Çorbaci

Çorbaci (sometimes variously transliterated as chorbaji, chorbadzhi, tschorbadji) ( _tr. çorbacı, "soup server" [ [http://www.tdk.gov.tr/TR/SozBul.aspx?F6E10F8892433CFFAAF6AA849816B2EF4376734BED947CDE&Kelime=%C3%A7orbac%C4%B1 TDK Dictionary Online - Çorbacı entry] ] ) was a military rank of Janissaries, a commander of an "orta" (regiment), i.e., approximately corresponding to the rank of colonel. The word derives from "çorba", "soup", and literally means "soup server", "the one who feeds people with soup".

In the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria of the Ottoman Empire times the term "çorbaci" (Macedonian language: чорбаџи, Bulgarian: чорбаджия, "chorbadzhiya") referred to the rural elite: heads of villages and other rural communities and rich peasants. Ottomans employed them in various administrative positions of tax collectors and in courts of law. Since 19th century, in the independent Bulgaria, the term largely fell out of use as the Ottoman system was abandoned.

The word is still in use in vernacular Turkish language with the meaning of "boss". It is also a common family name among Bulgarians, Turks or Ukrainians (e.g. a vice-governor of Odessa is Ivan Chorbadzhi - Иван Чорбаджи).

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