ABSTRACT

The term vizier is derived from the Arabic term wazir, the core meaning of which refers to “bearing a load.” This is an apt definition, because the viziers were those that headed the administrations of caliphs, amirs, and sultans throughout the continuum of medieval Islamic history. The modern studies of viziers have focused on a number of key questions: the origins of the office and its early duties; the varied roles played by viziers over the centuries; and case studies of important families of viziers ranging from the ‘Abbasid period through the Ottoman era. One theme that runs throughout the history of the vizierate in Islamic history is the personal nature of the power dynamics in Islamic administrations. Viziers could rise from humble secretarial posts or even slavery to the extreme heights of wealth and power, only to be removed from office and/or killed by the whims of caliphs or sultans. This “hire and fire at will” nature of the post did not deter many from seeking it for themselves and their family members. As is seen in the examples of the Barmakids and the Banu ’l-Furat of the ‘Abbasid period and the Çandarli and Köprülü families of the Ottoman Empire, the personal nature of the vizierate also helped create dynasties of capable administrators.