Kol Aghassi
Kolağası (also written as Kol Ağası, Kol Aghasi) was a military rank of the Ottoman Army. It corresponds to a Senior Captain (modern Turkish: Kıdemli Yüzbaşı)[1] or an Adjutant Major.[2] Kol Ağası is a compound word composed of Kol (column in Turkish) and Ağa (chief in Turkish).
| Military ranks of the Ottoman Empire | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ottoman ranks |
Western equivalents | |
| Officers | ||
| Müşir مشير |
Field marshal | |
| Birinci Ferik (Serdar) فريق أول |
General | |
| Ferik فريق |
Lieutenant general | |
| Mirliva أمير لواء |
Major general | |
| Miralay أمير آلاي |
Brigadier | |
| Kaymakam قائم مقام |
Colonel | |
| Binbaşı بكباشي |
Lieutenant colonel | |
| Kolağası (Sağ Kolağası / Sol Kolağası) قول أغاسي |
Major | |
| Yüzbaşı يوزباشي |
Captain | |
| Mülâzım-ı Evvel ملازم أول |
First lieutenant | |
| Mülâzım-ı Sani ملازم ثاني |
Second lieutenant | |
| Non-commissioned officers | ||
| Çavuş شاويش |
Sergeant | |
| Onbaşı أونباشي |
Corporal | |
| Soldiers | ||
| Nefer نفر |
Private | |
| Military ranks of Egypt | ||
|---|---|---|
| Turco-Egyptian ranks (until 1958) |
Modern Egyptian ranks |
Western equivalents |
| Officers | ||
| Mushir مشير |
General of the army/ Field Marshal | |
| Sirdar سردار |
Fariq awwal فريق أول |
Colonel General |
| Fariq فريق |
Lieutenant General | |
| Liwa لواء |
Major General | |
| Amiralay أمير آلاي |
Amid عميد |
Brigadier |
| Qaimaqam قائم مقام |
Aqid عقيد |
Colonel |
| Bimbashi بكباشي |
Muqaddam مقدم |
Lieutenant Colonel |
| Sagh صاغ |
Raid رائد |
Major |
| Yuzbashi يوزباشي |
Naqib نقيب |
Captain |
| Mulazim awwal ملازم أول |
First Lieutenant | |
| Mulazim thani ملازم ثاني |
Mulazim ملازم |
Second Lieutenant |
| Non-commissioned officers | ||
| Shawish شاويش |
Raqib رقيب |
Sergeant |
| Ombashi أومباشي |
Arif عريف |
Corporal |
| Soldiers | ||
| Askari عسكري |
Jundi جندي |
Private |
The rank was junior to the rank Binbaşı (originally corresponding to the Western rank of Lieutenant Colonel until 1934, the Turkish rank Binbaşı was later relegated to Major due to the removal of the rank Kolağası (Önyüzbaşı)), and senior to the rank Yüzbaşı (Captain) in the Ottoman Army and the pre-1934 Turkish Army.
Despite being a single rank, Kolağası was divided in two: Sağ Kolağası (Kolağası of the Right Flank) and Sol Kolağası (Kolağası of the Left Flank). Sağ Kolağası was senior to Sol Kolağası. After the rank of Yüzbaşı (Captain), an officer had to first become Sol Kolağası, before becoming Sağ Kolağası.
The rank of Kolağası was briefly renamed as Önyüzbaşı during the early years of the Turkish Republic, before being completely removed. The collar mark (later shoulder mark) and cap of a Kolağası (Önyüzbaşı) had one stripe and three stars during the early years of the Turkish Republic.
Sources
- Kolağası Archived 2011-09-29 at Archive.today, Turkish Language Association
- Erik Jan Zürcher, The Unionist Factor: The Role of the Committee of Union and Progress in the Turkish National Movement, 1905-1926, BRILL, 1984, ISBN 978-90-04-07262-6, p. 64.