A military commander or high official in the Ottoman Empire, or any commander or leader in Middle Eastern and North African cultures.
From Turkish 'ağa,' which comes from Mongolian origins. It traveled into English through contact with the Ottoman Empire and became a title of respect for military and administrative leaders.
Aghas were the power brokers of their time—one agha could command thousands of soldiers or control an entire region, making them as influential as generals and governors combined.
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