What is the difference between Sipahis and Janissaries. Janissaries: special forces of the Ottoman Empire (4 photos)

Janissaries in the Ottoman Empire are part of the regular army, namely the infantry. The word "Janissary" is translated from Turkish as "new warrior". Such warriors appeared because of the need for changes in the army. The one that was earlier could not fully fulfill its functions - outdated methods have become obsolete. Initially, the Janissaries had few rights. But by the beginning of the 17th century, they had become a powerful force that led to discord and riots in the empire, for which reason they were disbanded by decree of Sultan Mahmud II. Who are the Janissaries? When did they appear? What were their responsibilities? All this is in the article.

Who are the Sipahis and Janissaries

Over the years of its existence, the Ottoman Empire has seen many battles. Before considering in detail who the Janissaries are, it is worth knowing in more detail who, apart from the Janissaries, was the basis of the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire and what functions they had.

Akıncı- unstable light cavalry. They were used mainly for reconnaissance or raids on various areas that did not want to obey the Sultan. Their pay for their work was trophies. There were no special uniforms or weapons. Most often they had simple armor made of durable fabric or leather, and bows were used as weapons. In 1595 the goals were disbanded.
Sipahi in some sources they are referred to as spagi - heavy cavalry. Sipahis in the Ottoman Empire were the main force of the army along with the Janissaries, thanks to good weapons and training. Initially, they were armed only with maces. But from the 15th century, the sipahis in the Ottoman Empire switched to firearms, and in the 17th century they used sabers and pistols, shields. The rider's ammunition, as a rule, was armor (ring-plate), helmet, bracers.

How did the Janissaries appear and where did they disappear?

Who are the Janissaries? Their history begins in the distant 1365. It was Sultan Murad I who created them as the main striking force of the army. The reason for this was that in the army of the Sultan there was only light and heavy cavalry, and the infantry for wars was recruited temporarily, from the people or mercenaries. These people were unreliable, could refuse, run away, or even defect to the other side. Therefore, it was decided to create an infantry that would be completely devoted to its country.

Closer to the 17th century, the gradual abolition of the Janissaries began. They had all sorts of rights that gave them some freedom and power. However, this power was not always directed towards the protection or welfare of the Sultan. A brief history of the Ottoman Empire indicates that in 1622 and 1807 there were riots led by the Janissaries, which led to the death and removal of the rulers. These were no longer obedient slaves, but conspirators.

In 1862, the Janissary corps was abolished by decree of Mahmud II. Of course, this led to another Janissary revolt, which was brutally suppressed by the loyal forces of the Sultan's army.

Who could become a Janissary?

Who are the Janissaries, the reader already knows. And who could become them? They did not take just anyone into the infantry army. Only young boys of 5-16 years old, of different nationalities, were selected there. The reason for such an early military age was, most likely, the fact that it is easier to retrain small children than adults. The older the person, the stronger his faith. And children can be converted to any religion and belief by the right upbringing. Such was the task of those into whose hands the selected boys fell.

At first, only Christian children were called for such service. It was from this part of the people that blood tribute (devshirme) was levied - children were forcibly taken away from their parents so that in the future they would be the personal slaves of the Sultan. Every fifth male child was taken away. But in 1683, after this "position" received its advantages (Janissaries could achieve a high position in society), many Muslim families asked the Sultan for the right to give their children for re-education as Janissaries. And they got official permission to do so.

But in order to become a Janissary, it was necessary to meet certain criteria.

Parents had to be from a noble family.
The child had to be moderately modest and not very talkative, so as not to chat once again.
Rigidity was a desirable feature of appearance. Guys with gentle features could not frighten the enemy.
Height also mattered, as everyone in the army had to be about the same height.

Education

After they were taken away from their parents, the boys were ordered to forget all their past: religion, family, attachments. Then they were sent to the capital, where they examined and selected a certain number of the strongest and most capable. They were separated and trained separately according to certain rules, so that they could serve in the palace or personally guard the Sultan. The rest were sent to the Janissary corps.

For the Janissary, it was important not only to be strong and know his business, but also to be submissive, obedient. Therefore, education was the basis of education. In order to instill in children the basic norms of Muslim law, traditions, customs, as well as to teach the language, they were sent to Islamic families. Here, children were deliberately subjected to physical and moral deprivation in order to develop resistance to everything that they would have to endure in the future.

After that, those who survived the first stage, did not break down, were transported to educational buildings, where they studied military science for six years and did hard physical work. They also taught children some other subjects, such as languages, calligraphy, everything that they might need in the future.

The only opportunity to "let off steam" for the young Janissaries was during Muslim holidays, when they were allowed to bully Jews and Christians.

The training ended when the warrior turned 25 years old. At this point, the young men either became Janissaries or not. Those who did not pass the 6-year test were called "rejected" and permanently excluded from military service.

Features of the life of the Janissaries

The life of the Janissaries was not easy, but it had its privileges. They were officially considered slaves of the Sultan and he could do with them whatever his heart desires. The Janissaries lived in the barracks, which were most often located next to the Sultan's palace. Until 1566, they did not have the right to marry, have children, or farm. Life was spent in battle and in the service of the empire. It is worth noting that in the absence of various kinds of comforts, such as women, families, crafts, they could completely devote themselves to only one joy of life - food. Cooking was a kind of ceremony. A lot of people worked on the preparation. There was even a separate position - the person responsible for cooking soup!

After a serious injury, when it was no longer possible to continue the service, or due to old age, the Janissaries retired and received benefits from the empire. Many of these retirees have had good careers, which is understandable given their knowledge and education. When a Janissary died, all his property passed into the hands of the regiment.

Only their superiors, led by the Sultan, could judge or evaluate the Janissaries. If the Janissary was seriously guilty, he was sentenced to an honorable execution - strangulation.

Functions

In addition to various military and army services, the Janissaries in the Ottoman Empire performed other functions:

acted as the people's police;
could extinguish fires;
punished instead of executioners.

But, in addition, they were part of the Sultan's guard, considered his personal slaves. Only the best became guards, who were ready for anything for the sake of the Sultan.

Structure

Janissary corps consisted of ojaks (regiments). The regiment was divided into orts. There were about a thousand soldiers in the regiment. The number of ojaks in different periods of the history of the empire was not the same. But during the heyday of the empire, their number reached almost 200. The regiments were not the same, they had different functions.

The regiment consisted of only three parts.

Belyuk - the personal guard of the Sultan, consisting of 61 orts.
Jemaat - simple warriors (the Sultan himself was recorded here), included 101 orta.
Sekban - 34 orts.

The Sultan was the head of all these regiments, but the actual control was carried out by the aga. The main confidants to him were sekbanbashi and kul kyakhyasy - the highest officers of the corps. Adepts of the dervish order of the Bektashi were regimental priests for the Janissaries, the main of which was considered the ojak of the imam. The training units and the garrison of Istanbul were controlled by the Istanbul Aghasy. And talimkhanejibashi was responsible for teaching work with boys. There was also a chief treasurer - beityulmaldzhi.

The regiments also had different ranks, and there were quite a few of them. So, for example, there was a person responsible for cooking soup, for water, the head of the barracks, the chief cook, his assistants, and so on.

