Ottoman Empire Overview

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The Ottoman Empire: Focus on Society


By the 16th century, the vast and mighty empire of the Ottomans had
reached the zenith of its power. The lands under Ottoman rule stretched
from the heart of Central Europe to the deserts of Arabia. In nearly every
respect, the Ottoman Empire was strong and well-organized. As such, it
comes as no surprise that the people under Ottoman rule were organized in
a neat power structure as well. From the royal Sultan to the villagers in
the rayyah class, the people of the Empire each had a unique position in
Ottoman society.
At the very top of the pyramidal societal structure was the Sultan,
absolute commander of all, and executor of decisions concerning politics
and state wealth (for the purposes of serving the state's interests). A
step below the Sultan were a small group of wealthy, esteemed leaders, who
were ascribed special status because they were essentially the Sultan's
"slaves". The main duties of this select little group were to protect and
enlarge the financial assets of the state for the benefit of the Sultan
and the Empire. These leaders also ruled and defended the far-flung
Ottoman Empire.
While the Sultan invested wealth and the leaders protected it, the
majority of commoners, the rayyahs, had the task of actually producing the
wealth. The rayyahs had to pay part of their profits from industry,
commerce, and farming to the state in the form of taxes. Townsfolk,
villagers, and pastoral peoples made up the eclectic mix of the rayyah
class. The word "rayyah" literally translates into "the protected flock of
the Sultan".
While Ottoman society was clearly divided into distinct social classes,
these classes were neither closed nor confining, meaning that with the
proper attributes and luck, a man could raise his social status. For
example, to be a member of the small ruling class below the Sultan, one
had to possess the following three qualities:

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