DivanBeghis

DivanBeghis is a historical administrative title found in Turkic and Persianate states, most commonly rendered as Divanbegi or Dīwānbegī. The term combines divan, meaning council or state chancery, with beg, meaning lord or chieftain, and the suffix -i denoting an office. The Divanbegi served as the chief clerk or secretary of the imperial chancery, overseeing record-keeping, legal decrees, and correspondence between the sovereign, provincial authorities, and other branches of government. In many periods and kingdoms, the office was high in the bureaucratic hierarchy, often directly under the ruler or the grand vizier, with responsibilities including supervising scribes, drafting imperial edicts, maintaining registers, and ensuring the orderly transmission of orders.

The role appears in various Persianate and Turkic realms, including the Ottoman Empire and other successor states, though its exact duties and rank varied by era and polity. In some contexts, the position could carry significant influence due to control over official communications and archival resources; in others it was primarily administrative. The form and usage of the title evolved with administrative reforms and shifts in chancery organization, and in many later periods it faded or was replaced by other offices.

Notable historical references to Divanbegi-like offices are found in imperial chronicles and chancery records, which document the appointments, duties, and occasional conflicts surrounding those who held the post. See also: Divan, Beg (title), Dīwān.