Form and armament

The Janissaries, as a separate part of the military forces of the Ottoman Empire, had their own weapons and uniforms. They were easily recognizable from the outside.

Janissaries wore mustaches but shaved their beards clean. Clothing was made primarily from wool. Senior officers had fur trim on their suits to stand out from other Janissaries. The high status of the owner was also emphasized by belts or sashes. Part of the uniform was a felt cap, from which a piece of cloth hung from the back. It was also called berk or yuskyf. During campaigns and wars, the Janissaries wore armor, but later abandoned it.

The armed forces of the Ottoman Empire liked to use various technological innovations in wars and battles, but they never completely abandoned traditional weapons. Initially, they were very skillful archers. In addition to these weapons, they had small spears. Later, they armed themselves with pistols, although the bow did not completely disappear from use. It was used as a ceremonial weapon. Some Janissaries changed their bows to crossbows. In addition, swords and other types of piercing and cutting weapons were obligatory weapons. Sometimes a mace, axes, and the like were used instead.

Now you know who the Janissaries are, what was their duty in the Ottoman Empire. Finally, a few more interesting facts:

Despite the fact that the Janissaries, among other things, were the slaves of the Sultan, and some were originally born into Christian families, loyalty to the Sultan at first was impeccable. These warriors were famous for their cruelty, and for their homeland they were ready for any sacrifice.
Shaving facial hair was unusual for Muslims, so these people were easy to spot in a crowd.
Following the model of the Ottoman Empire, Polish Janissaries were created in the Commonwealth. It is noteworthy that they copied absolutely everything from the Turkish image, including uniforms and weapons. Only the colors were different.

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Janissaries are often written about. Sometimes they are presented as super-elite warriors who did not know failure; sometimes, especially when describing a later time, they are generally deprived of all military qualities. In addition, even in scientific and historical literature, all foot soldiers of the Turkish Sultan are often called Janissaries, as a result of which we read about Janissaries participating in the campaigns of the Tatar khans or fighting on land and at sea.

This article is an attempt to understand what role the Janissaries played in the army of the Sublime Porte, and what this word generally meant at different periods of history.

Since this is just an attempt, I will be glad to hear any criticism.

As you know, the Ottoman beylik (principality) arose at the end of the 13th century. At first, it occupied a small territory captured from the Byzantines and controlled by the Kayly (or Kayi) tribe, who at one time fled from the Mongols to Turkic Anatolia (M. Asia). Accordingly, the leader of the tribe was called Bey.

After the semi-legendary Ertogrul, about whom nothing really is known, the tribe was headed by his son Osman (1281-1324), who laid the foundations of the Ottoman state.

The basis of his army was a tribal militia ( taife). Osman also began to create and bestow upon his warriors timars(plots of land with peasants, sometimes markets, etc.) in exchange for service. In fact, we have before us typical fiefs or estates, handed out for service. Usually they were inherited.

If the estate brought in 2000 akche a year, the timariot had to serve personally, and if more, then for every additional 2000 akche of income, the owner had to bring with him jebel(latnik).

It should be noted that among the Timariots there are often surnames characteristic of the Greeks who converted to Islam (Michailogullars, Evrenosogullars), etc. Historians suggest that they were Akrits (Byzantine border guards, like the Cossacks), who converted to Islam. On the other hand, at the same time in Anatolia appears a large number of refugees from the Middle East, among whom there were many well-educated people who occupied important places in the Ottoman judicial and administrative apparatus. Thus, both Byzantine and Middle Eastern traditions played a role in the formation of the Ottoman state and army.

In addition to the militia, the Ottoman beys used volunteer detachments ( gasi), i.e. fighters for the faith, who naturally did not disdain prey. Osman's first major target was Brusa, but the lack of infantry in his army meant that the siege (more precisely, regular robberies) lasted almost ten years.

When the city finally surrendered, the Ottomans proclaimed it their capital and created the first infantry units - detachments ya. They were formed according to the following principle: several families of peasants received tax exemptions, and in return they had to put up one warrior on a campaign. Later, according to the same principle, horsemen began to be recruited - Muselemov.

First half of the 14th century Ottoman beys remained in fact petty princelings who plundered Byzantine possessions in Asia Minor. In addition, the Byzantines often used them as mercenaries, especially in internecine wars.

Neighboring Turkic beyliks such as Germiyan, Aydin, Sarukhan were much larger and stronger.

The weakening of Byzantium led to the fact that in the middle of the XIV century. The Ottomans captured Galliopoli, a fortress on the European shore of the Bosporus. As a result, their detachments began to penetrate the Balkans and rob them. It should be noted that at that time the Balkans became the theater of an almost continuous war for leadership in the region. The Byzantines weakened in civil strife and were defeated by the Bulgarians. Later, the Bulgarian kingdom began to suffer from internecine wars, and the leadership passed to the Serbs, who in the end also fought among themselves. In addition, in the Balkans there were still independent crusader states (for example, the Duchy of Athens), the Despotate of Epirus, the possessions of Venice, etc.

Under these conditions, the Ottomans began to seize the Balkans in parts.

This was done by semi-independent detachments, which were called akynji(raiders, or daredevils), consisting of both vassals of the Ottoman beys and ghazis.

It was very important that all these detachments, returning, had to pass through a small territory controlled by the Ottomans, and cross with booty on their ships.

Even in those cases when the Akynji beys seized their own possessions in the Balkans, they still needed reinforcements, and sometimes help from the center.

Therefore, they were forced to obey the sultan (this title was taken by the third ruler from the Ottoman family, Murad I Khudavendigar (1362-1389)), accepting his role as an organizer (i.e. attacking those lands that he indicated) and give him 1/5 of the booty, including every fifth captive-slave.

Thanks to the income and people received, continuing the Middle Eastern traditions of forming an army from among the slaves (ghouls in the Arab Caliphate, Mamluks in Egypt), the Turks began to create detachments of captives, which they called kap kulu(slaves of the palace). It was believed that slave warriors who did not have family ties with the local elite and the general population of the beylik would be devoted servants of the Sultan.

The initiator and first organizer of this unit was the kadi (judge) Brussy Kary Khalky Pasha, who later became the vizier of Murad Khudavendigyar.

Later, these units began to be formed according to the devshirmiye system, i.e. by recruiting Christian boys aged 7-12, who were then sent to Muslim families for several years, after which they were again collected and taught. Then these students, by the way, who served during training as servants in the Sultan's palace, became warriors of the kapa kulu.

The foot part of this guard began to be called yoni cherry(new army), i.e. Janissaries.

Thus, while the neighboring Turkic beyliks were weakened by internal strife, the Ottomans retained control over their possessions due to the ability to control profit from raids and the presence of a rather powerful corps of the kapa kulu.

In the second half of the XIV century. The Ottoman army was formed on the following principles.

Most of the army was made up of timariots, an analogue of the Russian local militia or knightly militia in the Middle Ages. It is interesting to note that in the beginning, Christians could also be Timariots, although their heirs usually already converted to Islam.

