Janissaries: Elite warriors of the Ottoman Empire. Janissaries - military class of the Ottoman Empire Janissary revolt in the Ottoman Empire
Expansion of foreign policy expansion of the young Ottoman state at the beginning of the 14th century. created the need for the creation of a regular and disciplined infantry both for the siege of Christian fortresses and for large-scale aggression in Europe. However, the Turks, with their traditions of nomadic life and disorganized equestrian combat, preferred to fight in the light cavalry (akinci). After unsuccessful attempts to create unified infantry formations from the sons of Ottoman horsemen and from Muslim mercenaries, Sultan Orhan (1326-1359) organized in 1330 a detachment of infantry from captured Christians who voluntarily or involuntarily converted to Islam (1000 people). In an effort to make him a striking force in the wars against the "infidels", the sultan immediately tried to give him a religious character, linking him with the dervish order of Bektashi; perhaps he was guided by the model of the Christian military monastic order. According to legend, the head of the Hachi Bektash order at the inauguration ceremony of the detachment tore off his sleeve from his white robe, put it on the head of one of the soldiers (and so that part of it hung on the back of the head), called him a "janissary" ("new warrior") and gave your blessing. From that time on, the janissary corps was formally considered part of Bektashi, and Hachi Bektash was its patron saint; members of the order served as military priests; The Janissary's headdress was a hat with a piece of cloth attached to the back.
In the middle of the 14th century. the need to increase the new army ran into two obstacles - the lack of captured Christian warriors and their insecurity. This prompted Sultan Murad I (1359–1389) in 1362 to change the way of manning: from now on, the corps was recruited from the children of the Christian faith captured during the campaigns in the Balkans and undergoing special military training. By the beginning of the 16th century. this practice turned into a compulsory obligation imposed on the Christian population of the Balkan provinces, primarily Albania, Greece and Hungary: every fifth / seventh year (even more often in the later period), special officials selected 1/5 of all boys between the ages of seven and fourteen (the so-called "share of the sultan") for service in the janissary corps.
This system, which soon became a breeding ground for major abuses, caused explicit and covert resistance from the conquered Christian peoples: from uprisings and flight from the Ottoman Empire to various tricks when parents used loopholes in the law, in particular the prohibition to take married and converted to Islam (married boys, even in infancy, converted them to the Muslim faith). The Turkish authorities brutally suppressed attempts at resentment and reduced the number of legal evasion methods. At the same time, some of the poor parents willingly gave their children to the Janissaries, wanting to give them the opportunity to escape from poverty and save the family from unnecessary mouths.
Preparation of the Janissaries.
All selected boys were sent to Istanbul (Constantinople), circumcised and converted to Islam. Then, in the presence of the Sultan, the "bride" took place. The most capable and physically strong were enrolled in the page school, which was the forge of personnel for the palace services, the state administration and the cavalry army. Most of the children were allocated for the janissary corps. At the first stage, they were sent to be brought up to the families of Turkish peasants and artisans (mainly to Asia Minor), who paid a small fee for them; there they mastered the Turkish language and Muslim customs, accustomed to different types hard physical labor and got used to endure hardships. A few years later they were returned to Istanbul and enrolled in the achemi oglan ("inexperienced youth") - the preparatory detachment of the janissary corps. This stage of training lasted seven years and consisted of military training and hard physical work for state needs; Achemi oglan lived in barracks in units of twenty to thirty people, were subject to severe discipline and received a small salary. They did not leave the borders of Istanbul and did not participate in hostilities. They cultivated Islamic fanaticism, absolute loyalty to the Sultan, blind obedience to commanders; all manifestations of freedom and individuality were severely punished. They gave an outlet for their energy during religious holidays, when they committed violence against Istanbul Christians and Jews; their commanders turned a blind eye to these excesses. Upon reaching the age of twenty-five, the most physically strong achemi oglan, who proved their ability to perfectly handle weapons, became janissaries; the rest - chikme (“rejected”) - were sent to auxiliary public services.
The structure and life of the Janissary army.
