The judges who belonged to the corps of the _Ulema_ had jurisdictions that were based upon territory, and that covered the whole empire to an even wider extent than did the administration of the government. The Crimea and North Africa, though under vassal governments, formed part of the Ottoman judicial system.[676] The tribunals of the judges seem to have been competent for all kinds of cases, whether civil or criminal, and whether covered by the _Sheri_, the _Kanuns_, _Adet_, or none of these.[677] But, as has been seen, they were not competent to try all persons. The _kullar_, the _Seids_, and the members of the foreign colonies had their separate systems of justice; even the subject Christians, in matters between themselves, had their own ecclesiastical tribunals to which they regularly resorted. Cases concerning the administration of certain groups of _vakf_ lands were tried in special courts, which were, however, presided over by members of the regular judicial body. The fief-holders had seigniorial jurisdiction in certain matters; and the officers of local government seem also to have had independent right to decide cases outside the sphere of the Sacred Law, whether covered by _Kanun_, _Adet_, or unprovided for.[678] The judges of the Moslem Institution, therefore, tried all cases involving the Sacred Law which arose within the empire, and which were between Moslem and Moslem or between Moslem and Christian (except when the Moslem was a _kul_ of the sultan or a _Seid_), as well as a large proportion of the cases which were outside the sphere of the Sacred Law. Nearly all judges were judges of cities, having jurisdiction also over the surrounding territory;[679] exceptions were the _Mufettishes_ of the _vakf_ lands, the judge who accompanied the _Kapudan Pasha_ on his annual cruise to the Aegean Islands, the two _Kaziaskers_, and the grand vizier. The judges were all carefully graded in five principal classes, three of which were each again subdivided into several groups. By another grouping, on a geographical basis, they were in two divisions under the _Kaziaskers_ of Europe and Asia. The five classes were the greater _Mollas_, the lesser _Mollas_, the _Mufettishes_, the _Kazis_, and the _Naibs_. The general name for judge was _Kazi_, and the popular title of respect for them all was _Molla_;[680] but the official titles were as described above. In general, a _Danishmend_ who aspired to the judicial career chose while in the law course, according to his ambition or ability, which of the five classes he would strive to enter and after entering one of them he could not pass to another. Each had its ladder of promotion.