Soubashi

{{Short description|Ottoman gubernatorial title}}

{{Other uses|Subashi (disambiguation)}}

The soubashi ({{langx|tr|subaşı}}, {{langx|sq|subash}}, {{langx|sh|subaša}}) was an Ottoman gubernatorial title used to describe different positions within Ottoman hierarchy, depending on the context.{{cite book|title=Skripta za studente: OSMANSKO CARSTVO Temeljni pojmovi i državno uređenje|publisher=Sveučilište u Zadru (Zadar Univerzity)|location=Zadar, Croatia|language=Croatian|quote=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.}} This title was given to Ottoman timar holders who generated more than 15,000 aspers per annum{{cite book|last=Spandouginos|first=Theodōros|title=On the origin of the Ottoman emperors|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=0-521-58510-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OEvWBG6Ct3YC&pg=PA124|page=124|year=1977|quote=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}} or to the assistants of the sanjak-bey.{{sfn|Ćirković|2004|pp=112}} The term was also used for the commander of the town or castle in Ottoman Empire, an ancient version of chief of police.{{citation |author= Kenneth Setton|authorlink= Kenneth Setton |title=The Papacy and the Levant, 1204-1571 |volume= four volumes |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Sz2VYI0l1IC&pg=PA329|quote=... Subashi (Ven. Subassi) was the commandant of town or castle, in which he exercised the functions of security officer, or chief of police. |year= 1976–1984 |publisher= American Philosophical Society |isbn=978-0-87169-114-9}}

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