Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BEG, or BEY, n. [The Turks write this word begh, or bek, but pronounce it bey.]

In the Turkish dominions, a governor of a town or country; more particularly, the lord of a sangiac or banner. Every province is divided into seven sangiacs or banners, each of which qualifies a bey; and these are commanded by the governor of the province, called begler-beg, or lord of all the beys. Each beg has the command of a certain number of spahis, or horse, denominated timariots. In Tunis, the beg, or bey, is the prince or king, answering to the dey of Algiers. In Egypt, the begs are twelve generals who command the militia, or standing forces of the kingdom. – Encyc.