Kazasker

Chief Judge of the Ottoman Empire

A kazasker or kadıasker (Ottoman Turkish: قاضی عسكر, ḳāḍī'asker, "military judge") was a chief judge in the Ottoman Empire, so named originally because his jurisdiction extended to the cases of soldiers, who were later tried only by their own officers.^[1]^{[better source needed]} Two kazaskers were appointed, called Rumeli Kazaskeri and Anadolu Kazaskeri, having their jurisdiction respectively over the European and the Asiatic part of the Empire. They were subordinated to the Grand Vizier, later Şeyhülislam, and had no jurisdiction over the city of Constantinople. Moreover, they attended the meetings at the Imperial Council.^[2]

A Kazasker handled appeals to the decisions of kadı's, had the power to overrule these, and suggested kadı candidates to the Grand Vizier.

References

^ Webster (1913), sub voce
^ Mantran (1995), pp. 115-16

Sources

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
Mantran, Robert (1998). La vita quotidiana a Constantinopoli ai tempi di Solimano il Magnifico e dei suoi successori (XVI e XVII secolo) (in Italian) (3 ed.). Milan: Rizzoli.

State organisation of the Ottoman Empire

Central system

House of Osman

Ottoman dynasty (Ottoman Caliphate)
Seraglio
Imperial Harem
Enderûn
- Palace Schools

Government

Imperial Council (Porte) (classical period)	Grand Vizier Viziers Kazaskers Defterdars/Ministers of Finance Nişancı Reis ül-Küttab Dragoman of the Porte Birûn
Imperial Government (reform period)	Cadastre Bureau Ministry of Evkaf Ministry of Finance Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Interior Ministry of Justice
General Assembly (constitutional period)	Senate Chamber of Deputies (political parties)

Administrative
divisions

Millets	Islam Sheikh ul-Islam Christianity Eastern Orthodox Armenian Apostolic Syriac Orthodox Coptic Orthodox Judaism Hakham Bashi
Provincial	Eyalets Beylerbeys Vilayets Sanjaks Sanjakbeys Mutasarrifates Kazas/Kadiluks Vassal and tributary states Rayas