Divan
From Free net encyclopedia
Current revision
- For other uses, see Divan (disambiguation).
Divan (like the ministerial title, the word derives from the furniture type) was a high governmental body in a number of Islamic states, or metonymically its .
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Council
In particular, The Divan was the Imperial Council and government of the Ottoman Empire.
It consisted of the viziers, the Grand Vizier and occasionally the Janissary Ağa.
Ministerial departments
In the sultanate of Morocco, several portfolio Ministries had a title based on Diwan:
- Diwan al-Alaf: ministry of War.
- Diwan al-Bar: 'ministry of the Sea', i.e. (overseas=) Foreign ministry.
- Diwan al-Shikayat (or - Chikayat): ministry of Complaints.
Halls
Two types of palatial buildings in Indian courts are called divan. They tend to occur in pairs, as in several of the Mughal imperial capitals, especially Delhi where they are the most famous ones, but also in Agra and Fatehpur Sikri, and certain other princely capitals, e.g. Amber.
Diwan-i-Am
A court's Hall of Public Audience, where the ruler can hold a mass audience. The hall in the Delhi case originally contained the Peacock throne.
Diwan-i-Khas
A court's Hall of Private Audience, smaller then the Diwan-i-Am. Here envoys and other honored guests are granted a personal audience with the ruler.