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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 ...
word for 'outside') was the term used in the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
to designate the "Outer Service" of the imperial court, concerned with the public affairs of the
Ottoman sultans The sultans of the Ottoman Empire (), who were all members of the Ottoman dynasty (House of Osman), ruled over the Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental empire from its perceived inception in 1299 to Dissolution of the Ottoman Em ...
, as opposed to the private "Inner Service" (). Its name derives from the location of its offices in the outer court of the Topkapi Palace, which in turn echoed the arrangements of the palace in
Edirne Edirne (; ), historically known as Orestias, Adrianople, is a city in Turkey, in the northwestern part of the Edirne Province, province of Edirne in Eastern Thrace. Situated from the Greek and from the Bulgarian borders, Edirne was the second c ...
, the Ottomans' second capital. The scope of the was very extensive. As the Ottomanist
Halil İnalcık Halil İnalcık (7 September 1916 – 25 July 2016) was a Turkish historian. His highly influential research centered on social and economic approaches to the Ottoman Empire. His academic career started at Ankara University, where he completed h ...
writes, "The Outside Service comprised all the organizations regulating the sultan's relations with the outside world, comprising governmental and ceremonial offices and the sultan's standing army". The included a number of senior officials, who had typically previously been enrolled as pages, educated in the palace school, and served in the . These were: * the
Agha of the Janissaries The Agha of the Janissaries or Janissary Agha (; ) was a top Ottoman Empire, 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 Janissar ...
(), commander of the Janissary Corps * the Keeper of the Sultan's Standard () * the Chief Doorkeeper () and his lieutenant () * the Master of the Horse () * the Chief Falkoner () * the Chief Taster () * the Chief Usher () * the Aghas commanding the household cavalry divisions () * the Chief Armourer () * the Chief Gunner () * the Chief Coachman () In addition, a special corps existed in the s, sons of serving
pasha Pasha (; ; ) was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, generals, dignitary, dignitaries, and others. ''Pasha'' was also one of the highest titles in the 20th-century Kingdom of ...
s or vassal rulers, who were enrolled in the Outer Service, received uniforms and pay, and participated in court ceremonies.


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