The Janissary corps was called ochak ("hearth"). It was divided into tactical formations - orts (also "hearth"); in the era of Suleiman II (1520-1566) there were 165 of them, then this number increased to 196. The number of members of the Orta was not constant. In peacetime, it varied from 100 in the capital to 200–300 soldiers in the provinces; during the war it increased to 500. Each orta was divided into small detachments of 10–25 people. Orts were combined into three large groups: boluk, combat units stationed in Istanbul and border fortresses (62 orts); sebgan, dog trainers and hunters (33); chemaat, auxiliary compounds (101).
The principles of life of the janissaries were established by the law (Eve) of Murad I: they were ordered to obey their superiors without question, to avoid everything that was not appropriate for a warrior (luxury, voluptuousness, craft, etc.), not to marry, live in a barracks, observe religious norms; they were subject only to their commanders and had the privilege of being subjected to a particularly honorable form of the death penalty (strangulation); promotion was carried out strictly according to the principle of seniority; the veterans who left the corps were provided with a state pension. Each orta represented a kind of large family, a close-knit group of men united by a common cause and a common way of life.
The head of the entire corps, yeah, his rank surpassed the commanders of other types of troops (cavalry, navy) and civil dignitaries and was a member of the divan ( state council). He had absolute power over the Janissaries. Aha, like the rest of the officers, came from simple janissaries and climbed the career ladder thanks to the principle of seniority, and not by the grace of the Sultan, and therefore was relatively independent from supreme power... Selim I (1512-1520) abolished this independence and began to appoint an aga of his choice, which caused strong opposition from the Janissaries: they began to perceive the aga as a stranger, and during their revolts he was often the first victim. At the end of the 16th century. the authorities had to restore the old procedure for electing the agha.
The Janissary Corps was famous for the efficient organization of the food system. She pursued the goal of constantly keeping the soldiers in good physical and mental shape; its main principles are sufficiency and moderation. Fasts were observed even during the war. The equality of soldiers' rations was strictly monitored. The military insignia of the corps was the sacred cauldron. Each orta had a large bronze cauldron (cauldron) for cooking meat; Each detachment had its own small pot. During the campaign, the cauldron was carried in front of the Ortha, in the camp it was placed in front of the tents; losing the cauldron, especially on the battlefield, was considered the greatest disgrace for the Janissaries - in this case, all officers were expelled from the orta, and ordinary soldiers were forbidden to participate in official ceremonies. In peacetime, every Friday orts stationed in the capital went with cauldrons to the Sultan's palace, where they received food pilaf (rice and lamb). If the Horta refused to accept the pilaf, overturned the cauldron and gathered around it at the Hippodrome, this meant refusing to obey the authorities and the beginning of a rebellion. The kazan was also considered a holy place and a refuge: by hiding under it, the guilty person could save his life.
Nutritional control was the main function of middle and lower-level officers. This was reflected in most of the titles of officers in the Horta. It was headed by korbachi bashi ("the soup distributor"); an important role was played by ashchi bashi ("chief cook"), who simultaneously fulfilled the duties of the quartermaster of the orta and the executioner. Junior officers were ranked as "main water carrier", "guide of camels", etc.
The state partially provided the Janissaries with food, clothing and money. In addition to Friday kalaf, they were regularly given bread and lamb; the rest, at the expense of the soldiers themselves, was acquired by the head chef of the Orty. The authorities provided material for the uniforms of 12 thousand soldiers, and during the war they gave out weapons to those who did not yet have one. The salary was paid only after three years in the army; it varied according to age and rank. It was received once a quarter upon presentation of special tickets, and 12% of the amount of the Janissaries was left in the military treasury. This treasury, which was also replenished at the expense of payments for students and property of the deceased janissaries, was a reserve fund spent on improving the living conditions of soldiers, food and clothing, helping the sick and recruits, and ransoming prisoners. Delays in the payment of salaries and attempts by the authorities to resort to the practice of spoiling the coin often provoked janissary uprisings.
The Janissary uniform consisted of a long dress (dolarma), a headdress with a wooden spoon fastened in front, wide trousers and knee pads. In the campaign and in battle, the floors of the dolarma were gathered on the sides in folds and fastened with a belt.