However, unlike in feudal Europe, among the Ottomans, the role of commanders was played not by larger feudal lords, who passed on their positions by inheritance, but by officials appointed by the Sultan. Along with the presence of the Kulu kapa guard, this guaranteed high level discipline in the Ottoman army.

Together with the Timariot militias, subordinate to the respective governors of the sultans, the Yayas and Musselems served. Also, during the campaigns, volunteers joined the troops, serving with their weapons and horses and acting as light cavalry, still called akynji. They acted in the vanguard of the army, which gave them the opportunity to be the first to plunder the villages and cities through which they passed.

In addition, continuing the traditions of the militia, one infantryman was sent and equipped from each village on a campaign. These warriors were called azapy(bachelors).

They received a salary during the campaign, and after it they went home.

Of course, parts of the kapa kulu also participated in the campaigns, including the Janissaries (infantry), jabeji(gunsmiths) and sipahis(horse guard).

The number of Janissaries in the XIV century. did not exceed 3,000 people, and it is known that they were the largest group of kapa kulu, so that the total number of the Sultan's guards hardly exceeded 5,000 soldiers.

Naturally, fewer soldiers participated in the battles, since separate detachments of the Janissaries occupied the key fortresses of the Ottoman Empire, guaranteeing the loyalty of local feudal lords, and also guarded the palace and the treasury of the Sultan.

On the other hand, the Turkish army of that time rarely exceeded the size of ten to twenty thousand people, so that 2-3 thousand soldiers remained a formidable force.

In general, during this period, the Janissaries usually participated in campaigns only together with the Sultan himself. However, at that time it meant almost annual trips.

Thanks to them, the Turks quickly conquered most of the possessions of the Byzantine Empire (except for Constantinople and Morea itself), subjugated Bulgaria and Macedonia.

The battle on the Kosovo field in 1389 became decisive, when the Serbs were defeated, until this battle they were considered the most powerful army in the Balkans. During (or immediately after the battle) Sultan Murad was killed. His son Bayazid, who was the first to know about this, acted quickly - he summoned his brother Yakub to the headquarters on behalf of his father and killed him.

During the reign of Bayazid, who received the nickname Yoldirm (Lightning), the Turks continued to conquer the Balkans, at the same time starting to annex the Turkic principalities in Anatolia to their possessions. Here they tried more to act with the help of diplomacy, attracting the local elite with the prospect of participation and conquest of the Balkans, as well as the moral authority of fighters for the faith.

They also began to fight very successfully with local nomads who did not want to obey the central government, like the Kayi tribe in their time.

The Turks did not demand taxes from them, but warriors for campaigns.

The disobedient were resettled in the Balkans, expanding the Muslim base on the peninsula.

Detachments of nomadic tribes were named Yuryuki, and usually served as light cavalry, like akynji.

When describing the battles of that time, the order and tactics of the Ottoman army are as follows: the first line, consisting of akindzhi and yuryuks, is light cavalry units. Their task was to scout the position of the enemy troops, disturb him with light attacks, and ideally provoke his attack in the right direction and at the right time.

The second line, the main line, usually consisted of infantry standing in the center and Timariots on the flanks. Infantry positions were often reinforced by various structures - stakes, wolf pits, carts, sometimes ditches and ramparts. The task of the infantry was to take on the blow of the enemy and stop him. And then the heavy (by the standards of the East) cavalry of the Timariots struck from the flanks.

Janissaries occupied a place either in the center or behind the center, usually surrounding the Sultan. Their main weapon was a bow, i.e. before us foot archers. As you know, the training of archers requires a lot of time (ideally from adolescence) and effort.

How effective suitably trained archers are is well known from the British victories in the Hundred Years' War.

Thus, the Janissaries played the role of shooters, and also, probably, maintained discipline among other infantry units that stood in the forefront (yays and azaps), i.e. covering the caps of the kulu. They also played the role of the Sultan's last reserve, which they threw into battle in order to either finish off the enemy or try to turn the tide of the battle.

Thus, unlike the detachments of other Balkan rulers, which were usually typical feudal militias, mostly mounted, the Turks relied on a combination of cavalry and infantry, to which artillery was later added.

During the sieges, the Janissaries actively participated in them. As in field battles, they were usually used not in the general mass of troops, but at key moments, including to capture the most important positions, such as breaches in the wall.

The conquest of Anatolia was not without clashes. At the same time, the Janissaries demonstrated a very high level of professionalism. So, in 1425, a detachment of only five hundred Janissaries coped with a five thousandth detachment of the Azaps and Timariots of one of the rebellious principalities.

Of course, this did not mean that the Janissaries were undefeated or that the Turkish army as a whole was invincible. She suffered defeats more than once from both the Serbs and the Hungarians. The most difficult was the defeat of Sultan Bayazid by the Central Asian ruler Timur in 1401. The Janissary guards surrounding the Sultan fought to the end, but could neither turn the tide of the battle nor save their master, who was eventually captured, where he committed suicide.

After Timur's departure, Bayezid's heirs began internecine wars, and the Anatolian beyliks regained their independence. Neighboring states, primarily the Byzantines, tried to weaken the Turks as much as possible, pitting them against each other. But the Balkan possessions of the empire, despite the fact that there was an influential aristocracy (the heirs of the Akynji), were not going to be divided into separate possessions, since the local Turks felt like strangers, unable to survive alone. Based on these possessions, Sultan Murad II managed to restore the empire, including reviving the corps of the Janissaries.

The first intervention of the Janissaries in politics belongs to his reign. When Murad abdicated the throne, they, seeing the youth of his heir, revolted, plundered the palaces of dignitaries and demanded that the young sultan return his father to the throne.

Later, after the death of Murad, his son Mehmed, known as Fatih (Conqueror) (1451-1481), again ascended the throne and soon captured Constantinople, renaming it Istanbul, and later conquered all remaining possessions in the Balkans and Anatolia. In addition to conquests, he is also known as a successful legislator. Among his laws was the law that the Sultan was obliged to kill his brothers if they posed a threat to the throne.

An eyewitness indicates that at that time the number of kapa kulu was about 6,000 people, of which about four thousand were Janissaries.

Since the fifties, topchu appeared in the composition of the kapa kulu, i.e. gunners.

During the reign of Bayezid II Wali (Saint) (1481-1512), there were practically no major wars. But there were serious changes in the organization of the Janissaries.

First, since after the death of Mehmed Bayezid seized power by force, defeating the troops of his brother Cem, he increased the loyalty of the Janissaries by giving them generous gifts on the occasion of accession, and since then each new sultan generously endowed his guard during his accession to the throne.

Secondly, some of the Janissaries were armed with firearms.

Thirdly, the Janissaries received the right to enroll their children in the Janissary corps.

At the same time, part of the Janissaries (at first, apparently, elderly or disabled people who had the status of pensioners) began to engage in crafts in order to feed themselves. So, the butcher shop in Istanbul consisted only of Janissaries. Unlike ordinary artisans, the Janissaries did not pay taxes.

The favorite of the Janissaries of that time was the son of Bayezid, who received the name Yavuz (Fierce or Terrible). The father believed that his other son, Ahmed, should become the heir, but Selim rebelled, overthrew his father, who soon died in prison, and executed all the brothers.

