Miralay

Miralay or Mîr-i alay (Gendarmerie: Alaybeyi) was a military rank of the Ottoman Army and Navy. The modern Turkish equivalent is Albay, meaning colonel. Miralay is a compound word composed of Mir (commander) and Alay (regiment).

Miralay was equal to colonel in the Ottoman Army and the pre-1935 Turkish Army. The rank was junior to Mirliva (Brigadier General) and senior to Kaymakam (Lieutenant Colonel). The collar mark (later shoulder mark) and cap (until 1933) of a Miralay featured two stripes and three stars during the early years of the Turkish Republic.

The rank of miralay was abolished on November 26, 1934, in accordance with Article 3 of Law No. 2590 on the Abolition of Nicknames and Titles. With Decree No. 2295, issued on April 9, 1935, the equivalent of the miralay rank was designated as albay.

Sources

  1. ↑ miralay, Turkish Language Association
  2. ↑ "Law No. 2590 on the Abolition of Nicknames and Titles" (PDF) (in Turkish). 1934. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Official Gazette Archive" (PDF) (in Turkish). 1935. Retrieved February 12, 2025.

See also