History of Arabs

 Instructor: Dr.Alia Fares

 Title: The Janissaries

 By: Khaled Dahrouj

THE JANISSARIES

Table of Contents
Abstract 2
Outline 3-4
The Ottoman Empire
5
Introduction 5
The Janissaries
Establishment
6
Recruitment 7
Training 7-8
Ranking 8
Culture 9
War Tactics 10
The Revolution 11
Main Battles 12-
13
Conquest of Constantinople (1453)
Battle of Marj Dabiq (1516)
The Siege of Rhodes (1522)
Battle of Mohacs (1526)
The fall 14
References 15

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Abstract

This essay is a contribution to the study of provincial janissaries through the case

of Crete. After a brief survey of the history of the janissary corps as the wider framework

within which the janissaries of Crete have to be studied, the essay focuses on them,

resolving the confusion between janissaries and other military groups, discussing the

differences between imperial and local janissaries, and offering an explanation as to

why various sources exaggerate the number of janissaries while officially they were

relatively few. Finally, it is argued that, from a socio-economic point of view, the

janissaries must be seen as inclusive and expansive urban and rural networks that

placed their members at an advantageous position over others through legal privilege

and access to funds.

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THE JANISSARIES

Outline

I. The Rise of Ottomans:

a) Humble Beginnings
b) Ottoman Expansion

II. The Janissaries:

a) Establishing:
The Janissaries were founded by Sultan Murad I, the 3 rd Sultan of the empire,
around 1380.

b) Recruitment:
The Ottoman Empire used a recruitment system called the ‘Devshirme’ system.

c) Training:
The Devshirme system supplied the empire with a power of militaries that are still
known nowadays.

f) Classification/Ranking:
The Janissaries used certain names that would distinguish the leaders from the
soldiers.

d) Culture:
The Janissaries were taught to consider the corps their home and family, and the
Sultan their father.

e) War Tactics:
The Janissaries held a sense of esteem that allowed them to be feared and
represented as a supreme military branch.

g) The Revolution:
The Janissary forces grew due to their supreme military status, the Janissaries had
the power that could occasionally put sultans in risk.

h) Main Battles:
a. The Janissaries played a key role in all the Ottoman major war
campaigns.
i. The Battle Of Marj Dabiq (1516)
ii. The Siege Of Rhodes (1522)
iii. The Battle Of Mohacs (1526)

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III. Conclusion:
a) The Fall:
The fall of the Janissaries began in 1807. Mahmoud II who became the leader
for a while was a traitor who managed to destroy the great Ottoman Empire by killing
sultans and making an attacks on the Janissaries one of them was known as “The
Auspicious Incident” who killed about 4000 innocent young brave fellows.

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The Ottoman Empire

To be more clear and know the background of the Janissaries, we have a

tendency to should initial acknowledge the empire they fought for and the way it

became to be called one among the longest enduring empires. The Turkish

Empire was supported by the Orghuz Turki social group leader Othman in

northwestern peninsula, conjointly called Anatolia, around 1307. It had

been uniquely when the autumn of the Seljuks, were Othman may conquer neighboring

Turkish territories and start his enlargement through the Balkan regions. The Turkish

Empire succeeded for subsequent 600 years by capturing parts of Southeastern

Europe, the center east and geographical region. The Sultans, leaders of the empires,

followed monotheism laws and traditions, creating Islam the most faith of the Turkish

Empire. However; in 1922, the Turkish Empire has been ended after a series of

rebellions and national movements.

Introduction

The Ottoman Empire had developed itself and needed to enlarge its limits by

occupying adjacent regions during the time of Sultan Murad I. To do so, the Sultan

decided to make a military branch that would spend all hopes of what an army must be.

He came up with the Janissaries after invading the Balkan regions, and enslaving

prisoners of war (mainly youth) for the sole purpose of being an elite fighter group. They

were known as ‘slave soldiers’ who were famous for their talents and discipline in

combats. They were created to be a separate entity from the main army and respected

by a different set of standards. The Janissaries showed significance in the success of

the Ottoman Empire which expanded its prospects through unexpected victories.

