or KHALIF, the supreme ecclesiastical dignitary among the Saracens; or, as the term is otherwise defined, the sovereign dignitary among the Mahomedans, vested with absolute authority in all matters relating both to religion and policy. In the Arabic it signifies successor or vicar; the caliphs bearing the same relation to Mahomed that the popes pretend they do to Jesus Christ or St Peter. It is at this day one of the grand signior's titles, as successor of Mahomed; and of the sophi of Persia, as successor of Ali. One of the chief functions of the caliph, in quality of imam or chief priest of Islamism, was to begin the public prayers every Friday in the chief mosque, and to deliver the khutbakh or sermon. In after times they had assistants for this latter office; but the former was always performed by the caliph in person. The caliph was also obliged to lead the pilgrims to Mecca in person, and to march at the head of the armies of his empire. He granted investiture to princes, and sent swords, standards, gowns, and the like, as presents, to princes of the Mahom- Caliphate median religion; who, though they had thrown off the yoke of the caliphate, nevertheless held it as vassals. The caliphs usually went to the mosque mounted on mules; and the sultans Seljukides, though masters of Bagdad, held their stirrups, and led their mules by the bridle some distance on foot, till such time as the caliphs gave them the sign to mount on horseback. At one of the windows of the caliph's palace there always hung a piece of black velvet, twenty cubits long, which reached to the ground, and was called the caliph's sleeve; which the grandees of his court never failed to kiss every day with great respect.

After the destruction of the caliphate by Hulaku, the Mahommedan princes appointed a particular officer in their respective dominions, to sustain the sacred authority of caliph. In Turkey this officer goes under the denomination of mufti, and in Persia under that of seddeh.