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Sultan

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A '''Sultan''' (Arabic language Arabic: Ø³Ù„Ø·Ø§Ù†) is an Islamic title, with several historical meanings. Originally it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", or "rulership". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain Muslim rulers who claimed full sovereignty in practical terms (i.e. the lack of dependence on any higher ruler), without claiming the overall caliphate. It then developed some further meanings in certain contexts. The dynasty and lands ruled by the Sultan is called '''Sultanate''' (Arabic language Arabic: Ø³Ù„Ø·Ù†Øª).

Muslim monarch ruling under the terms of ''shariah''
The title carries moral weight and religious authority, as the ruler's role was defined in the Qur'an. The sultan however was not a religious teacher himself. In the Byzantine Empire and the traditional spheres of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, a comparable unity of church and state in the person of the ruler is termed Caesaropapism. The last non-Islamic ruler with comparable authority was Nicholas II of Russia Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia, though formally (if not in practice) the British monarch represents a similar union of church and state, being both the head of state and the Supreme Governor of the Church of England; in practice, the Queen is merely the titular leader of church and state; this status is also under question as Charles, Prince of Wales has indicated he intends to rule as 'defender of the faiths' rather than 'defender of the faith'. The first to carry the title of 'Sultan' was the Turkmen chief Mahmud of Ghazni (ruled 998 - 1030). Later, 'Sultan' became the usual title of rulers of Seljuk Turks Seljuk and Ottoman Empire Ottoman Turks and Ayyubid dynasty Ayyubid and Mamelukes Mamluk rulers in Egypt. The spiritual validation of the title was well illustrated by the fact that it was the shadow caliph in Cairo that bestowed the title "sultan" on Murad I, the third ruler of the Ottoman Empire in 1383. The earlier leaders had been Bey beys. At later stages, lesser rulers assumed the styling "sultan", as was the case for the earlier leaders of today's royal family of Morocco. Today, only the Sultan of Oman, the Sultan of Brunei, and some titular sultans in the Mindanao southern Philippines, Java island Java, and in the former Malay States which are now part of Malaysia still use the title. The sultan's domain is properly called a '''sultanate'''. A feminine form, used by Westerners, is Sultana (title) Sultana or Sultanah; the very styling misconstrues the roles of wives of sultans. In a similar usage, the wife of a German Field-Marshal might be styled ''Feldmarschallin''. Among those modern hereditary rulers who wish to emphasize their secular authority under the rule of law, the term is gradually being replaced by 'king'.

Former sultans and sultanates

Middle East & Central Asia
*Ghaznavid Empire Ghaznavid Sultanate *Seljuk Empire Sultans of Great Seljuk *Sultanate of RÃ¼m Seljuk Sultanate of Rum *Ottoman Empire Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, the Ottoman Dynasty Osmanli *Ayyubid dynasty Ayyubid Sultans of Damascus (in Syria) *in present-day Yemen, various small sultanates of the former British Aden Protectorate and Federation of South Arabia South Arabia: ::Audhali, Fadhli, Haushabi, Kathiri, Sultanate of Lahej Lahej, Lower Aulaqi, Lower Yafa, Mahra, Qu'aiti, Subeihi, Upper Aulaqi Sultanate Upper Aulaqi, Upper Yafa, and the Wahidi sultanates *in present-day Saudi Arabia : **Nejd Sultans of Nejd **Hejaz Sultans of the Hejaz

Hami
This was the authentical style, commonly rendered as sultan, of the Islamic monarchs of the ruling house of Oman, in both its realms: *Oman — Sultan of Oman, on the southern coast of the Arabian peninsula, still an independent sultanate, since 1784, two years before the imamate lost temporal power in 1786 (assumed the formal style of Sultan in 1861) *Sultan of Zanzibar Sultanate of Zanzibar two incumbents (from the Omani dynasty) since the de faco separation from Oman in 1806, the last assumed the style Sultan in 1861 at the formal separation under British auspices; since 1964 union with Tanganyika part of Tanzania)

North Africa
*Ayyubid dynasty Ayyubid Sultans of Egypt *Mameluks Mamluk Sultans of Egypt *sultanate of Tuggurt *in Morocco

West & Central Africa
*in Cameroon: **Bamoun (Bamun, 17th cent. founded uniting 17 chieftancies) 1918 becomes a Sultanate, but 1923 re-divided into the 17 original chieftancies. **Bibemi 1770 founded- Rulers first style Lamido to ...., then Sultan **Mandara Sultanate since 1715 (replacing Wandala kingdom); 1902 Part of Cameroon **Rey Bouba Sultanate founded 1804 *in the Central African Republic: **Bangassou created c.1878; 14 June 1890 under Congo Free State protectorate, 1894 under French protectorate; 1917 Sultanate suppressed by the French. **Dar al-Kuti - French protectorate since December 12, 1897 **Rafai c.1875 Sultanate, 8 April 8, 1892 under Congo Free State protectorate, March 31 1909 under French protectorate; 1939 Sultanate suppressed **Zemio c.1872 established; December 11 1894 under Congo Free State protectorate, April 12 1909 under French protectorate; 1923 Sultanate suppressed

