Forms: α. 7, 9 visirate, 8–9 vizirate, 9 vizierate. β. 8 vizariat, 8–9 vizarit. γ. 8 vizirat, 9 vizierat. [ad. Arab. wizārat, -et, f. wezīr, etc. VIZIER; or refashioned on VIZIER + -ATE3. Cf. F. vizirat, viziriat.]
1. The dignity, position or authority of a vizier or grand vizier; also, the period during which a particular vizier held office.
α. 1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 80. Zornesan Mustapha … who had been made Caymacam before the Visirate of Chiaoux Basha.
1732. Hist. Litteraria, III. 10. What an ardent and restless desire Asado’ddin had conceived for the Vizirate of Egypt.
1820. T. Hope, Anastasius (ed. 2), III. 145. This man … had served the Capitan-Pasha during his short Visirate.
1882. Daily Tel., 4 May. The change in the Vizierate is supposed to indicate an early settlement of the war indemnity question with Russia.
1895. Times, 9 Nov., 5/1. Kiamil Pasha was dismissed from the Grand Vizierate last night.
β. 1768. Dow, Hist. Hindostan, II. II. Decline, 52. Ahmed Shaw … degraded Seifdar Jung from the vizarit.
1787. Beckford, Italy (1834), II. 44. During the grand vizariat of Pombal.
1819. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, I. III. ii. 503. In the reign of Musaood he was raised to the dignity of lord of requests; and in that of Mahmood obtained the vizarit.
γ. 1815. J. C. Hobhouse, Substance Lett. (1816), I. 347. It is … clear that for some years the power of the crown, or the vizierat (it is the same), has been increasing.
1864. Spectator, 24 Dec., 1464/1. They will rather … fling up a vizierat, as Ouseley did, because the King asked him to impede a British design.
transf. 1795. W. Taylor, in Monthly Rev., XVI. 539. France has had four religions in four years: catholic at the opening of the States General;… deistical in the vizirat of Robespierre.
2. A province or district governed by a Turkish vizier.
1876. A. J. Evans, Through Bosnia, v. 189. When the Vizierate of Bosnia stretched itself over Slavonia to the Drave. Ibid., viii. 346. The Vizierate of Herzegovina.
3. The department, establishment or political residence of a (grand) vizier.
1908. Times, 15 Sept., 3/6. A communication from the Grand Vizierate regretting the inability of the Grand Vizier to [etc.].