Selim II Yavuz (1512-1520) began holy war with the Shiites, led by the Persian Shah Ismail, whose cavalry was considered unstoppable in the attack. Having slaughtered for a start several tens of thousands of Shiites in Anatolia, the Sunni Selim in 1514 defeated the Persian troops at Chaldiran. The infantry of the Turks played a big role here. Relying on the wagenburg (fortifications made of wagons) and actively using artillery and muskets, the Turks managed to stop the attacks of the Persian cavalry, and then defeat them. In 1516, according to the same scheme, the army of the Egyptian Mamluks, who were considered the best warriors of the Muslim East, was defeated. Now this title has passed to the Janissaries.

After the death of Selim, his son Suleiman, known among Europeans as the Magnificent, and among the Turks as Kanuni (Legislator) (1520-1566), received power.

In the XVI century. the number of the Janissary corps fluctuated in the range of 8-12 thousand soldiers.

The Janissaries still played a big role as the guards of the sultans, especially since in the battles of the New Age, infantry armed with firearms became increasingly important. In addition, on the main route of the Ottoman expansion - the invasion of Europe, the Europeans relied not on field battles, but on numerous fortresses, during the sieges of which artillery and infantry played a major role.

It should be noted that parts of the Yay and Musselems, which consisted of peasants who were drafted into the army during campaigns, lose their significance at this time, turning either into simple peasants or into auxiliary units that monitored bridges, roads and other local tasks.

On the other hand, many provincial governors begin to create their detachments not from horsemen, as before, but from foot soldiers. This was facilitated by the fact that, unlike the bow, firearms do not require long-term training.

As you know, in the Ottoman Empire, as in the Muscovite kingdom, the highest ranks received not a monetary allowance, but estates as a reward for their service. The income from the estate was supposed not only to provide for the pasha himself and his family, but also to compensate for his expenses for the maintenance of personal assistants (officials, guards, etc.).

These warriors were usually recruited among Muslims, most often the Turks themselves, or inhabitants of other countries who converted to Islam (Arabs, Bosnians, etc.). When long service they could count on receiving a special status, i.e. their farms were exempt from taxes.

The most combat-ready of them were considered detachments of Albanians ( Arnauts as the Turks called them). It was believed that only the Arnaut units were able to match the Janissaries in terms of combat capability.

It was these units, known under different names - Azaps, Levends, Deli, Kuguglis, etc., that foreigners often considered Janissaries.

In the XVI century. The Ottoman Empire reached its maximum power.

However, having captured Hungary in the west and Iraq in the east, the empire was no longer able to push its borders further. Opponents managed to stop her onslaught.

Meanwhile, the ships of Columbus and Vasco da Gama had already dealt a powerful blow to the Turks, giving rise to a phenomenon known as the price revolution.

Its essence was as follows: for centuries, the basis of the monetary system of Europe, as well as other countries of the world, was gold and silver. But Europeans needed goods that they could only get in the East - silk (the basis of hygiene), pepper (a replacement for refrigerators), spices (the basis of medicines), which they could only buy in the East. And they had nothing to offer in return. Therefore, gold and silver left Europe for the East for centuries. The more Europe developed, the more its trade grew, hence the need for money increased, i.e. in noble metals. And they went to the East. Therefore, there was a shortage of precious metals; commodity prices in coins (i.e. gold and silver) either remained stable (on average) or rose.

Moreover, the complete control of this trade between East and West, which fell into the hands of the Turks after the conquest of Syria and Egypt, brought huge profits to the empire.

But when Vasco da Gama discovered sea route to India, about half of the spices began to be delivered to Europe by sea, bypassing the Ottoman customs and merchants. And when the Spaniards conquered America, first robbing it, and then setting up a massive mining of gold and silver there with the help of the free labor of the Indians, a huge amount of precious metals poured into Europe. Supply exceeded demand, and the value of gold and silver plummeted. This meant that the coins depreciated, and prices rose accordingly. As a result, prices have tripled in one century. Those on fixed incomes found that with the same money they could not buy the same amount of goods.

In the Ottoman Empire, such income, i.e. salaries from the state or taxes established by the state from the peasants, received all its soldiers.

The Timariots were the first to feel this blow. They had suffered greatly from the expansion of the empire before. Once upon a time, their ancestors could be in the territory of the enemy, intended for plunder, in a few days or at least weeks of travel. This made it possible not only to rob the enemy’s possessions, but to bring home all the loot (cattle, captives, property that can be loaded on cattle and captives), where to use it on the farm or sell it over time, calmly waiting for a favorable price. Now, when the road to the enemy’s possessions in one direction often took months, the booty had to be sold to cunning merchants who paid much less for it.

In addition, long trips led to the fact that the Timariots could not take care of their household for many months.

As a result, the Timariots had two ways. The first, traditional way was to try to get more booty and earn the padishah's reward in the form of new estates. But in conditions when campaigns gave little booty and did not bring new conquests, this path was unrealistic: the authorities simply did not have enough land to reward everyone. Moreover, trying to equip themselves and their warriors, such traditionalists simply went bankrupt in the new conditions.

The second way was to settle down on the ground, when the heir of the valiant warriors tried to improve his economy, not to go hiking as much as possible, most often paying bribes to the governor to be recognized as sick, etc.

Of course, in practice, many timariotes tried to combine both of these paths, or tried to somehow get out.

On the other hand, local pashas, seeing the growing need for infantry and the strengthening of their own power due to the growth of their own detachments, often themselves pushed the Timariots to the second path or seized their lands.

As a result, the number and quality of the soldiers of the Timariot militia gradually decreased. On the other hand, the power of the provincial pashas and their detachments grew, counterweighted by the increasingly weakening parts of the Timariots and Capa Kulu.

Consequently, from one of the elements of the Ottoman army, the caps of the Kulu increasingly turned into the main military support of the Sultan's power.

Therefore, the number of Janissaries grew, and in the first half of the XVII century. in the ranks of the corps there were already 30-35 thousand Janissaries. The total number of kapa kulu reached more than fifty thousand. This was facilitated by the fact that from 1574 it was allowed to enroll young Muslims in the corps.

However, at the same time, the price revolution also hit state revenues and the salaries of the Janissaries in the same way. State revenues were falling, and due to the weakening of the system of control over local authorities, the government could no longer increase its share in the income. On the contrary, the actual revenues of the government fell. Thus, although the government was in dire need of the Janissaries, it could not provide them with a decent content. The salary of ordinary Janissaries became lower than the wages of unskilled workers in Istanbul, it was often issued with delays and damaged coins.

Under these conditions, the discipline of the Janissary corps became the first victim. In order to achieve the loyalty of the Janissaries, the authorities turned a blind eye to numerous violations of the order. The Janissaries began to train much less, the commanders of the Janissaries had to take into account the opinion of their subordinates much more than before.

Taking advantage of the freedom gained, the Janissaries begin to earn money.

Many Janissaries begin to engage in crafts and petty trade. As already mentioned, their status allowed them not to pay taxes. In addition, since they performed the duties of the police and firefighters, it was not easy to compete with them, to put it mildly. Finally, the courts often did not dare to contact the Janissaries.