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THE JANISSARIES

The Janissaries

Establishment

Around 1380 by Sultan Murad I, the Janissaries were founded which is the 3 rd

Sultan of the empire. The Sultan was motivated to find a group of ambitious men, and

more significantly soldiers that would permit him to grow his empire, but also afford

individual defense for him. At the time, it was traditional to “gift” the Sultan one-fifth of

the army’s loots, and after winning the Balkan regions, Sultan Murad I received a bunch

of young boys as slaves who were Christians. These boys were soon converted to

Islam, forcibly, and taught full loyalty to their new faith and Sultan. They became an

important military force due to the janissaries being perceived as the sultan’s most

dependable soldiers as well as self-controlled groups with variable services, while they

were considered as “slave soldiers”, they promoted from certain rights that regular

Ottoman warriors did not have.

Recruitment

The Ottoman Empire used an enrolled system called the ‘Devshirme’ system up

until the 1650s. The system is based on the gathering, in which the word Devshirme

directly converts to, of boys aged 8 to 18 from Christian families as a sort of tax towards

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the Sultanate. These boys were then powerfully forced to convert into Islam and raised

to help the Ottoman Empire and obey their Sultan. In the 1490s, the average

recruitment age was thirteen and a half years old and rose to about sixteen and a half

years old in the 1600s. The need of larger forces and expanding the Janissary corps

was the main reason to the obvious change in recruitment age, which in turn led to a

shorter training period. Turkish officials would scout the neighboring regions every 5

years, hand picking the strongest and most physically built boys. Greeks and Albanians

were usually favored by the Ottomans and as their borders expanded, they began to

recruit minorities from foreign countries such as: Georgia, Bulgaria, Russia, and

Romania. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, so did the need to increase the size of the

Janissary forces. The traditional Devshirme system proved insufficient and later

abolished, round the 1650s, due to its unskillfulness and immorality. Only then, was the

janissary corps open to recruiting free born Muslims.

Training

The Devshirme system provided the kingdom with a power of warriors that are

recalled till nowadays. Yet, it was the perfect and stable training that the Janissaries

went through that made them this overpowering force and one of the most feared armed

groups at the time. Recruits acquired through the Devshirme system, Christian youths,

were first placed into a Turkish home to learn their language (Turkish), the principles of

Islam and the Ottoman traditions and customs. This procedure allowed them to feel as

part of the society and not strangers. The Janissaries were put into hard effort with

harsh rules and were expected to be very self-controlled. With the idea of giving a force

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that other regions would not understand, the Ottomans decided to send these recruits to

military schools, where they would improve their skills and knowledge due to their own

talents and abilities. Some of these recruits were sent to join other schools, in which

they would train to become engineers, archers, rifleman, etc.

Classification / Rankings

The Janissaries applied strict conditions on promotion through the corps. For

example, a Janissary can only move up in ranks through experience and only in their

own orta (batallion). Rank names, such as colonel which is known as Corbaci (soup

cook), are derived from the titles of the kitchen staff. Another important rule is that a

Janissary can only be punished by his respective Orta’s commanding officer.

Standing by the name of an elite force of soldiers, the Janissaries upheld certain

names that would differentiate the leaders from the soldiers. The Janissaries were

divided into three Orta (battalions), known as Semaat (The frontier troops), Buluk (The

Sultan’s bodyguards), Sekban (Mercenaries). The Military student were known as the

‘Ajemi’ while the leader of the Janissaries was called the ‘Agha’. The Agha was

considered one of the most important officials in the military.

Culture

One feature of the Janissaries was their fighting and the fear they impressed in

their enemies, where European countries began to follow their ways and try in making

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corps as well-organized as the Janissaries. However; their music was another feature

that inspired many countries around them to follow their lead. The Janissaries Corps is

believed to have the oldest military band in history, in which ‘Janissary music’ inspired

compositions by famous composers such as Mozaart and Beethoven. It was also

believed to have been adopted in Europe first by the army of the polish ruler Augustus II

around 1720.

