Vizier

A vizier (

Abbasid caliphs gave the title wazir to a minister formerly called katib (secretary), who was at first merely a helper but afterwards became the representative and successor of the dapir (official scribe or secretary) of the Sassanian kings.^[3]

In modern usage, the term has been used for government ministers in much of the Middle East and beyond.

Several alternative spellings are used in English, such as vizir, wazir, and vezir.

Etymology

Vizier is likely to be derived from the Arabic wazara (lit. 'to bear a burden'), from the

Abbasid caliphs, the term acquired the meaning of "representative" or "deputy".^[6]

Another possibility is that it is

Modern Persian form of the word which is večer which means judge.^[7] This etymology is support by most of the science , also supported by Johnny Cheung,^[8] Ernest David Klein^[4] and Richard Nelson Frye.^[9]

Historical ministerial titles

The office of vizier arose under the first Abbasid caliphs,^[6] and spread across the Muslim world.

The vizier stood between sovereign and subjects, representing the former in all matters touching the latter.

Shari'a, whereas the former could also be a non-Muslim or even a slave, although women continued to be expressly barred from the office.^[12]

Historically, the term has been used to describe two very different ways: either for a unique position, the prime minister at the head of the monarch's government (the term

Grand Vizier always refers to such a post), or as a shared 'cabinet rank', rather like a British secretary of state

. If one such vizier is the prime minister, he may hold the title of Grand Vizier or another title.

In Islamic states

The title was first used in the early Abbasid Caliphate, cf. Vizier (Abbasid Caliphate).
In Muslim
Shahanshah was commonly styled Vazīr-e Azam ('Supreme -, i.e. Grand Vizier'; alternative titles include Atabeg-e Azam
and Sardār-e Azam), and various Ministers held cabinet rank as vazir, including a Vazir-i-Daftar (minister for finance) and a Vazir-i-Lashkar (war portfolio).

In
Taifa kingdoms the title proliferated and became a generic court title.^[14] During the later Umayyads, viziers were also appointed outside the capital as provincial governors or commanders, a practice which continued until the fall of the Emirate of Granada in the 15th century. The Spanish word alguacil (governor, official with civil or criminal duties) derives from this.^[14]

In Muslim Egypt, the most populous Arab country:
- Vizier under the Fatimid Caliphs.
- Again since the effective end of Ottoman rule, remarkably since 1857 (i.e. before the last Wali (governor), Isma`il Pasha, was raised Khedive (circa Viceroy, on 8 June 1867), exchanged for the western prime ministers on 28 August 1878 (before the formally independent sultanate was proclaimed).
During the days of the
Bosnian uprising
of 1831). Also, many of the viziers originated from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, as well as other countries and from various ethnicities.
In the Sherifian kingdom of
Amir al-Mu´minin
"Commander of the Faithful" stayed in use), a Sadr al-A'zam (Grand Vizier) was in office until 22 November 1955, replaced since 7 December 1955 a (part-political) Prime Minister; Vizier was the style of a minister of state (other titles for various portfolios).
In the Adal Sultanate located in the Horn of Africa.^[15]
In the
Grand Sharif), maintained after the assumption of the Caliphal style
(only 11 March 1924 – 3 October 1924)

In the 'regency' of
Husainid Dynasty
, various ministers of the Bey, including:
Wazir al-Akbar (or El Ouzir El Kébir): 'great minister', i.e. grand vizier, chief minister or prime minister.

Wazir al-'Amala (or El Ouzir El Amala): Minister for the Interior.

Wazir al-Bahr (or El Ouzir El Bahr): Minister 'of the Sea', i.e. for the Navy/ Marine.

Wazir al-Harb (or El Ouzir El Harb): Minister for the Army or Minister for War.

Wazir al-Istishara (or El Ouzir El Istichara): Minister-Counsellor.

Wazir al-Qalam: Minister of the Pen.

Wazir ud-Daula (or El Ouzir El Dawla): Minister of State.

