Soubashi

The subaşi (Albanian: subash, Serbo-Croatian: subaša) was an Ottoman gubernatorial title used to describe different positions within Ottoman hierarchy, depending on the context.^[1] This title was given to sanjak-beys of Ottoman sanjaks which generated more than 15,000 aspers per annum^[2] or to the assistants of the sanjak-bey.^[3] The term was also used for commander of the town or castle in Ottoman Empire, an ancient version of chief of police.^[4]

A surname found among Balkan families, Subaša or Subašić, is derived from the title.

References

1. Skripta za studente: OSMANSKO CARSTVO Temeljni pojmovi i državno uređenje (in Croatian). Zadar, Croatia: Sveučilište u Zadru (Zadar Univerzity). SUBAŠA – Upotrebljavan u više značenja; 1. Vojno-administrativni zapovjednik većih naselja od samih početaka Osmanske države; Vojno-administrativni upravnik vilajeta koji su po tome nazivani subašiluci, u stvari područja krajišta. Uslijed ekspanzije turske države subašiluci su bivali pretvarani u zijamete, dok su ostajali oni u graničnim područjima. Ovi prvi bi postajali sandžakbegovi ljudi i upravitelji hasova te vršili administrativno-policijsku vlast na tim prostorima. S druge strane, osnivanjem ziameta, svaki zaim dobio bi titulu subaše.
2. Spandouginos, Theodōros (1977). On the origin of the Ottoman emperors. Cambridge University Press. p. 124. ISBN 0-521-58510-4. When a sanjak bey ... or holder of timar...gets more than 15.000 aspres from his holdings he becomes subaşi (Subassi), or holder of subaşilik within a Sanjak
3. Ćirković, Sima; Vuk Tošić (2004), The Serbs, Malden, MA, p. 112, ISBN 978-0-631-20471-8, OCLC 53232011, ... subasha (assistant to the sanjak-beg)... Cite uses deprecated parameter |coauthors= (help)
4. Kenneth Setton (1976–1984), The Papacy and the Levant, 1204-1571, four volumes, American Philosophical Society, ISBN 978-0-87169-114-9, ... Subashi (Ven. Subassi) was the commandant of town or castle, in which he exercised the functions of security officer, or chief of police.