

The Ottoman dynasty

The sovereign's main titles were (Great) Sultan and Padishah, of Arabic viz. Persian origin. His full style was the result of a long historical accumulation of titles expressing the empire's rights and claims as successor to the various states it annexed or subdued.

A late version translates as: Sultan (given name) Khan, Sovereign of the House of Osman, Sultan of Sultans, Khan of Khans, Commander of the Faithful and Successor of the Prophet of the Lord of the Universe, Protector of the Holy Cities of Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, Emperor of The Three Cities of Constantinople, Andrinopole and Bursa, and of the Cities of Damascus and Cairo, of all Azerbaijan, of the Magris, of Barka, of Kairuan, of Aleppo, of Arabic Iraq and of Ajim, of Basra, of El Hasa, of Dilen, of Raka, of Mosul, of Parthia, of Diyarbakır, of Cicilia, of the Vilayets of Erzurum, of Sivas, of Adana, of Karaman, Van, of Barbary, of Abyssinia, of Tunisia, of Tripoli, of Damascus, of Cyprus, of Rhodes, of Candia, of the Vilayet of the Morea, of the Marmara Sea, the Black Sea and also its coasts, of Anatolia, of Rumelia, Baghdad, Kurdistan, Greece, Turkistan, Tartary, Circassia, of the two regions of Kabarda, of Georgia, of the plain of Kypshak, of the whole country of the Tartars, of Kefa and of all the neighbouring countries, of Bosnia and its dependencies, of the City and Fort of Belgrade, of the Vilayet of Serbia, with all the castles, forts and cities, of all Albania, of all Iflak and Bogdania, as well as all the dependencies and borders, and many other countries and cities.

The Heir Apparent was styled in full: "Daulatlu Najabatlu Vali Ahad-i-Sultanat (given name) Effendi Hazlatlari", i.e. Crown Prince, with the style of His Imperial Highness.

Other Male descendants of a Sovereign in the male line: "Daulatlu Najabatlu Shahzada Sultan (given name) Hazretleri Effendi", i.e. Prince (given name) Effendi, with the style of His Imperial Highness.

The husbands of Imperial Princesses: "Damad-i-Shahyari (given name) Bey Effendi", the latter, only if not possessed of a higher rank or title, with the style of His Highness.

The sons of Imperial Princesses: "Sultanzada (given name) Bey-Effendi", i.e. Prince, with the style of His Highness.

The grandsons of Imperial Princesses in the male line merely: (given name) "Bey."

ources and references

* [http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Turkey/turkey.htm RoyalArk-Turkey]