Wazir us-Shura (or El Ouzir Ech Choura): Privy Counsellor.
In Oman the Hami/Sultan's chief minister was styled Wazir till 1966, but in 1925–1932 there was also or instead a chairman of the council of Ministers; since 1970 the style is prime minister.
In the Bengal Sultanate, many local officials had the title of Wazir/Uzir
Viziers to the Sultans of
Resident (Minister)s
, an extremely direct form of indirect rule (before and after chief- or prime ministers, generally native).
chieftaincy title in most of northern Nigeria. Indeed, most of the emirs
in northern Nigeria have a "Waziri", who is usually a high-ranking adviser to the emir.

In pre- and colonial (notably British)
Nawab wasir, Pradhan
, etc.

In the (former) sultanate of the Maldives (Divehi language), the prime minister was styled Bodu Vizier, and various Ministers held cabinet rank as vazierin (plural), including Hakura'a (portfolio of Public Works), Shahbandar (Navy portfolio, also admiral in chief), Vela'ana'a (Foreign Affairs).
In Afghanistan, under the Durrani dynasty, the chief minister was styled Vazīr-e Azam or Wazir-i-azam (1801–1880); the Vazīr-e Darbār or Wazir al-durbar was the ('House') Minister of the Royal Court.
List of Ghaznavid Viziers
In the Mataram Kingdom and subsequent sultanates, a wazir was a chief minister to the sultan.
In the Durrani Empire, numerous wazirs were appointed over different rulers.

Modern post-monarchy use

Wazīr is the standard

Arabic word for a government minister. Prime ministers are usually termed as Ra'īs al-Wuzara (literally, president of the ministers) or al-Wazīr al-'Awwal (prime minister). The latter term is generally found in the Maghreb, while the former is typical of usage in the Mashriq (broadly defined, including Egypt, Sudan, Levant, Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula). Thus, for example, the Prime Minister of Egypt

is in Arabic a wazīr.

In Iran the ministers of government are called Vazir in Persian (e.g. foreign/health Vazir), and prime minister of state before the removal of the post, was called as Nokhost Vazir.

In Pakistan, the prime minister (de facto ruling politician, formally under the president) is called Vazīr-e Azam (Persian for Grand vizier), other Ministers are styled vazirs.

In India, Vazīr is the official translation of minister in the Urdu language, and is used in ministerial oath taking ceremonies conducted in Urdu.

In East Africa – Kenya and Tanzania, ministers are referred to as Waziri in Swahili and prime ministers as Waziri Mkuu.

In the Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan is sometimes given the honorific title of Wazir

In

foreign minister

is known as Vazir-e-Xārjah.

In Brunei the vizier is classified into five titles, which are:

The current head of vizier or Perdana Wazir of Brunei is Prince
Mohamed Bolkiah
.
His Royal Highness Pengiran Bendahara Seri Maharaja Permaisuara Prince Haji
Sufri Bolkiah
His Royal Highness Pengiran Digadong Sahibul Mal Prince Haji
Jefri Bolkiah
Pengiran Pemancha Sahibul Rae' Wal-Mashuarah – vacant
Pengiran Temanggong Sahibul Bahar – vacant

Princely title

In the rare case of the Indian princely state of Jafarabad (Jafrabad, founded c. 1650), ruled by Thanadars, in 1702 a state called Janjira was founded, with rulers (six incumbents) styled wazir; when, in 1762, Jafarabad and Janjira states entered into personal union, both titles were maintained until (after 1825) the higher style of Nawab was assumed.^{[citation needed]}

Art

In contemporary literature and

King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow.^{[citation needed}

]

A much older example of this archetype is the character

Persia, and her role in stopping the plot of Haman, chief advisor to the Persian king, to wipe out all Jews living in Persia.^{[citation needed}

]

Throughout history the notion of the sinister Grand Vizier has often been invoked when a political leader appears to be developing a cozy relationship with a spiritual advisor of questionable scruples or talents. This stereotype is frequently mentioned in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, as for example in both Sourcery and Interesting Times. Another instance of a sinister Grand Vizier in entertainment can be found in the science fiction series Lexx, the primary antagonist in the second season being Mantrid, the self-proclaimed "greatest Bio-Vizier of all time."^{[citation needed]}

