GLOSSARY AND NOMENCLATURE

Because the computer revolution still has some severe limitations, I have not attempted to include any Turkish characters in this web site.  In the future, I may be able to enlist some help to make the site bi-lingual, but I do not yet have the linguistic skills to write in Turkish, nor the software to publish Turkish characters in HTML format.  I have therefore taken the liberty of converting Turkish words to English phonetics, using "sh" in place of the S-cedilla in the Turkish alphabet, "ch" in place of the C-cedilla, etc.  There are more variations on vowels in the Turkish language, and I have simply lumped together the two forms of i,e,o, and u that appear in Turkish.  This will lead to some incorrect pronunciations, but I hope it will simplify things overall.

Many sources in English have referred to the most commonly known Turkish orders and medals with a nomenclature that has become standard.  The "Order of Osmanie," for example, is not usually referred to in English as the "Order of the Ottoman Empire," but I have used that designation because I feel it is a better translation of the name of this order.  Likewise, the Nishani Shevkat has been given in English sources as being either the "Order of Charity" or the "Order of Chastity."  This is peculiar, as the name of this order very clearly refers to charity, and has nothing whatsoever to do with chastity (with all due respect for the ladies who were given this award).

The following terms should prove useful in reading the text of this web site:

Darphane Amire - The Ottoman National Mint, where virtually all official issue Ottoman orders and medals were made (the 1915 War Medal stands out as an exception - none of the issue pieces were made there).  The mint, in Istanbul, still exists today and is still the official mint of the modern Republic of Turkey.

Gazi - A victorious warrior.  This Arabic word is a title given to distinguished generals and military leaders.  It carries religious connotations, suggesting that the bearer of the title is a defender of Islam.

Iftihar - Pride.  Used to name two Ottoman medals and one of the orders.

Medjidie - The name of this order is derived from the name of Sultan Abdulmejid I, but the word has no direct translation into English.

Osmanie - Another word that defies translation into English; the Nishani Osmani has been translated as "Order of the Ottoman Empire," but that name is not strictly correct, nor has it found common acceptance in English references.

Pasha - A title of distinction used before the names of people of high rank, including Generals or Admirals in the Ottoman military.

Sultan - Ottoman Emperor.

Tughra  - The distinctive monogram of Ottoman sultans.  A calligraphic form unto itself, the tughra developed over many years, eventually taking on the swirling form so commonly seen on Turkish medals and orders, as well as stamps, coins and government documents.  Each sultan had his own tughra, but actually reading and identifying them is a challenge.