Sultanic power was checked by Islamic Holy Law rather than popular consent

Evidence

The Sultan was not a true despot, but the supreme custodian of the God-given Holy Law of Islam, to which he himself was subject. It is true that the Holy Law granted him almost despotic power, and that it did not provide for its own enforcement against him. But ultimately the Holy Law remained the basis of the social and political structure of the Empire, and was observed by the Sultans, whose sovereignty was accepted and respected by the people, both Muslims and Christian, as right and inevitable. — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans, 639

Categorization

• DEFINE: Clarifies the Ottoman conceptualization of sovereignty as custodian of Holy Law, distinct from both democracy and naked despotism.