vezir

Vezir, also rendered vizier or wazir, is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in many Islamic and Persianate states. The term derives from the Arabic wazir, meaning helper or deputy, and entered Persian and Turkish usage as vazir or vezir. In English, the form vizier is common, though local spellings vary.

Historically, viziers were members of the royal court who advised rulers, managed state affairs, and could be responsible for finances, diplomacy, and the administration of government. In large empires such as the Abbasid Caliphate, Seljuk and Ottoman realms, Safavid Iran, and the Mughal Empire, the vizier often served as the chief minister. The position ranged from a trusted counsellor to a powerful prime minister with wide executive authority, occasionally acting as the ruler in the absence or weakness of the sovereign.

Notably in the Ottoman Empire, the highest vizier was the grand vizier (often called sadrazam in Turkish), who headed the imperial council (Divan) and directed government business on behalf of the sultan. Similar roles existed in other realms, with vizierates sometimes controlling finance, military command, or provincial administration; conflicts between sultans and viziers could shape the course of a state. The office gradually declined in many states with the centralization of power and bureaucratization in the early modern period.

Today, the term persists mainly in historical context or in fictional works; in some languages it remains the title for ministers or high officials, while in modern states the term vizier is rarely used for actual government offices.