East Africa

=title Sultan
= *Comoros Comoros sultanates *Northern Somali sultanates *Angoshe on the Mozambiquan coast (also several neighbouring sheikdoms)

=Maliki
= This was the alternative native style (apparently derived from Malik, the Arabic word for King) of the Sultans of Kilwa Kisiwani, in Tanganyika (presently part of Tanzania)

=Mfalume
= This is the (Ki)Swahili title of various native Muslim rulers, generally rendered in Arabic and in western languages as Sultan: *in Kenya: **Pate island, in the Lamu archipel **Witu, came under German, then British protectorate *in Tanganyika (presently part of Tanzania): of Hadimu, on the island of that name; also styled '''Jembe'''

=Sultani
= This was the native ruler's title in the Tanzanian state of Uhehe

Far East
In China: * Dali, Yunnan province, capital of the short-lived Panthay Rebellion Most are however in the ethnically predominantly Malay countries: * Sultan of Brunei, Brunei In Malaysia: * Sultanate of Malacca, Malaysia * Sultanate of Sultanate of Johor Johor * Perak * Terengganu, Malaysia In Indonesia: * Aceh Sultanate of Aceh, one of many on Sumatra * Ternate Sultanate of Ternate, on Timor * Tidore Sultanate of Tidore, on Timor * Sultanate of Mataram, Java (island) Java, Indonesia In the Philippines: * Sultanate of Maguindanao, * Sultanate of Sulu, Philippines

South Asia
*Bahmani Sultanate *Bengal Sultanate of Bengal *Deccan sultanates: Berar, Bidar, Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmednagar *Delhi Sultanate Sultanate of Delhi several dynasties, the last (Mughal) became imperial Padshah-i Hind *Gujarat Sultanate of Gujarat *Jaunpur Sultanate of Jaunpur *Kandesh Sultanate of Kandesh *Maldives Maldives Sultanate *Malwa Sultanate of Malwa *Kingdom of Mysore Sultanate of Mysore

Contemporary sultanates
*Brunei *Indonesia — Sultan of Yogyakarta is governor of that province *Malaysia **''Note'': Sultan is the title of seven (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, Selangor and Terengganu) of the nine Malay Ruler rulers of the Malay states. The head of state for all Malaysia, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, is selected from among the Rulers, but is usually styled "King" in foreign countries. Political power, however, lies with Prime Minister. ''See also'': Malay titles *Oman, an Arabian nation, formerly sultanate of Mascat (and Oman)

Princely and aristocratic titles
In the Ottoman dynastic system, male descendants of the ruling ''Padishah'' (in the West also known as Great Sultan), enjoyed a style including Sultan, so this normally Monarchic title is used equivalent to a western prince of the blood: ''Daulatlu Najabatlu Shahzada Sultan'' (given name) ''Hazretleri Effendi''; for the Heir Apparent however, the style was ''Daulatlu Najabatlu Vali Ahad-i-''Sultanat'''' (given name) ''Effendi Hazlatlari'', i.e. Crown Prince of the sultanate. *The sons of Imperial Princesses, excluded from the Ottoman imperial succession, were only styled '''Sultan''zada''''' (given name) ''Bey-Effendi'', i.e. ''Son'' of a Prince[ss] of the dynasty. In certain muslim states, Sultan was also an aristocratic title, as in the Tartar Astrakhan Khanate

Compound titles
*'''Mani Sultan = Manney Sultan''', meaning 'the Pearl or rulers', or less poetically Honoured Monarch, was a subsidiary title, part of the full style of the Maharaja of Travancore

Military rank
In a number of post-caliphal states under Mongol of Turkic rule, there was a feudal type of military hierarchy, often decimal (mainly in larger empires), using originally princely titles (Khan, Malik, Amir) as mere rank denominations. In the Persian empire, the rank of Sultan was roughly equivalent to a western Captain, socially in the fifth rank class, styled 'Ali Jah

See also
Other Islamic titles * Emir (Amir) * Atabeg * Bey * Caliph * Datu * Ilkhan * Khan * Khakhan Khaqan * Malik * Mir * Padishah * Shah * Shahanshah * Sultanism * Sultan of Sultans Further *HMS Sultan (Royal Navy)

Sources and references

- RoyalArk - here the Persian Empire
- WorldStatesmen Category:Arabic words Category:Heads of state Category:Islam Category:Military ranks Category:Monarchy Category:Noble titles Category:Positions of authority Category:Sultans Category:Titles ca:SoldÃ da:Sultan de:Sultan es:Sultanato eo:Sultano fr:Sultan ko:ìˆ íƒ„ hr:Sultan it:Sultano he:×¡×•×œ×˜×Ÿ hu:SzultÃ¡n nl:Sultan ja:ã‚¹ãƒ«ã‚¿ãƒ¼ãƒ³ no:Sultan pl:SuÅ‚tan pt:SultÃ£o ru:Ð¡ÑƒÐ»Ñ‚Ð°Ð½ simple:Sultan sk:SultÃ¡n sl:Sultan fi:Sulttaani sv:Sultan tr:Sultan uk:Ð¡ÑƒÐ»Ñ‚Ð°Ð½ zh:è‹?ä¸¹ (ç§°è°“)

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