This article is about the Arabic title. For the astronomical catalogue service, see
VizieR. For the office in ancient Egypt, see
Vizier (Ancient Egypt).
A vizier (/ˈvɪziər/;[1]Arabic: وزير,
romanized: wazīr;
Persian: وزیر,
romanized: vazīr) is a high-ranking political advisor or
minister in the
Near East.[2] The
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
Semitic rootW-Z-R(Semitic root can show Iranic root).[4] The word is mentioned in the
Quran, where
Aaron is described as the wazir (helper) of Moses, as well as the word wizr (burden) which is also derived from the same root.[5] It was later adopted as a title, in the form of wazīr āl Muḥammad (
lit.'Helper of the Family of Muhammad') by the proto-
Shi'a leaders
al-Mukhtar and
Abu Salama.[6] Under the
Abbasid caliphs, the term acquired the meaning of "representative" or "deputy".[6]
Another possibility is that it is
Iranian word, from the
Pahlavi root of vičir, which originally had the meaning of a decree, mandate, and command, but later as its use in
Dinkard also suggests, came to mean judge or magistrate.[7] Arthur Jeffery considers the word to be a "good Iranian" word, as it has a well-established root in
Avestan language.[7] The Pahlavi vičir, is in fact from the Avestan vīčira, which means deciding.[7] This Avestan root is behind the
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.[10] The 11th-century legal theorist
al-Mawardi defined two types of viziers: wazīr al-tanfīdh ("vizier of execution"), who had limited powers and served to implement the caliph's policies, and the far more powerful wazīr al-tafwīd ("vizier with delegated powers"), with authority over civil and military affairs, and enjoyed the same powers as the caliph, except in the matter of the succession or the appointment of officials.[11] Al-Mawardi stressed that the latter, as an effective viceroy, had to be a Muslim well versed in the 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 Muslim
Persia, the prime minister under the political authority of the
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
al-Andalus, the
UmayyadCaliphs of Córdoba appointed a varying number of viziers, as heads of departments in the bureaucracy, ministers with specific tasks, and royal councillors; at one point, in 1008, there were as many as 29 viziers at the same time. Unlike the Islamic east, the senior office of the Umayyad state was that of the chamberlain (hajib).[13] Under the
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]
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
Ottoman Empire, the
Grand Vizier was the—often de facto ruling—
prime minister, second only to the Sultan and was the leader of the Divan, the
Imperial Council. "Vizier" was also the title of some Ottoman provincial governors, such as in
Bosnia and Herzegovina, where usage of the title often indicated a greater degree of autonomy for the province involved and the greater prestige of the title holder (this was, for example, a major issue in 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
Morocco (historically a sultanate till the incumbent assumed the higher royal style of Malik on 14 August 1957, shortly after the end of the simultaneous French and Spanish protectorates; the additional Islamic title 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 'regency' of
Tunisia, under the
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
Zanzibar (a branch of the Omani dynasty); since 1890 filled by British, also known as
first ministers, (1 July 1913 – 23 February 1961) the British
Resident (Minister)s, an extremely direct form of indirect rule (before and after chief- or prime ministers, generally native).
Grand Viziers to the
Sultan of Sokoto – however, this is disputed. The title "Waziri" is apparently a derivative of this word, and is a highly regarded
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)
India many rulers, even some Hindu princes, had a vizier as chief minister – compare
Diwan,
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.
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
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 full title is His Royal Highness Perdana Wazir Sahibul Himmah Wal-Waqar Prince Haji
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
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]
A much older example of this archetype is the character
Haman from the
biblical book of
Esther. The book describes the rise of a
Jewish woman to
Queen of
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]
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)").
See also
Look up vizier in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.