The Janissaries were taught to consider the corps their home and family, and the

sultan their father. This gave them an identity in which they would feel the loyalty

towards the Sultanate. The Janissaries were usually living in barracks or camps located

in the city. They had strict principles and laws enforced on them to allow them to focus

uniquely on their fighting and their protection of the Sultan and the Sultanate. They were

forbidden to marry unless released from active duty, while also lasting the virginity

regulation enforced on them by the Sultan. The Janissaries were only allowed to grow

their moustache, unlike other Muslims, and not their beards.

War Tactics

The Janissaries held a sense of esteem that allowed them to be feared and

represented as an elite military branch that brought results for the Ottoman Empire and

mess for their enemies. In terms of strategies and tactics, the Sultan would organize the

Janissaries in order to shut down the ‘Conquest of Constantinople’ as the major

instance. In addition to having a war talent, can’t be beaten by most armies, they were

also provided with advanced war technology such as rifles and firearms which allowed

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them success with a flawless victory. The Janissaries would always be at the side of the

Sultan, providing critical cover and protection to his majesty. They would await a breach

of some sort, usually through city or stronghold walls, and only then would they attack

with numbers and weapons to deliver the final blow. These methods proved more than

successful, allowing the Ottomans to win many major battles and limiting the number of

Janissaries that would be put at risk.

The Revolution

As the Janissary forces grew, their demands also arisen. Due to their elite

military status, the Janissaries held power that could sometimes put sultans in danger.

In 1449, the first time the Janissaries revolted against the sultanate. They wanted higher

salaries for their work. From this point on the sultans of the Turkish Empire had to deal

with many issues that came along with the Janissaries. In 1566 Sultan Selim II allows

the Janissaries to marry, stopping the virginity amongst the soldiers. One important

change that happened was how the Janissaries recruited their fighters. They became

weaker and less impactful militiray force later on because those new recruits were

restricted to the sons of pervious Janissaries and didn’t not have to go through the

traditional training system that was established. In 1622 the Janissaries captured and

killed Sultan Osman II after the loss of major a battle in the polish war. After the defeat,

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Osman II threatened to put an end to the elite military force and Janissaries reacted by

assassinating him.

Another account of the Janissary revolution was played out by the actions of the

Janissaries stationed in Serbia. In 1804 they decided to expand their control of the

region without the permission of the sultan. The Janissaries feared that the sultan would

use the Serbs against them and therefore they reacted vigorously, killing all the nobles

in the region which is now known as the “Slaughter of the Knezes”. This sparked a

revolution by the Serbs against the Ottoman Empire, which had controlled them for over

300 years.

Main Battles

The Janissaries accomplished a massive role in all the Ottoman major war

campaigns. Many important battles were fought throughout the growth of the Ottoman

Empire. The battlefront of the growth reached all over central Europe, the Middle East

and North Africa. Some of these important massive battles that Janissaries passed by

are, The Conquest of Constantinople (1453), Battle of Marj Dabiq (1516), The Siege of

Rhodes (1522), and Battle of Mohacs (1526) leaving a great victory against other corps.

The Conquest of Constantinople (1453)

Constantinople (Istanbul Nowadays) was the capital of the Byzantine Empire as

early as the year 330. Throughout its history, Constantinople faced many attacks from

multiple nearby forces. Up until 1204 the city was impenetrable, when the crusaders

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succeeded in capturing the city. This signifies the strength and value that city had

obtained over the years. In 1451 Sultan Mehmed II succeeded his father at the age of

19. Mehemd II faced a critical observation for his young age and was believed to be

incapable of leading. The doubts of his people fueled his ambitions of expanding the

Ottoman empire greatly and Mehemed II was determined to capture Constantinople.

The siege began on the 6th of April 1453. The Byzantine forces consisted of 7,000 men

while the Ottomans greatly outnumbered them with 80,000 men included 10,000

Janissaries. The siege lasted 53 days until finally the walls were broken allowing a final

wave of elite Janissaries to capture the city. The Janissaries played an essential role

during this final assault and the ancient city of Constantinople was conquered by the

Ottomans. Constantinople now stands as the Turkish capital, Istanbul.