There were no general military exercises in peacetime; each janissary practiced with his own weapon. No particular order was maintained on the march; however, at the moment of the battle, each soldier quickly took his place in the ranks. Severe discipline reigned in the barracks; absolute cleanliness was maintained in them, women were not allowed there. Discipline was provided by a system of punishments: from corporal and punishment cells to dismissal, exile to a border fortress, life imprisonment and the death penalty. The worst offenses were considered desertion and cowardice on the battlefield. Gradually, the notion that the janissary could not be executed was established; therefore, the culprit was first expelled from the corps and only then deprived of life.
Evolution of the Janissary Corps.
From the very beginning, the Janissaries were the striking force of the Ottoman conquests. It is to them that the empire owes its greatest military successes in the 14th and 16th centuries. The number and specific gravity the janissaries in the Turkish army grew steadily. Under Suleiman II, there were already 40 thousand of them. They acquired a number of privileges (exemption from secular and ecclesiastical jurisdiction and from paying taxes, jurisdiction only to their commanders, the right of refuge in the barracks, etc.); their connection with the supreme power increased - starting with Suleiman II, the sultan was traditionally included in the janissary lists and received a veteran's salary. The corps could go on a campaign only under the command of the Sultan himself. From the middle of the 15th century. the Janissaries began to turn into a serious political force. Their first revolt took place in 1449 and was prompted by demands for higher wages. In 1451, Muhammad II (1451-1481), who ascended the throne, in an effort to secure the loyalty of the janissaries, gave them a monetary gift, which became the custom of presenting them with each new accession: the size of this gift was constantly increasing; in the hope of obtaining it, the Janissaries readily supported any change of power. This tradition was abolished only in 1774 by Abdul Hamid I. There was also a custom to present each janissary on the occasion of the first campaign of the new sultan. Significant sums were paid to them before the battles.
In the second half of the 16th century. in connection with the decline of the mounted militia, the corps turned into the largest unit of the Turkish army; its number by the end of the century reached 90 thousand. At the beginning of the 17th century. the Janissaries also became the leading political force of the Ottoman Empire, the main source of rebellions and conspiracies; in fact, having appropriated the right to depose and enthrone the sultans. An attempt by Osman II (1618-1622) in 1622 to reform the corps cost him his life. In 1623 the Janissaries overthrew Mustafa I (1617-1618, 1622-1623), in 1648 Ibrahim (1640-1648), in 1703 Mustafa II (1695-1703), in 1730 Ahmed III (1703-1730), in 1807 Selim III ( 1789-1807); even more often their victims were the highest dignitaries of the state.
In parallel with the growth of the political influence of the janissary corps, its military degradation took place. From a well-trained, disciplined and close-knit group, it turned into a privileged caste of praetorians, lacking the fighting spirit and fighting qualities of the old days. The reason for this was the departure, beginning in the 16th century, from the initial principles of its recruitment and functioning. Even in the early period, many Turks were dissatisfied with the fact that the elite troops and the state administration were being recruited from among the conquered Christian population: some Turkish parents agreed with Christians so that during the recruitment they would pass their children off as their own. Under Suleiman II, the Turks were already openly accepted into the achemi oglan and even directly into the army. A significant proportion of these recruits were not prepared for the hardships of the service; many died during the training period. Those enrolled in the ranks of the Janissaries for patronage or for a bribe, as a rule, did not show much courage on the battlefield. The old janissaries refused to serve with them; bloody clashes occurred between the two groups. By the end of the 17th century. the Turks were already a large part of the Janissary army. Their number especially increased after the abolition in 1638 of the child tax on Christians and the former system of manning.
The increase in the Turkish component led to the abandonment of one of the most important principles of the life of the Janissaries - celibacy. In the early period, permission to marry was given to the aga only in exceptional cases, especially to old and honored veterans. But in 1566 Selim II (1566-1574), upon accession to the throne, was forced to grant this right to all the janissaries. As a result, the practice of living together in the barracks came to naught: first, married janissaries were allowed to live in their homes, and then the unmarried refused to stay in the barracks and submit to strict discipline. Soon the problem of providing for the Janissary families arose; since the soldiers' salary was not enough for this, the state took over the care of their children. The sons of the Janissaries were given the right to receive a bread ration from the moment of birth, and later they began to be enrolled in the Ort even in infancy with appropriate benefits. As a result, the building became a hereditary institution.
