This part of the Ottoman Empire refers to the basic structure of the citizens of the Ottoman Empire
At the top of the Ottomans society was he military-bureaucratic group called the called the askeri. They had the most power in Ottoman society because of their political strength, and were able to control economic resources such as land, agriculture, mines and trade. The lower class was called the reaya. The were tax-payers who supported the state's power. The reaya class was divided into a hierarchy of merchants farmers and artisans. There was no way to move up in society for the reaya. Only the sultan could give a humble person the highest privilege and take one's privileges and rights away.