The Battle of Marj Dabiq (1516)

The Battle of Marj Debiq took place on the 24 th of August 1516 just north of

Syrian city Aleppo. At the time, the Mamluk Sultanate was in control of the city Dabiq.

The Ottomans at the time were looking to grow their empire throughout the Middle East.

Dabiq stood as major city for the Mamluk Sultanate and its capture would bring great

rewards for Ottomans. The Ottoman force consisted of 65,000 soldiers and 50 cannons

while the Mamluks outnumbered them with 80,000 soldiers. The battle lasted a few

hours with the Ottomans coming out as the victors. The result of the battle ended the

Mamluk sultanate, giving the Ottomans control of Syria and subsequently allowing them

to expand their conquest to Egypt.

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The Siege of Rhodes (1522)

The Island of Rhodes (Greece nowadays) is in the Mediterranean Sea. At the

time is was occupied by the Knights Hospitallers one of the last crusader strongholds in

the region. The Island of Rhodes posed an essential part of trade throughout the

Mediterranean. Capturing the Island of Rhodes would allow the Ottomans to take

control of the eastern Mediterranean. The Ottomans deployed 200,000 men and 400

ships while the Knights Hospitallers only had 7,500 men at their disposal. The sailing

journey was also accompanied by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The siege began

on the 26th of June and ended on the 22nd of December 1522. It resulted in another

Ottoman victory.

The Battle of the Mohacs (1526)

The Battle of the Mohacs took place on the 29 th of August in Mohacs, Hungary.

This battle was one of the most impactful battles the Ottomans ever participated in. The

opposing side of the battle was conducted by Louis II, the king of Hungary. The

Ottoman force consisted of 50,000 soldiers and 160 cannons while the Hungarians

assembled 30,000 soldiers and 85 cannons. The battle lasted only a few hours as both

armies advanced. At one point in the battle, Hungarian forces pushed so far into the

Ottoman forces that Sultan Suleiman I, who was also present, was put into danger but

the swift and powerful acts of the Janissary elites forced the Hungarian troops back.

The Ottomans went on to be victorious and resulted in Louis II death leaving Hungary to

be conquered.

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The fall

The fall of the Janissaries began in 1807 when they decided to get rid of Selim III

according to his attempts to update the Ottoman army. Updating the army meant that

Janissaries would no longer be needed which threatened to end their military

involvement. Sultan Mustafa IV ordered the murder of Selim the III and Mahmud II his

brother. Although Mahmud II managed to escape his death without Mustapha IV

knowing. Mustafa IV then became the sultan for over a year. Mahmud II later emerged

from hiding and killed Mustafa IV making him the sultan. Mahmud II then compromised

with the Janissaries ending any aggression. But behind closed curtains Mahmud II

secretly plotted against the Janissaries for a long period, giving into some of the

Janissaries’ demands until he released a fatwa ordering a new and modern Ottoman

army. The Janissaries were against it and began a rebellion against the sultan’s palace.

However, the Sultan was prepared and negated the attack. He soon after issued an

artillery attack on the Janissaries’ barracks, killing 4,000 of them. This night went down

in history as the “The Auspicious Incident”. The remaining Janissaries were either

exiled or executed, leading to the diminishment of a centuries old corps.

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References:
 "Janissary." Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World.
Retrieved April 17, 2017 from
Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-
almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/janissary
Goodwin, G. (1997). The Janissaries. London: Saqi Book Depot.
 "Janissary." Turkish Military. Retrieved April 17, 2017 from
Britannica.com: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Janissary-corps
 "Janissary Music."  Retrieved April 17, 2017 from Britannica.com:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Janissary-music#ref732215
 “Osman II." Ottoman Sultan. Retrieved April 17, 2017 from Britannica.com:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Osman-II#ref286154
Levy, Avigdor. "The Ottoman Ulama and the Military Reforms of Sultan Mahmud
II." Asian and African Studies 7 (1971): p.13–39.
 Shaw, S. J., & Yapp, M. E. (2016, December 22). Ottoman Empire. In Britannica.
Retrieved April 17, 2017, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Ottoman-
Empire#ref482001
Stephen Turnbull, the Ottoman Empire 1326–1699, Osprey Publishing, 2003.

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