It gradually lost its purely military character. In connection with the increase in the number of janissaries, their functions expanded: in addition to participating in hostilities and combat training, they were increasingly recruited to perform various non-military duties (police service, cleaning the streets, fighting fires, etc.). In the 17th and especially in the 18th centuries. the janissaries began to be actively involved in craft activities and trade. The sultans supported this trend, hoping to distract them from politics. Janissaries monopolized a number of branches of the craft. In Istanbul, they completely controlled the production and sale of fruits, vegetables and coffee, and a significant part of foreign trade was in their hands. The tax and judicial privileges of the Janissaries were an attractive point for representatives of a wide variety of social strata. The practice of formal membership in the janissary army became widespread: anyone for a bribe to the janissary officers could enroll in the Ort and receive tax benefits. On the other hand, many criminal elements penetrated into its composition. Bribery and embezzlement flourished in the army. During military campaigns, the Janissaries often refused to fight, preferring to engage in plunder and extortion.
Elimination of the Janissary army.
The decomposition of the corps was the cause of a series of military defeats of the Ottoman Empire, starting from the end of the 17th century. Attempts by the sultans (Mahmud I, Selim III) to reform it or create parallel military formations of a new, European type, encountered sharp opposition from the Janissaries, who were supported by the Muslim clergy, dervishes from the Bektashi order, ulama (teachers of the law), as well as the lower classes of Turkish society. Only Mahmud II (1808-1839), who managed to provoke a split between the Janissaries and religious circles, was able to carry out a military reform. On May 28, 1826, he issued a decree on the creation of regular army formations from a part of the Janissary corps. In response, on June 15, the Janissaries raised an uprising, which was brutally suppressed. The building was abolished, the barracks were destroyed, the sacred cauldrons were destroyed, the very name of the Janissaries was put to eternal damnation.
Ivan Krivushin
The Janissaries were the elite warriors of the Ottoman Empire. Disciplined, fanatical and absolutely loyal to the Sultan, they lived in war.
They guarded the Sultan himself, the first to enter Constantinople. Janissaries were prepared for service from early childhood. Disciplined, fanatical and absolutely loyal to the Sultan, they lived in war.
Army of slaves
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 more than 10 years). In the Ottoman army of that time, the main striking force was 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 loyalty to the Sultan left much to be desired.
Sultan Orhan, the son of the founder of the Ottoman Empire, began to form groups of janissaries from captured Christians, but this method began to fail by the middle of the XIV century - there were not enough prisoners, moreover, they were unreliable.
Orhan's son, Murad I, in 1362 changed the principle of selecting janissaries - they began to be recruited from the children of Christians 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 received the name "Sultan's share" 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. Not all were taken.
The selection was based on the then ideas of 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 gentle features (they are prone to rebellion, and their enemies will not be afraid of them). They did 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, what is important, the Slavs.
Boys were ordered to forget about their past, were initiated into Islam and sent to training. 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.
Training
The preparation of the Janissaries was systematic and thoughtful. Christian boys parted from their past life, went to the families of Turkish peasants or artisans, served as rowers on ships or became assistants to butchers. At this stage, newly converted Muslims learned Islam, learned the language and got used to severe hardships. They deliberately did not stand on ceremony with them.
It was a harsh school of physical and moral conditioning. After several years, those who did not break down and survived were enrolled in the preparatory group of janissaries, the so-called achemi oglan (Russian "inexperienced youth"). From that time on, their training consisted of mastering special military skills and hard physical work.
At this stage, the young men were already trained as devoted warriors of Islam, who unquestioningly carried out all the orders of the commanders. Any manifestations of free-thinking or obstinacy were nipped in the bud. However, the young "cadets" of the janissary corps had their own outlet.
During Muslim holidays, they could afford to show violence against Christians and Jews, to which the "elders" were more complacent than critical.
Only at the age of 25, the physically strongest of those who completed their training at Achemi Oglan, the best of the best, became janissaries. It had to be earned. Those who, for whatever reason, did not pass the check, became "rejected" (Turkish chikme) and were not allowed to serve in the corps.
