▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁but ▁replaced ▁by ▁An k ara ▁as ▁republic an ▁capital ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 3 ). ▁As ▁Islam ▁was ▁the ▁official ▁religion ▁of ▁both ▁court ▁and ▁state , ▁the ▁Chief ▁Mu ft i ▁in ▁Ist an bul ▁had ▁a ▁much ▁higher ▁status , ▁even ▁of ▁cabinet ▁rank . ▁ ▁Because ▁of ▁the ▁size ▁and ▁nature ▁of ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁state , ▁containing ▁a ▁far ▁greater ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁di as por a ▁than ▁any ▁other , ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁H ak ham ▁B ashi ▁has ▁been ▁compared ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁Jewish ▁Ex il arch . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire , ▁and ▁as ▁such , ▁the ▁H ak ham ▁B ashi ▁was ▁the ▁closest ▁thing ▁to ▁an ▁overall ▁Ex il arch al ▁authority ▁among ▁Jew ry ▁everywhere ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁in ▁early ▁modern ▁times . ▁They ▁held ▁broad ▁powers ▁to ▁legisl ate , ▁judge ▁and ▁en force ▁the ▁laws ▁among ▁the ▁Jews ▁in ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁and ▁often ▁sat ▁on ▁the ▁Sultan ' s ▁div an . ▁ ▁The ▁office ▁also ▁maintained ▁considerable ▁influence ▁outside ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire , ▁especially ▁after ▁the ▁forced ▁migration ▁of ▁numerous ▁Jewish ▁communities ▁and ▁individuals ▁out ▁of ▁Spain ▁( after ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁Gran ada ▁in ▁ 1 4 9 2 ) ▁and ▁Italy . ▁ ▁The ▁Chief ▁Rab bi ▁of ▁the ▁modern , ▁sec ular ▁Republic ▁of ▁Turkey ▁is ▁still ▁known ▁as ▁H ah amba ş ı . ▁ ▁The ▁term ▁H ak ham ▁B ashi