CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2025
| Author | Yilmaz, Amine |
|---|---|
| Title | From Sultanic Shadow To Caliphal Partner: Reconceptualizing Vezaret (Vizierate) During The Reign Of Suleyman I (1520-1566) |
| Summary | This thesis examines the transformation of the Ottoman vizierate during the reign of sultan Süleyman I (1520–1566), focusing on its evolution from a sultanic advisory role to a central governing authority. Through a close reading of key texts produced by scholar-bureaucrats, it demonstrates how concepts such as meşveret (consultation), akl (reasoning), and tedbir (good management) were reinterpreted from abstract ethical ideals into practical governance tools. The study is structured around three main arguments. First, it traces the institutionalization of the vizierate under Süleyman I, showing how the grand vizier was redefined as the sultan’s absolute deputy and the empire’s chief executive institution. Second, it explores the vizierate’s interaction with key Islamic governance concepts, emphasizing the Ottomans’ results-driven approach and their ability to adapt classical ideas to address the challenges of a diverse and dynamic empire. Third, it examines the relationship between hilafet (caliphate) and the vizierate, arguing that the redefinition of the caliphate as a sacred and symbolic institution facilitated its expansion into the empire’s de facto executive power. Together, these arguments reveal how the vizierate became a dynamic institution that balanced continuity with innovation, ensuring the empire’s stability during a period of profound transformation. By highlighting the Ottomans’ pragmatism, creative adaptations, and conscious awareness of their historical moment, this thesis contributes to a broader understanding of Ottoman political thought and its enduring relevance in the history of governance. It also opens avenues for further research into the vizierate’s evolution in later periods and its role in the empire’s interactions with other Islamic states. |
| Supervisor | Krstic, Tijana; Börekçi, Günhan |
| Department | Historical Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2025/yilmaz_amine.pdf |
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