As it can be understood from the firmans and lands of the first Crimean khans named as Hajji Giray, Mengli Giray and Mehmed Giray I, the organisation of the Crimean Khanate was the continuation of the Golden Horde traditions. Since the period of Sahib Giray I, the Ottoman institutions started to gain a powerful influence. In the periods of Ghazi Giray II. Islâm Giray II., Canbek Giray and Hajji Giray, the Ottoman institutions and the civilisation had been established in a strong manner and the procedure of Ottoman divan and the system of feoffs were imitated. However, the main character of the state that was transferred from the Golden Horde State did not ever change.
There is not any significant difference between the description of Bronovius about the organisation of the khanate stated in the century XIV and the description of Baron de Tott Peysssonel in the second half of the century XVIII.
The Crimean khanate was subject to a tribal aristocracy in a feudal character essentially. Principally Şırınlar tribe that was one of the most important tribes that had played an important role in the last periods of the Golden Horde State and respectively the tribes of Arginlar, Barınlar and Kipchak beys constituted the highest class of this aristocracy that were called as "four Karachi beys".
In the middle of the century XVIII and according to the Crimean Abdülgaffar, the four karachi beys were arranged in respective order such as Şırınlar, Mansur-oglu, Şicuvut, Argınlar and Barınlar (According to Peyssonel, the tribe Barınlar came before the tribe of Argınlar). According to Pallas, the tribe of Barinlar is in the second line among these five families. As we know, this classification changed occasionally in accordance with the relations of the tribes with the khans. Bahadir Giray (1737-1741) had exiled the Mansurogulları family from the Crimea since they were rebellious people, and most of them were subjected to slaughter. These people were invited back in the period of Islâm Giray II (1644-1654) and they came to their older regions. Actually, the bey of Sicivut people was exalted among these four Karachi beys by Sahib Giray I. However, the family of Şırınlar had always preserved their first status. The Şırın Bey would bear the title of chief Karachi or chief-bey, and he would be married with the girls from the dynasty of the khan. Several members of this family would bear the title of Giray just like the members of the dynasty of the khan. Şırınlar bey had the highest rank in the state following the khan and the sultans that were the members of the dynasty. We should state that Şırınlar Bey was also called as chief-karachi, or emir-i kebir (great emir) in the period of Golden Horde khan, Toktamis and they were the leaders of the right-branch in these capacities. The large estate of the Şırınlar family in the Crimea was located between Karasu and Kerç.
In principle, the tribes would select the eldest person of the bey family as their bey and this selection would be certified by the khan. The Khan could not dismiss him. The tribes would recognise the authority of the khan by means of their beys and when the bey was rebellious, they would also be rebellious in the same way. This strict tribal tradition that constituted the feudal characteristic of the state threatened the authority of the khans by nature and it facilitated the civil wars. The four karachi beys had established dominion over the most powerful tribes in the Crimea; in other words, most of the Crimean forces were under their control. These four (five in the further periods) Karachi beys would participate in the divan of the khan and any resolution could not be enforced about any important issue without their votes of approval. They also played the leading role in the grand assemblies for the selection of the khans. Karachi beys were the conservative supporters of the "Jenghiz Khan Rule", actually the traditions of the Golden Horde State. Therefore, they severely opposed to any innovation that would violate this organisation and they were so sensitive in relation with their privileges. Generally, the election of the khans were subject to them, actually to Şırın beys rather than the ruler and any khan that was not supported by these beys could not establish dominion in the throne of the Crimea.
The Beys would sent one of the beys to Istanbul together with a round robin and they would notify the person would-be khan. In case that the khan that was supported by them was not sent, they would assume an opponent stance and they would gather in the site of Kayalar-Alti. Then, they would be involved in a struggle around the khan that they supported and they would generally go to the steppe lands in the north of the peninsula and collaborate with Nogay people (These rival khans were Saâdet Giray, Islâm Giray and Mehmed Giray). However, Şırın Beys had generally established cooperation with Istanbul in the capacity of chief-bey since the period of Eminek Mirza. Therefoe, they were able to protect and even to reinforce their influence and authorities without any involvement in a fight. It has been known that these Şırın Beys had played the essential role in the establishment of Ottoman protection over the khanate. However, they obeyed to the intrigues of Moscow in the further periods and they played the leading role in the decline of the khanate within the civil wars and the Russian invasion.
On the other hand, the tribes that constituted the Crimean army had always opposed to any opinion about the military innovations or the organisation of a new army. Therefore, they did not give permission for the development of the country with a further step than the period of Golden Horde State. Meanwhile, we should point out that there arose an interest towards the west in the Crimea as a result of the Russian invasions in the century XVIII. We have known that the Crimean Giray demanded the translation of Moliere from Baron de Tott (Memoires, II, 178) in the year of 1768. Finally, Sahin Giray Khan desired to become Petro of the Crimea. Even the Ottoman centralised system with a powerful influence could not change the feudal structure of the khanate that was based on the tribes. The karachi princes that directly had a right to vote in relation with the state affairs had several tribal beys and princes and these persons were also the members of the hereditary aristocrats. Some of the big families that appeared pursuant to the establishment of Ottoman kapı-kulu system (Janissary guard system) constituted a second class of aristocracy. Most of these people were actually the Circassian slaves.