In addition, often the Janissaries, or rather their officers, on behalf of their units, begin to provide patronage to artisans and small shopkeepers. Outwardly, this is expressed in the fact that in the shop, for example, on the wall, either a scimitar or a Janissary cap hangs. This means that this shop is under the protection of the Janissaries of this unit, primarily from other Janissaries, as well as from the extortion of local officials. Those. in fact, it was a kind of roofing. Sometimes this allowed the shopkeeper or craftsman to avoid paying at least part of the state taxes.

In addition, the number of "dead souls" is growing in the Janissary corps. Without reporting losses, Janissary officers receive a salary for dead comrades.

Moreover, documents for the title of Janissaries begin to be sold to artisans and merchants, who, having bought them and received the official status of a Janissary, continue to do their business without paying taxes and not depending on local authorities. In the case of mobilization, such Janissaries give bribes to officers who help them avoid being drafted.

Thus, inside the corps there is a division into old Janissaries, who at the very least serve, receive various incomes, and those who are only listed as Janissaries. It is impossible to establish an exact relationship between the two.

Periodically, when a sufficiently influential vizier came to power, checks were carried out, a certain number of new Janissaries were deleted from the lists.

But soon the situation returned to normal.

Of course, the authorities saw the weakening of the combat capability of the Janissary corps. Sultan Osman II (1618-1622) was the first to realize this. The young (he took the throne at the age of 14) sultan sought to revive the glory of the Ottomans. He personally conducted police checks in Istanbul, then led the Turkish campaign against Poland. But near Khotyn he became convinced that his numerous troops were inferior in quality to the European mercenaries who used the linear system. As a result, Osman decided to carry out a radical reform - during his pilgrimage to Mecca, he intended to gather new troops in Anatolia, which he would train in a European manner, and replace them with the Janissaries. His decision became known, and the young sultan was killed by the Janissaries. Although later the company that did this was disbanded, and the executioner of the Sultan was executed, the Janissaries overthrew the Sultans more than once.

The next sultan, Murad IV, nicknamed the Bloody, managed to get the support of some of the Janissaries and dignitaries, who were tired of the mess and chaos that reigned even in the capital. Thanks to their support, he strengthened his power, and then proceeded to merciless terror against the disaffected. Since the army of the Timariots had already lost its combat capability, he began to increase the number of kapa kulu, bringing the number of Janissaries to 46 thousand. Under him, the devshirmiye system was officially abolished, however, the last recruitment took place in 1607, since there were already enough people who wanted to serve in the Janissaries. From now on, the corps of kapa kulu was formed only at the expense of young Muslim boys.

Murad's successor, Ibrahim I of Delhi (the Mad), was overthrown by the Janissaries.

Delhi's son Mehmed IV Awaji (Hunter) handed over all power to the dynasty of viziers Keprel, giving himself to his favorite pastime. In the end, another representative of the dynasty, Kara-Mustafa Keprelu, attacked Austria, but was defeated near Vienna. To fight against the Turks, a coalition of European powers was organized, and a war began, part of which were the Crimean campaigns of Golitsyn and the Azov campaigns of Peter. The number of Janissaries rose again to 70 thousand, and the total number of kapa kulu reached more than 100 thousand. However, after the end of the war, the number of Janissaries was sharply reduced to about 33 thousand people.

Thus, the figure of more than 30,000 Janissaries and about 50,000-odd for the entire composition of the Kapa Kulu seems to be the clearest estimate of the number of these units in peacetime.

Now the Janissaries have finally turned into ordinary hired units. Together with detachments of provincial pashas, they formed the basis of the Ottoman army.

It should be noted that there are several persistent myths regarding the Janissaries of that time. In addition to the fact that almost all foot troops of the Ottomans are now called Janissaries, there is a myth about the number of Muslim armies and a legend about the extreme degradation of the Janissary corps, as well as that they overthrew the sultans and viziers simply out of a whim.

First, let's deal with the size of the Ottoman armies. Most often, there are references to the data of various opponents of the Ottomans, who evaluated their troops. For obvious reasons, these commanders were interested in exaggerating the size of the enemy. Moreover, unlike regular armies, in the Ottoman units, each unit was formed independently and had its own convoy, i.e. the percentage of non-combatants in the Turkish army was much higher than that of its European opponents.

Do not forget that, as shown above, the officers of the Janissaries and the provincial pashas were interested in inflating the number of their units.

Although the extent of the exaggeration of the size of the Ottoman armies has yet to be established, the following can be assumed. Considering that a significant part of the Janissaries remained to carry out garrison service, as well as numerous registrations, it can be safely assumed that it is extremely unlikely to bring more than 50 thousand kapa kulu to the theater of operations (as a whole) (taking into account the fact that additional soldiers were recruited into the corps in case of hostilities) is extremely unlikely.

The total number of armies of the Sultan hardly exceeded 100-150 thousand people (not counting the troops of vassals, such as Tatars, Moldavians, Egyptians, etc.).

Secondly, we will clarify the fighting qualities of the Janissaries at this time. The Janissaries, as before, tried to wait for the enemy’s attack behind the fortifications, or they attacked with an uneven trapezoid, almost in a crowd, not observing the order, more precisely, due to the lack of drill training, not being able to observe it.

On the other hand, the Janissaries, whose core was made up of people who inherited their profession, had good training in handling weapons, had a fair amount of stamina and perseverance.

Although the Ottomans at that time suffered many defeats, including from the Russian troops, the Russian military leaders were not inclined to consider them whipping toys. And the Austrians suffered defeats from the Turks more than once throughout the 18th century.

Regarding the tendency of the Janissaries to revolt, it can be noted that in the 17th century. they overthrew three sultans, in the XVIII century. — two. Much more often, unrest among the Janissaries led to a change in the Grand Vizier, i.e. heads of government. However, it should be borne in mind that the Janissaries in this period were very closely associated with various groups of the population. Further, we note that all the sultans they overthrew were rather unpopular, and their overthrow was usually caused by the actions of various forces, of which the Janissaries were a part.

Among the Janissaries themselves, military reforms caused the greatest rejection. The Janissaries themselves did not want to retrain and obey European instructors with their strict discipline. But they did not want to allow the creation of a serious alternative to themselves as the basis of the Sultan's army. As a result, all attempts to create a modern army, which the Ottomans periodically made in the 18th century, ended in failure. Sultan Selim III was the most persistent. After a series of defeats suffered by the Russian and French troops, he decided to create a new system of army organization, in which there was no place for the Janissaries. As a result of his reforms, which caused unrest and discontent among a significant part of the Ottoman society, a Janissary rebellion broke out and the Sultan was overthrown.

His nephew Mahmud II managed to prepare the reforms more carefully and enlist the support of society. As a result, by 1826 he managed to create guard units.

When unrest began again among the Janissaries on this issue, the Sultan managed to get the support of the clergy, who condemned the rebellion (the detainees were asked the question - are you a Janissary or a Muslim?), And a large number of residents who joined his troops.

