During the Dolmabahçe Palace era, as a result of the Tanzimat reforms, the grand vizierate broke free from the Sultan’s absolute authority and transformed into an institutional power at the head of the Bâb-ı Âli, the de facto administrative center of the state. No longer the “Sultan’s servant” but the prime minister of a modern state, grand viziers, particularly under the leadership of powerful figures like Mustafa Reşid, Âli, and Fuad Pashas, began to manage the empire’s destiny more from the corridors of the Bâb-ı Âli than from the palace. This is the clearest evidence of the transition of power from a personal property to an institutional structure and the break from the absolutist order of Topkapı.
From Topkapı to the Bâb-ı Âli: The Spatial Shift of Power
In the classical Ottoman order, the sole and absolute center of power was Topkapı Palace. The Grand Vizier was the Sultan’s “vezir-i âzam,” his greatest vizier and absolute deputy, but his power was entirely at the whim of the Sultan. The Divan-ı Hümayun convened inside the palace, all decisions required the Sultan’s approval, and the grand vizier could be dismissed by the Sultan at any moment. Power, both spatially and symbolically, was entirely within the palace.
The Tanzimat reforms fundamentally changed this structure. Government institutions (nazırlıks/ministries) were established, and the center of these institutions became the Bâb-ı Âli (the Sublime Porte), located where the Istanbul Governorship is today. The Bâb-ı Âli was no longer just a government building, but a power center independent of the palace, with its own rules, hierarchy, and institutional identity. The Grand Vizier was the commander-in-chief of this new bureaucratic army.
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The Architects of the Tanzimat: Mustafa Reşid, Âli, and Fuad Pashas
The ones who turned this institutional transformation into reality with their personal skills and visions were the three great grand viziers of the Tanzimat period. They made the Bâb-ı Âli a powerful center of authority against the palace.
Mustafa Reşid Pasha: The Initiator of Reforms
Mustafa Reşid Pasha, the architect of the Tanzimat Edict, laid the foundation for the institutionalization of the Bâb-ı Âli. Having served as ambassador in London and Paris, he was intimately familiar with the Western state system. During his time as Grand Vizier, he established the idea of governing the state through laws and institutions rather than personal will. By convincing the Sultan (Sultan Abdülmecid) of the necessity of reforms, he gave the Bâb-ı Âli a legitimacy and autonomy it had never possessed before.
Âli Pasha and Fuad Pasha: The Zenith of Institutional Power
Following the path opened by Mustafa Reşid Pasha, his protégés Âli Pasha and Fuad Pasha brought the power of the Bâb-ı Âli to its peak. These two brilliant diplomats and statesmen effectively co-governed the empire for nearly 20 years. Despite the interventions of Sultan Abdülaziz and the intrigues of his mother, Pertevniyal Valide Sultan. They managed to preserve the institutional autonomy of the Bâb-ı Âli. Their successes in foreign policy and the strong relationships they established with European states gave them great power and room to maneuver against the palace in domestic politics. During their era, it became possible for a grand vizier to carry out a policy despite the Sultan or to postpone a decision he did not want.
Not the “Sultan’s Servant,” but the State’s Official
The greatest revolution in mentality brought by these pashas was the change in the identity of the grand vizier and other bureaucrats. They were no longer the personal servants or “kuls” (slaves/servants) of the Sultan, but professional officials (bureaucrats) responsible to the state and the law. This new identity gave them the legitimacy to stand more firmly before the Sultan and to prioritize the interests of the state over personal loyalty. The Bâb-ı Âli became a career center based on merit and experience, where elite bureaucrats like the Mabeyn Clerks were trained. This was the cornerstone of the modern concept of the state.
A Point of No Return for the Empire
In conclusion, during the Dolmabahçe era, the institution of the grand vizierate underwent a revolution, emerging from the Sultan’s shadow to evolve into a prime ministry equipped with the institutional power of the Bâb-ı Âli. State architects like Mustafa Reşid, Âli, and Fuad Pasha laid the foundations of modern Turkish bureaucracy by moving power from the personal domain of the palace to the professional corridors of the Bâb-ı Âli. This was the most significant and lasting power shift in the last century of the Ottomans, and it irrevocably changed the logic of the empire’s governance.
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