Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam (Sadrazam) (in Ottoman Turkish: صدر اعظم or وزیر اعظم), deriving from the Arabic word vizier (وزير), was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself. He held the imperial seal and could convene all other viziers to attend to affairs of the state; the viziers in conference were called "Kubbealtı viziers" in reference to their meeting place, the Kubbealtı ('under the dome') in Topkapı Palace. His offices were located at the Sublime Porte. "Grand Vizier" (Vazīr-e Azam) is also the official Urdu title of the Pakistani Prime Minister (ministers are titled "vizier").
Read more about Grand Vizier: Grand Viziers of The Ottoman Empire, Grand Viziers of The Mughal Empire
Famous quotes containing the word grand:
“Unpretending mediocrity is good, and genius is glorious; but a weak flavor of genius in an essentially common person is detestable. It spoils the grand neutrality of a commonplace character, as the rinsings of an unwashed wine-glass spoil a draught of fair water.”
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809–1894)