The Janissaries tried to sit out in the barracks, but the artillery said its weighty word - the barracks were burned, a significant part of the Janissaries died in battle or were executed. Then decrees were sent out on the destruction of the Janissaries in the provinces, where most often it all came down to the dissolution of the Janissary units.

The defeat of the Janissaries seriously weakened the Turkish army and significantly contributed to the liberation of Greece from Ottoman rule.

Almost all great powers had their own military estates, special troops. In the Ottoman Empire they were Janissaries, in Russia they were Cossacks. The organization of the corps of the Janissaries (from "yeni cheri" - "new army") was based on two main ideas: the state took over the entire maintenance of the Janissaries so that they could devote all the time to combat training without reducing their fighting qualities in normal times; to create a professional warrior, united in a military-religious brotherhood, like the knightly orders of the West. In addition, the Sultan's power needed a military support, devoted only to the supreme power and no one else.

The creation of the Janissary corps became possible thanks to the successful wars of conquest waged by the Ottomans, which led to the accumulation of great wealth from the sultans. The appearance of the Janissaries is associated with the name of Murad I (1359-1389), who was the first to take the title of Sultan and made a number of major conquests in Asia Minor and the Balkan Peninsula, formalizing the creation of the Ottoman Empire. Under Murad, they began to form a "new army", which later became the strike force of the Turkish army and a kind of personal guard of the Ottoman sultans. The Janissaries were personally subordinate to the Sultan, received a salary from the treasury and from the very beginning became a privileged part of the Turkish army. Subordination to the sultan personally was symbolized by the "berk" (aka "yuskyuf") - a kind of headdress of the "new warriors", made in the form of a sleeve of the sultan's robe, - they say, the Janissaries are under the sultan's hand. The commander of the Janissary corps was one of the highest dignitaries of the empire.

The supply idea is visible throughout the organization of the Janissaries. The lowest cell in the organization was the department - 10 people, united by a common boiler and a common pack horse. 8-12 departments formed an ode (company), which had a large company boiler. In the XIV century, there were 66 od Janissaries (5 thousand people), and then the number of “ods” increased to 200. The commander of the ode (company) was called Chorbaji-bashi, that is, the distributor of soup; other officers had the title of "chief cook" (ashdshi-bashi) and "water carrier" (saka-bashi). The name of the company - an ode - denoted a common barracks - a bedroom; the unit was also called "orta", that is, a herd. On Fridays, the company cauldron was sent to the Sultan's kitchen, where pilaf (pilaf, a dish based on rice and meat) was prepared for the warriors of Allah. Instead of a cockade, the Janissaries stuck a wooden spoon in front of their white felt hat. In the later period, when the corps of the Janissaries had already decomposed, rallies took place around the military shrine - the company boiler, and the refusal of the Janissaries to taste the pilaf brought from the palace was considered the most dangerous rebellious sign - a demonstration.

The concern for the upbringing of the spirit was entrusted to the Sufi order of the Bektashi dervishes. It was founded by Haji Bektash in the 13th century. All Janissaries were assigned to the order. Sheikhs (baba) of the brotherhood were symbolically enrolled in the 94th orta. Therefore, in Turkish documents, the Janissaries were often called the “Bektash partnership”, and the Janissary commanders were often called “aga Bektashi”. This order allowed certain liberties, such as drinking wine, and contained elements of non-Muslim practices. Bektashi's teaching simplified the basic postulates and requirements of Islam. For example, it made it unnecessary to pray five times a day. Which was quite reasonable - for an army on a campaign, and even during military operations, when success depended on the speed of maneuver and movement, such delays could be fatal.

The barracks became a kind of monastery. The order of dervishes was the only educator and teacher of the Janissaries. Dervish monks in the Janissary units played the role of military chaplains, and also had the duty to amuse the soldiers with singing and buffoonery. The Janissaries had no relatives, for them the Sultan was the only father and his order was sacred. They were obliged to engage only in military craft (during the period of decomposition, the situation changed radically), in life they were content with military booty, and after death they hoped for paradise, the entrance to which was opened by the “holy war”.

At first, the corps was formed from captured Christian teenagers and youths aged 12-16. In addition, the agents of the Sultan bought young slaves in the markets. Later, at the expense of the “blood tax” (the system of devshirme, that is, “the set of children of subjects”). They taxed the Christian population of the Ottoman Empire. Its essence was that every fifth immature boy was taken from the Christian community into the slaves of the Sultan. An interesting fact is that the Ottomans simply borrowed the experience of the Byzantine Empire. The Greek authorities, experiencing a great need for soldiers, periodically carried out forced mobilization in areas inhabited by Slavs and Albanians, taking every fifth young man.

Initially, it was a very heavy and shameful tax for the Christians of the empire. After all, these boys, as their parents knew, in the future became terrible enemies. Christendom. Well-trained and fanatical warriors who were Christians and Slavs (mostly) by origin. It should be noted that the "sultan's slaves" had nothing to do with ordinary slaves. These were not slaves in chains who did hard and dirty work. Janissaries could reach the highest positions in the empire in the administration, in military or police formations. At a later time, by the end of the 17th century, the corps of the Janissaries was already formed mainly according to the hereditary, estate principle. And wealthy Turkish families paid a lot of money to have their children accepted into the corps, since it was possible to get a good education and make a career.

For several years, children, forcibly torn from their parental home, spent in Turkish families to make them forget their home, family, homeland, family, and study the basics of Islam. Then the young man entered the institute of "inexperienced boys" and here he developed physically and was brought up spiritually. They served there for 7-8 years. In a way, it was a mixture of the cadet corps, the military "training school", the construction battalion and the religious school. Devotion to Islam and the Sultan was the goal of this upbringing. The future warriors of the Sultan studied theology, calligraphy, law, literature, languages, various sciences and, of course, military affairs. In their free time, students were used in construction work - mainly in the construction and repair of numerous fortresses and fortifications. The Janissary did not have the right to marry (marriage was prohibited until 1566), he was obliged to live in the barracks, silently follow all the orders of the elder, and in the event of a disciplinary sanction being imposed on him, he had to, as a sign of humility, kiss the hand of the person who imposed the penalty.

The devshirme system arose after the formation of the Janissary corps itself. Its development was slowed down during the turmoil that came after the invasion of Tamerlane. In 1402, in the battle of Ankara, the Janissaries and other divisions of the Sultan were almost completely destroyed. Murad II in 1438 revived the devshirme system. Mehmed II the Conqueror increased the number of Janissaries and raised their salaries. The Janissaries became the core of the Ottoman army. In more recent times, many families themselves began to give away their children so that they would receive a good education and make a career.

The main weapon of the Janissaries for a long time was the bow, in the possession of which they achieved great perfection. The Janissaries were foot archers, excellent archers. In addition to the bow, they were armed with sabers and scimitars, and other edged weapons. Later, the Janissaries were armed with firearms. As a result, the Janissaries were at first light infantry, having almost no heavy weapons and armor. With a serious enemy, they preferred to conduct a defensive battle in a fortified position, protected by a moat and light obstacles set in a circle by wagon carts ("camps"). At the same time, in the initial period of development, they were distinguished by high discipline, organization and fighting spirit. In a strong position, the Janissaries were ready to confront the most serious enemy. Chalkondil, a Greek historian of the early 15th century, being a direct witness to the actions of the Janissaries, attributed the successes of the Turks to their strict discipline, excellent supply, and concern for maintaining communications. He noted the good organization of the camps and auxiliary services, as well as the large number of pack animals.

