Agha ( tr, ağa;
ota, آغا; fa, آقا, āghā; "chief, master, lord"
) is an
honorific
An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...
title for a civilian or officer, or often part of such title. In the Ottoman times, some court functionaries and leaders of organizations like bazaar or the janissary units were entitled to the ''agha'' title. In rural communities, this term is used for people who own considerable lands and are influential in their community. Regardless of a rural community, this title is also used for any male that is influential or respected.
Etymology
The word ''agha'' entered English from Turkish,
and the Turkish word comes from the
Old Turkic
Old Turkic (also East Old Turkic, Orkhon Turkic language, Old Uyghur) is the earliest attested form of the Turkic languages, found in Göktürks, Göktürk and Uyghur Khaganate inscriptions dating from about the eighth to the 13th century. It ...
''aqa'', meaning "elder brother". It is an equivalent of
Mongolian word ''aqa'' or ''aka''.
Other uses
"Agha" is nowadays used as a common
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
honorific title for men, the equivalent of "mister" in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
.
[Khani, S., and R. Yousefi. "The study of address terms and their translation from Persian to English." (2014).] The corresponding honorific term for women is
khanum
Khanum, Hanum, Khanom, or Khanoum ( kz, Hanym/Ханйм, uz, Xonim/Хоним, az, Xanım, tr, Hanım, fa, خانم, hi, ख़ानुम, bn, খাঁনম/খানম, ar, خانم, ur, خانم, sq, Hanëm) is a female royal and ...
.
See also
*
State organisation of the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire developed over the years as a despotism with the Sultan as the supreme ruler of a centralized government that had an effective control of its provinces, officials and inhabitants. Wealth and rank could be inherited but were ...
*
Agaluk
An Agaluk ( tr, Ağalık) was a feudal unit of the Ottoman Empire governed by an ''agha'' (tax collector landlord).
In Bosnian history, an agaluk may often refer to land ''owned'' by an ''aga''.
See also
*Subdivisions of the Ottoman Empire
*Ka ...
*
Aga Khan
Aga Khan ( fa, آقاخان, ar, آغا خان; also transliterated as ''Aqa Khan'' and ''Agha Khan'') is a title held by the Imām of the Nizari Ismāʿīli Shias. Since 1957, the holder of the title has been the 49th Imām, Prince Shah Karim ...
*
Agha of the Janissaries
The Agha of the Janissaries or Janissary Agha () was a top Ottoman military official and courtier, and the commander of the Janissary corps. Apart from the commander-general of the entire corps, the title of "Agha of the Janissaries" was also bor ...
*
Kapi Agha
The Kapi Agha ( tr, Kapı ağası, " Agha of the Gate"), formally called the Agha of the Gate of Felicity (''Bâbüssaâde ağası''), was the head of the eunuch servants of the Ottoman Seraglio until the late 16th century, when this post was taken ...
*
Kizlar Agha
The kizlar agha ( ota, قيزلر اغاسی, tr, kızlar ağası, ), formally the agha of the House of Felicity ( ota, links=no, دار السعاده اغاسي, tr, links=no, Darüssaade Ağası), was the head of the eunuchs who guarded the i ...
*
Silahdar Agha
The Silahdar Agha was a palace office of the Ottoman Empire, denoting the principal page of the Ottoman Sultan. As such its holders were persons of great influence, and provided many senior officials and even Grand Viziers.
The title derives fro ...
References
{{Authority control
Court titles
Government of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman titles
Titles in Iran
Titles of national or ethnic leadership
Titles in Lebanon
Military ranks of the Ottoman Empire
Janissaries
Titles in Bosnia and Herzegovina during Ottoman period