Kaymakam

A Kaymakam (also Kaimakam and Caimacam ) is the title for the chief magistrate of a county (tr: Ilce ) in the Republic of Turkey; additionally, it was a title that was also used in the Ottoman Empire for a similar rank.

Etymology

The modern Turkish term Kaymakam comes from two Arabic words, namely Kaim (Arabic قائم ) for standing and Maqam (Arabic مقام ) for space, but in this context office, position and rank. For a time the Ottoman Kaim - makam was a civil servant, who was regarded as the representative of the Sultan at the local level. Today is the Kaymakam the representative of the government or of the state at the county level.

History

The title seems to have been first used in the 15th or 16th century in the Ottoman Empire. He described most of the dignitaries, who had to sit as a representative of the Grand Vizier in the city, when it embarked on a military campaign. The title was retained until the end of the empire. In the last decades of the Ottoman Empire it was in each case a minister or the Scheichülislam, who acted as Kaymakam.

The term has in the Moldavian and Wallachian story even more specific meaning, where a Kaymakam could both be a temporary substitute for a Gospodars, as well as a delegate of the kleinwalacheischen Bans in Craiova, after 1761 the main office was moved to Bucharest. In this context, the word is spelled Caimacam, while the Romanian word for it Căimăcămie.

Four emirs of the emirate of Qatar contributed in addition to the title of Kaimakam when Qatar was part of the Ottoman Empire. Also contributed three of the Ottoman emirs of Kuwait, the title Kaymakam.

In the Ottoman army and also in Egypt under Muhammad Ali Pasha the title Kaymakam was synonymous with the rank of lieutenant colonel. It was also used in the same context to naval commanders. Mustafa Kemal, the founder of modern Turkey, served as Kaymakam for the 57th Regiment at the Battle of Gallipoli.