The Janissaries had much in common with other military estates, in particular, with the Cossacks. Their essence was common - the active defense of their civilization, their homeland. At the same time, these estates had a certain mystical orientation. For the Janissaries, this was a connection with the Sufi order of dervishes. Both among the Cossacks and among the Janissaries, his main “family” was brothers-in-arms. Like the Cossacks in kurens and villages, so the Janissaries lived all together in large monasteries-barracks. Janissaries ate from one boiler. The latter was revered by them as a shrine and a symbol of their military unit. Among the Cossacks, cauldrons stood in the most honorable place and were always polished to a shine. They also played the role of a symbol of military unity. Initially, the Cossacks and Janissaries had a similar attitude towards women. Warriors, as in the monastic orders of the West, did not have the right to marry. The Cossacks, as you know, did not let women into the Sich.

Militarily, the Cossacks and Janissaries were the light, mobile part of the army. They tried to take maneuver, surprise. In defense, both of them successfully used a ring defensive formation of convoy carts - "camps", dug ditches, built palisades, obstacles from stakes. Cossacks and Janissaries preferred bows, sabers, knives.

An essential feature of the Janissaries was their attitude to power. For the Janissaries, the Sultan was the undisputed leader, the father. The Cossacks, in the period of the creation of the Romanov empire, often proceeded from their corporate interests and from time to time fought against the central government. At the same time, their performances were very serious. The Cossacks opposed the center both during the Time of Troubles and during the time of Peter I. The last major uprising took place during the time of Catherine the Great. The Cossacks retained their internal autonomy for a long time. Only in the later period did they become unconditional servants of the "tsar-father", including in the suppression of the actions of other classes.

The evolution of the Janissaries went in a different direction. If initially they were the most devoted servants of the Sultan, then in the later period they realized that “their own shirt is closer to the body” and after that it was no longer the rulers who told the Janissaries what to do, but vice versa. They began to resemble the Roman praetorian guards and shared their fate. So, Constantine the Great completely destroyed the Praetorian guards, and destroyed the Praetorian camp as "a constant nest of rebellions and debauchery." The Janissary elite turned into a caste of "chosen ones", which began to remove the sultans at will. The Janissaries have become a powerful military and political force, a threat to the throne and eternal and indispensable participants in palace coups. In addition, the Janissaries lost their military value. They began to engage in trade and craft, forgetting about military affairs. Previously, the mighty corps of the Janissaries lost its real combat effectiveness, becoming a loosely controlled, but heavily armed gathering, which threatened the supreme power and defended only its own corporate interests.

Therefore, in 1826 the corps was destroyed. Sultan Mahmud II started military reform, transforming the army on the European model. In response, the capital's Janissaries rebelled. The uprising was crushed, the barracks were destroyed by artillery. The instigators of the rebellion were executed, their property was confiscated by the Sultan, and the young Janissaries were expelled or arrested, some of them entered the new army. The Sufi order, the ideological core of the Janissary organization, was also dissolved, and many of its followers were executed or expelled. The surviving Janissaries took up crafts and trade.

Interestingly, the Janissaries and Cossacks even outwardly resembled each other. Apparently, this was a common heritage of the military estates of the leading peoples of Eurasia (Indo-Europeans-Aryans and Turks). In addition, one should not forget that the Janissaries were originally predominantly Slavs, albeit Balkan ones. The Janissaries, unlike ethnic Turks, shaved their beards and grew long mustaches, like the Cossacks. The Janissaries and Cossacks wore bloomers similar to the Janissary "burke" and the traditional Zaporizhzhya hat with a shlyk. The Janissaries, like the Cossacks, have the same symbols of power - bunchuks and maces.

The Janissaries were the elite warriors of the Ottoman Empire. They guarded the Sultan himself, the first to enter Constantinople. Janissaries were trained for service from early childhood. Disciplined, fanatical and absolutely devoted to the Sultan, they lived in war.

Slave army

In the Ottoman army of that time, the main striking force was the cavalry, which was of little use for assault tactics. The infantry in the army was irregular, hired only for the duration of the war. Of course, the level of her training and devotion to the Sultan left much to be desired.

Sultan Orkhan, the son of the founder of the Osman empire, began to form Janissary detachments from captured Christians, but by the middle of the 14th century this technique began to falter - there were not enough prisoners, and besides, they were unreliable. Orkhan's son, Murad I, in 1362 changed the principle of selecting Janissaries - they began to be recruited from Christian children captured in military campaigns in the Balkans.
This practice has shown great results. TO XVI century it became a kind of duty imposed on Christian lands, primarily Albania, Hungary and Greece. It was called "the share of the Sultan" and consisted in the fact that every fifth boy between the ages of five and fourteen was selected by a special commission for service in the Janissary corps.

They didn't take everyone. The selection was based on the then ideas about psychophysiognomy. Firstly, only children from noble families could be taken to the Janissaries. Secondly, they did not take too talkative children (they will grow up stubborn). Also, they did not take children with delicate features (prone to rebellion, and enemies will not be afraid of them). Do not take too high and too small.

Not all children were from Christian families. As a privilege, they could take children from Muslim families in Bosnia, but, importantly, from Slavs.

The boys were ordered to forget their past, initiated into Islam and sent to be trained. From that time on, their whole life was subject to the strictest discipline, and the main virtue was absolute blind devotion to the Sultan and the interests of the empire.

Preparation

The preparation of the Janissaries was systematic and thoughtful. Christian boys, who parted with their past lives, went to the families of Turkish peasants or artisans, served as rowers on ships or became assistants to butchers. At this stage, the newly converted Muslims comprehended Islam, learned the language and got used to severe hardships. With them purposely did not stand on ceremony. It was a harsh school of physical and moral hardening.

After a few years, those who did not break and survived were enrolled in the preparatory detachment of the Janissaries, the so-called achemi oglan (Russian "inexperienced youths"). Since that time, their training consisted in the development of special military skills and hard physical work. From the young men at this stage, they already brought up devoted warriors of Islam, who unquestioningly carried out all the orders of the commanders. Any manifestations of freethinking or obstinacy were nipped in the bud. However, the young "cadets" of the Janissary corps also had their own outlet. During Muslim holidays, they could afford to display violence against Christians and Jews, to which the "elders" were rather complacent than critical.

Only at the age of 25, the most physically strong of those trained in achemi oglan, the best of the best, became janissaries. It had to be earned. Those who for some reason did not pass the test became "rejected" (Turkish chikme) and were not allowed to military service in the hull.

Lions of Islam

How did it happen that children of predominantly Christian families became fanatical Muslims, ready to kill their former co-religionists, who became "infidels" for them?

