Government of the late Ottoman Empire

The Imperial Government of the Ottoman Empire was the government structure added to the Ottoman governing structure during the Second Constitutional Era. The Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) was in power between 1908 and 1918. In this period, most of the ministers were also from the CUP.

The imperial government was housed in the block of buildings referred to metonymously as the Sublime Porte, and was composed of:

War Department

Ministers of War

• Ömer Rüştü Pasha from 23 July 1908 to 7 August 1908
• Recep Pasha from 7 August 1908 to 4 March 1909
• Ali Rıza Pasha from 4 March 1909 to 28 April 1909
• Salih Hulusi Pasha from 28 April 1909 to 12 January 1910
• Mahmud Şevket Pasha from 12 January 1910, to 29 July 1912
• Nazim Pasha from 29 July 1912 to 22 January 1913
• Mahmud Shevket Pasha 23 January 1913 to 11 June 1913
• Ahmed Izzet Pasha 18 June 1913 to 5 October 1913
• Curuksulu Mahmud Pasha 5 October 1913 – 3 January 1914)
• Enver Pasha from 3 January 1914 to 4 October 1918
• Ahmed Izzet Pasha from 14 October 1918 to 11 November 1918
• Kölemen Abdullah Pasha from 11 November 1918 to 19 December 1918
• Cevat Çobanlı from 19 December 1918 to 13 January 1919
• Ömer Yaver Pasha (13 January 1919 - 24 February 1919)
• Ali Ferid Pasha (24 February 1919 - 4 March 1919)
• Abuk Ahmet Pasha (4 March 1919 - 2 April 1919)
• Mehmet Şakir Pasha (2 April 1919 - 19 May 1919)
• Şevket Turgut Pasha (19 May 1919 - 29 June 1919)
• Ali Ferid Pasha (29 May 1919 - 21 July 1919)
• Nazım Pasha (21 July 1919 - 13 August 1919)
• Süleyman Şefik Pasha (13 August 1919 - 2 October 1919)
• Cemal Pasha (2 October 1919 - 21 January 1920)
• Salih Hulusi Pasha (21 January 1920 - 3 February 1920)
• Mustafa Fevzi Pasha (3 February 1920 - 5 April 1920)
• Damat Ferid Pasha (Acting) (5 April 1920 - 10 June 1920)
• Ahmet Hamdi Pasha (10 June 1920 - 30 July 1920)
• Hüseyin Hüsnü Pasha (31 July 1920 - 21 October 1920)
• Çürüksulu Ziya Pasha (21 October 1920 - 4 November 1922)

War Council

Chiefs of General Staff

• Ahmed Izzet Pasha from 15 August 1908 to 1 January 1914
• Enver Pasha from 3 January 1914 to 4 October 1918
• Ahmed Izzet Pasha 4 October 1918 to 3 November 1918
• Cevat Çobanlı from 3 November 1918 to 24 December 1918
• Fevzi Pasha from 24 December 1918 to 14 May 1919
• Cevat Çobanlı from 14 May 1919 to 2 August 1919
• Hadi Pasha from 2 August 1919 to 12 September 1919
• Fuad Pasha from 12 September 1919 to 9 October 1919
• Cevat Çobanlı from 9 October 1919 to 16 February 1920
• Shevket Turgut Pasha from 16 February 1920 to 19 April 1920
• Nazif Pasha from 19 April 1920 to 2 May 1920
• Hadi Pasha from 2 May 1920 to 19 May 1920

British Naval Mission

The British Naval Mission was led by

• Admiral Douglas Gamble (February 1909-March 1910)
• Admiral Hugh Pigot Williams (April 1910-April 1912)
• Admiral Arthur Limpus (April 1912-September 1914)

French Gendarmerie Mission

French Gendarmerie Mission was led by General Moujen.

German Military Mission

The German military mission become the third most important command center (Sultan, Minister of War, Head of Mission) for the Ottoman Army.

The initial contact was established during the Balkan Wars by Grand Vizier Said Halim Pasha and Minister of War Ahmed Izzet Pasha. Kaiser Wilhelm II sent General Goltz’s mission, which served two periods in Turkey within two years (8 months total).

The German mission was accredited from 27 October 1913 to 1918. General Otto Liman von Sanders, previously commander of the 22nd Division, was assigned by the Kaiser to Constantinople. Germany considered an Ottoman-Russian war to be imminent, and Liman von Sanders was a general with excellent knowledge of the Russian armed forces. The Ottoman Empire was undecided about which side to take in a future war involving Germany, Britain and France. The 9th article of the German Military Mission stated that in case of a war the contract would be annulled.