Some famous viziers in history

Arabian Nights
Jafar)
Amir Kabir of the Qajar dynasty in Iran history
Ghaznavid dynasty in Iran
history

Islamic Spain

Seljuks

history

Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha of the Ottoman Empire. ^[a]
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha of the Ottoman Empire.^[a]
Köprülü Fazıl Ahmed Pasha of the Ottoman Empire.^[a]

Influence on chess

In Shatranj, from which modern chess developed, the piece corresponding to the modern chess "queen" (though far weaker) was often called Wazīr. Up to the present, the word for the queen piece in chess is still called by variants of the word "vazīr" in Middle Eastern languages, as well as in Hungarian ("vezér", meaning "leader") and Russian ("ferz' (ферзь)").

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c In the Ottoman Empire Grand vizier

References

^ "vizier". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021.
"vizier". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary.
^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Wazir" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 435.
^ R. A. Nicholson, A Literary History of the Arabs, p. 257
^ ^a ^b "vizier". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2017-07-22.
^ Goyṭayn, Šelomo D.. Studies in Islamic history and institutions. P.171. Compare Quran 20:29, Quran 25:35 and Quran 94:02.
^ ^a ^b ^c Zaman 2002, p. 185.
^
ISBN 9789004153523
.

^ Cheung, Johnny (2016-06-06), On the (Middle) Iranian borrowings in Qur'ānic (and pre-Islamic) Arabic, retrieved 2023-03-10
JSTOR 40120947
.

^ "vizier", Encyclopædia Britannica 2010, Retrieved on 2010-06-17.

^ Zaman 2002, pp. 186–187.

^ Zaman 2002, p. 187.

^ Carmona 2002, pp. 191–192.

^ ^a ^b Carmona 2002, p. 192.

ISBN 978-1-136-28097-9
.

Sources

Bianquis, Th. (2002). "Wazīr. I. In the Arab World 2. The Fāṭimid caliphate". In
ISBN 978-90-04-12756-2
.

Carmona, A. (2002). "Wazīr. I. In the Arab World 4. Muslim Spain". In
ISBN 978-90-04-12756-2
.

Eddé, Anne-Marie (2002). "Wazīr. I. In the Arab World 3. The Ayyūbids". In
ISBN 978-90-04-12756-2
.

ISBN 978-90-04-12756-2
.

Lambton, Ann K. S. (2002). "Wazīr. II. In Persia". In
ISBN 978-90-04-12756-2
.

Zaman, Muhammad Qasim (2002). "Wazīr. I. In the Arab World 1. The ʿAbbāsids.". In
ISBN 978-90-04-12756-2
.

Etymology OnLine

Authority control databases: National

Germany

Israel

United States

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vizier&oldid=1215967534"

[fn1-16] In the Ottoman Empire Grand vizier

[reference1-1] "vizier". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021.
"vizier". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary.

[EB1911-2] Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Wazir" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 435.

[3] R. A. Nicholson, A Literary History of the Arabs, p. 257

[:0-4] "vizier". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2017-07-22.

[5] Goyṭayn, Šelomo D.. Studies in Islamic history and institutions. P.171. Compare Quran 20:29, Quran 25:35 and Quran 94:02.

[FOOTNOTEZaman2002185-6] Zaman 2002, p. 185.

[jeffery-7] 
ISBN 9789004153523
.

[8] Cheung, Johnny (2016-06-06), On the (Middle) Iranian borrowings in Qur'ānic (and pre-Islamic) Arabic, retrieved 2023-03-10

[9] JSTOR 40120947
.

[britannica-10] "vizier", Encyclopædia Britannica 2010, Retrieved on 2010-06-17.

[FOOTNOTEZaman2002186–187-11] Zaman 2002, pp. 186–187.

[FOOTNOTEZaman2002187-12] Zaman 2002, p. 187.

[FOOTNOTECarmona2002191–192-13] Carmona 2002, pp. 191–192.

[FOOTNOTECarmona2002192-14] Carmona 2002, p. 192.

[15] ISBN 978-1-136-28097-9
.

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