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Illustration of Ottomans from Turkish Postcards from the 1950s of

Elbicei Atika. Musée des Anciens Costumes Turcs de Constantinople, par Jean Brindesi

Plate 5

Yol HasekisiBölük Ağası ÇuhadarBölük Ağası
Yol Hasseki Tchohadar Beuluk-Agasi
Inspecteur des rues Sergent du Comandant du Corps de Garde Commandant d'un Corps de Garde
Inspector of Roads Sergeant of the Guard Corps Commander Commander of a Guard Corps



Yol refers to 'The officer who ensures the safety of the sultan by being a guard when he goes to a place or goes on an expedition.'
Source: Bilal GÖKÇEYURT, Hasan H. YILDIZ Osmanlı Milli Kiyafetleri. Military Museum, Istanbul, Turkey, 2008.

So, instead of an 'Inspector of Roads' he is better described as a Bostancı Haseki.

2° Hasekis. It is a corps of three hundred non-commissioned officers, usually taken from among the Bostancıs. They wear a red cloth uniform, a sabre (ghaddaré), and hold a stick in their hands. (Pl. 149 and 150.) Those who are admitted to the corps receive this baton from the colonel, in the presence of the troops; each of them must pay the chief a ducat, and sacrifice a sheep from his hand, in the barracks of the company, which is situated in the seraglio. Sixty Hasekis are part of the Sultan's cortege, and are considered, for this reason, as bodyguards. The Bostancı-Başı, their chief, frequently sends them on commission to the provinces.
Source: Tableau général de l'Empire othoman. by M. de Mouradgea d'Ohsson, c.1787

The same costume is illustrated in Haseki, Costumes Orientaux, Recueil de costumes et vêtements de l'Empire ottoman au 18e siècle, Collection of costumes and clothing of the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century. Owned by Joseph Gabriel Monnier


For the 2nd figure, Tchohadar (Çuhadar) means 'wool cloth wearer', Sergeant would be Tchaouch (Çavuş) which can also mean Usher.

Tchavouschs, corps de six cent trente hommes, divisé en quinze compagnies, et commandé par le Tchavousch-Baschi. Il y en a toujours une compagnie de service au Palais, avec son capitaine (Beuluk-Baschi). Les Tchavouschs ouvrent la marche du Sultan dans les solennités publiques. (Pl. 155 et 156.)
5° Çavuşs, a corps of six hundred and thirty men, divided into fifteen companies, and commanded by the Çavuş-Başı. There is always a service company at the Palace, with its captain. The Çavuşs open the march of the Sultan in public solemnities.
Source: Tableau général de l'Empire othoman. by M. de Mouradgea d'Ohsson, c.1787

For possible ceremonial dress, see Alaï tchavouch (Alay {procession} Çavuşu) in Monnier's Album
and Tchaouch ou huissier (Çavuş or usher) in Dessins originaux de costumes turcs, Bibliothèque nationale de France, département Estampes et photographie, 4-OD-23

For Çuhadar ceremonial dress, see Çuhadar, valet who accompanies his master on foot, in Dessins originaux de costumes turcs, BnF, 4-OD-23
and 'The Sultan riding out in procession to Friday Prayers' in, Stratford Canning's Pictures of Turkey, Victoria and Albert Museum

13° The Baş-Çuhadar or First Valet of the chamber has under him forty valets (çuhadarlar) who belong to the three other chambers. They follow the Sultan, richly dressed and the belt adorned with a cutlass, a dagger, and a whip with long chains, all of silver; but those of the chief are of gold.
Source: Tableau général de l'Empire othoman. by M. de Mouradgea d'Ohsson, c.1787


The 3rd figure would be the Çavuş service company captain (Beuluk-Baschi) mentioned by d'Ohsson above. Bölük means company.


Back to the original Plate 5 of 'Elbicei Atika. Musée des Anciens Costumes Turcs de Constantinople', par Jean Brindesi

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Next: Janissary in official costume. Battalion Chief of the first Reform of Sultan Mahmoud. Chief of Artillery. Battalion Chief of the Reform








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