The Ottoman imperial council that advised the sultan was called the Divan, or Imperial Divan.
Also known as the Divan-ı Hümayun, it functioned as the empire’s central executive and judicial council for much of Ottoman history. The Grand Vizier usually chaired its meetings, alongside other viziers and senior officials responsible for finance, military affairs, administration, and state correspondence.
The Divan handled matters ranging from provincial appointments and taxation to foreign ambassadors, military campaigns, construction projects, and legal petitions. Although the sultan was the empire’s supreme ruler, he did not always attend personally. At Topkapı Palace, the sultan could sometimes observe proceedings through a screened window without being seen.
“Senate,” “Shura,” and “Majlis” are related-sounding terms from other political or Islamic contexts, but they are not the standard name for the Ottoman central council. The word divan also entered wider cultural use for a council, court, or collection of poetry.