Administrative division
The Ottoman Empire had already begun to modernize its supervision and regularize its provinces müdir, and into city quarters or villages kariye.
The vali was appointed by the Sultan and acted as his exemplification in the vilayet and hence as the supreme head of the administration, holding the executive energy over any the executive branches, with the only exception of the military. He was however the head of the police. His administration comprised secretaries in charge of finances defterdar, correspondence and archives mektubci, dealings with foreigners, public works, agriculture and commerce, nominated by the respective ministers in Istanbul. The defterdar for instance answered directly to the finance minister. Along with the chief justice mufettiş-i hukkam-i Şeri'a, the top officials formed the vilayet's executive council. In addition, there was an elected provincial council of four members, two Muslims and two non-Muslims. The governor of the chief sanjak merkez sanjak, where the vilayet's capital was located, deputized for the vali in the latter's absence. Alternatively, M. Krikorian writes that the role of replacing the vali when absent or incapacitated fell to his assistant, the muavin, and when none existed, to the defterdar.
A similar cut was replicated in the lower hierarchical levels, with executive and advisory councils drawn from the local administrators and—following long-established practice—the heads of the millets, the various local religious communities.
The mutasarrif was also appointed by the Sultan, and acted as chief-administrator of a sanjak and head of that county's council the idare meclisi, the public works board nafia and the education system maarif. A deputy judge naib, chief accountant muhasebeci and head of the secretariat tahrirat müdürü completed the sanjak's top administration.
In similar manner, the kaymakam headed the administration the kaza's council, as well as its public workings board, assisted by a deputy judge, a chief accountant mal müdürü, and the head clerk tahrirat kâtibi.
The müdür was appointed by the vali, but answered to his immediate superior, the kaymakam. His attributions noted tax collection, executing the court sentences, and at times had to mediate disputes and pacify the locals.
A muhtar, meaning "head man", headed a city quarter or village and was chosen by its inhabitants, but had to be confirmed by the kaymakam of his kaza. An ihtiyar meclisi, "council of elders", assisted him.