The very foundation of the Janissary corps was originally planned according to the type of a knightly religious order. The spiritual basis of the ideology of the Janissaries was formed under the influence of the Bektashi dervish order. Even now in Turkish the words "Janissaries" and "Bektashi" are often used as synonyms. According to legend, even the headdress of the Janissaries - a hat with a piece of fabric attached at the back, appeared due to the fact that the head of the dervishes Khachi Bektash, blessing the warrior, tore off his sleeve from his clothes, put it on the neophyte's head and said: "Let these soldiers be called Janissaries. May their courage always be brilliant, their sword sharp, their hands victorious."

Why did the Bektashi order become the spiritual stronghold of the "new army"? Most likely, this is due to the fact that it was more convenient for the Janissaries to practice Islam in this simplified form in terms of rituals. Bektashi were exempted from the obligatory five-time prayers, from the pilgrimage to Mecca and fasting in the month of Ramadan. For the "lions of Islam", living in war, it was convenient.

One family

The life of the Janissaries was strictly declared by the charter of Murad I. The Janissaries could not start families, they had to avoid excesses, observe discipline, obey their superiors, and observe religious prescriptions.

They lived in the barracks (usually located near the Sultan's palace, since his protection was one of their main duties), but their life could not be called ascetic. After three years of service, the Janissaries received a salary, the state provided them with food, clothing and weapons. The sultan's failure to comply with his obligations to supply his "new army" more than once led to Janissary riots.

One of the main symbols of the Janissaries was the cauldron. He occupied such an important place in the life of the Janissaries that the Europeans even mistook him for the banner of the Ottoman soldiers. At a time when the corps of the Janissaries was stationed in the city, once a week, every Friday, the Horta of the Janissaries went with their cauldron to the Sultan's palace for pilaf (rice with lamb). This tradition was obligatory and symbolic. If there was discontent among the Janissaries, they could abandon the pilaf and turn the cauldron over, which served as a signal for the start of an uprising.

Kazan also occupied a central place during military campaigns. He was usually carried in front of the orta, and at a halt they were placed in the center of the camp. The biggest "fail" was the loss of the cauldron. In this case, the officers were expelled from the detachment, and ordinary Janissaries were punished.

Interestingly, during the unrest, the offender could hide under the cauldron. Only then could he be forgiven.

Decay

The privileged position of the Janissaries, the constant increase in their numbers, as well as the departure from the basic installations of the corps, eventually led to its degradation. By the end of the 16th century, the number of Janissaries reached 90 thousand, from an elite military unit they turned into an influential political force that undermined the empire from the inside, staged conspiracies and rebellions.

From the beginning of the 16th century, the recruiting system for selecting the Janissaries began to undergo serious changes, more and more Turks turned out to be in the corps, there was a departure from the principle of celibacy, the Janissaries began to acquire families that required more and more investments.

The Janissaries were the elite warriors of the Ottoman Empire. Disciplined, fanatical and absolutely devoted to the Sultan, they lived in war.

They guarded the Sultan himself, the first to enter Constantinople. Janissaries were trained for service from early childhood. Disciplined, fanatical and absolutely devoted to the Sultan, they lived in war.

Slave army

At the beginning of the 14th century, the young Ottoman state had an urgent need for high-quality infantry, since the capture of fortresses by siege was too long-term and resource-intensive (the siege of Brusa lasted longer than 10 years). In the Ottoman army of that time, the main striking force was the cavalry, which was of little use for assault tactics. The infantry in the army was irregular, hired only for the duration of the war. Of course, the level of her training and devotion to the Sultan left much to be desired.

Orkhan's son, Murad I, in 1362 changed the principle of selecting Janissaries - they began to be recruited from Christian children captured in military campaigns in the Balkans. This practice has shown great results. By the 16th century, it had become a kind of duty imposed on Christian lands, primarily Albania, Hungary and Greece.

It was called the "share of the Sultan" and consisted in the fact that every fifth boy aged five to fourteen was selected by a special commission for service in the Janissary corps. They didn't take everyone.

The selection was based on the then ideas about psychophysiognomy. Firstly, only children from noble families could be taken to the Janissaries. Secondly, they did not take too talkative children (they will grow up stubborn). Also, they did not take children with delicate features (prone to rebellion, and enemies will not be afraid of them). Do not take too high and too small. Not all children were from Christian families. As a privilege, they could take children from Muslim families in Bosnia, but, importantly, from Slavs.

Preparation

It was a harsh school of physical and moral hardening. After a few years, those who did not break down and survived were enrolled in the preparatory detachment of the Janissaries, the so-called achemi oglan (Russian "inexperienced youths"). Since that time, their training consisted in the development of special military skills and hard physical work.

From the young men at this stage, they already brought up devoted warriors of Islam, who unquestioningly carried out all the orders of the commanders. Any manifestations of freethinking or obstinacy were nipped in the bud. However, the young "cadets" of the Janissary corps also had their own outlet.

During Muslim holidays, they could afford to display violence against Christians and Jews, to which the “elders” were more complacent than critical.

Only at the age of 25, the most physically strong of those trained in achemi oglan, the best of the best, became janissaries. It had to be earned. Those who for some reason did not pass the test became “rejected” (Turkish chikme) and were not allowed to serve in the corps.

Lions of Islam

How did it happen that children from predominantly Christian families became fanatical Muslims, ready to kill their former fellow believers who had become "infidels" for them?

According to legend, even the headdress of the Janissaries - a hat with a piece of fabric attached at the back, appeared due to the fact that the head of the dervishes Khachi Bektash, blessing the warrior, tore off his sleeve from his clothes, put it on the neophyte's head and said: “Let these soldiers be called Janissaries. May their courage always be brilliant, their sword sharp, their hands victorious.

Why did the Bektashi order become the spiritual stronghold of the “new army”? Most likely, this is due to the fact that it was more convenient for the Janissaries to practice Islam in this simplified form in terms of rituals. Bektashi were exempted from the obligatory five-time prayers, from the pilgrimage to Mecca and fasting in the month of Ramadan. For the "lions of Islam", living in war, it was convenient.

One family

They lived in the barracks (usually located near the Sultan's palace, since his protection was one of their main duties), but their life could not be called ascetic. After three years of service, the Janissaries received a salary, the state provided them with food, clothing and weapons. The Sultan's failure to comply with his obligations to supply his "new army" more than once led to Janissary riots.

Interestingly, during the unrest, the offender could hide under the cauldron. Only then could he be forgiven.

The privileged position of the Janissaries, the constant increase in their numbers, as well as the departure from the basic installations of the corps, eventually led to its degradation.

By the end of the 16th century, the number of Janissaries reached 90 thousand, from an elite military unit they turned into an influential political force that undermined the empire from the inside, staged conspiracies and rebellions.

The children of the Janissaries received the right to enroll in orts from birth, while they were endowed with appropriate benefits. Janissaries began to turn into a hereditary institution, with all the ensuing deplorable consequences.

Of course, this situation did not suit many. Every now and then, after the mutinies, demonstrative executions of the Janissaries were arranged, but the issue was not radically resolved. Even the phenomenon of “dead souls” arose, when anyone was recorded as a Janissary, just to receive additional rations and benefits.

The corps was destroyed only in 1826 by Sultan Mahmud II. No wonder he was called "Turkish Peter I".