erkân

Erkân is a Turkish term historically used to denote pillars, foundations, or essential parts of a system. It derives from the Arabic rukn and is written with diacritic marks in Turkish as Erkân. In classical Turkish and Ottoman contexts, the word carried the sense of principal components or organs of a state, organization, or body, often in formal compound titles.

In Ottoman administrative and military vocabulary, Erkân referred to the major branches or cadres of the empire. The most well-known usage is Erkân-ı Harbiye, the Military Staff, the chief body responsible for planning and directing war and general defense. Similar formations appeared in other "Erkan-ı" titles describing distinct departments or corps.

In modern Turkish, Erkân also appears as a proper name in some contexts. The common given name is Erkan, with Erkân appearing mainly in formal or historic spellings. The plural Erkân itself can be encountered in historical documents as "the erkân of..." referring to the bodies or authorities that make up a governing or military structure.

References to Erkân are typically found in linguistic, historical, and administrative discussions of Ottoman and Turkish governance. See also Erkan, rukn.