Lions of Islam
How did it happen that children of predominantly Christian families became fanatical Muslims, ready to kill their former co-religionists who had become "unfaithful" to them?
The very foundation of the Janissary corps was originally planned as a knightly religious order. The spiritual basis of the Janissaries' ideology was formed under the influence of the dervish order of Bektashi. 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 cloth attached to 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, applied it to 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-fold prayers, from the pilgrimage to Mecca and from fasting in the month of Ramadan. For the "lions of Islam" living at war, it was convenient.
One family
The life of the janissaries was strictly declared by the charter of Murad I. Janissaries could not have families, they had to avoid excesses, observe discipline, obey the authorities, observe religious precepts.
They lived in barracks (usually located near the sultan's palace, since guarding them 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. Failure to comply with the obligations of the Sultan to supply his "new army" more than once led to janissary riots.
One of the main symbols of the Janissaries was a cauldron. He occupied such an important place in the life of the Janissaries that Europeans even took him for the banner of the Ottoman warriors. At a time when the corps of the janissaries was stationed in the city, once a week, every Friday, the orta 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, which served as a signal for the beginning of the uprising.
Kazan occupied a central place during military campaigns. He was usually carried in front of the Ortha, and at a halt he was 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 the rank and file janissaries were also punished.
Interestingly, during the unrest, the guilty person could hide under a cauldron. Only in this case could he be forgiven.
The privileged position of the janissaries, the constant increase in their number, 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 within, organized conspiracies and rebellions.
From the beginning of the 16th century, the recruiting system for selecting janissaries began to undergo major changes, more and more Turks appeared 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 children of the janissaries received the right to be enrolled in orts from birth, while they were endowed with appropriate benefits. Janissaries began to turn into a hereditary institution, with all the ensuing disastrous consequences.
Of course, this situation did not suit many. Every now and then, after the riots, demonstrative executions of the Janissaries were arranged, but the issue was not fundamentally resolved. There was even a phenomenon of “dead souls”, when anyone was registered as janissaries, just to receive additional rations and benefits.
The corps was destroyed only in 1826 by Sultan Mahmud II. No wonder he was called "the Turkish Peter I".
The Janissaries were the elite warriors of the Ottoman Empire. They guarded the Sultan himself, the first to enter Constantinople. Janissaries were prepared for service from early childhood. Disciplined, fanatical and absolutely loyal to the Sultan, they lived in war.
Army of slaves
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 more than 10 years).
In the Ottoman army of that time, the main striking force was 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 loyalty to the Sultan left much to be desired.
Sultan Orhan, the son of the founder of the Ottoman Empire, began to form groups of janissaries from captured Christians, but this method began to fail by the middle of the XIV century - there were not enough prisoners, moreover, they were unreliable. Orhan's son, Murad I, in 1362 changed the principle of selecting janissaries - they began to be recruited from the children of Christians 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 received the name "Sultan's share" 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.
Not all were taken. The selection was based on the then ideas of 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 gentle features (they are prone to rebellion, and their enemies will not be afraid of them). They did 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, what is important, the Slavs.
Boys were ordered to forget about their past, were initiated into Islam and sent to training. 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.
Training
The preparation of the Janissaries was systematic and thoughtful. Christian boys, having given up 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, newly converted Muslims learned Islam, learned the language and got used to severe hardships. They deliberately did not stand on ceremony with them. It was a harsh school of physical and moral conditioning.
After several years, those who did not break down and survived were enrolled in the preparatory group of janissaries, the so-called achemi oglan (Russian "inexperienced youth"). From that time on, their training consisted of mastering special military skills and hard physical work. At this stage, the young men were already trained as devoted warriors of Islam, who unquestioningly carried out all the orders of the commanders. Any manifestations of free-thinking or obstinacy were nipped in the bud. However, the young "cadets" of the janissary corps had their own outlet. During Muslim holidays, they could afford to manifest violence against Christians and Jews, to which the "elders" were rather complacent than critical.
Only at the age of 25, the physically strongest of those who completed their training at Achemi Oglan, the best of the best, became janissaries. It had to be earned. Those who, for whatever 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 of predominantly Christian families became fanatical Muslims, ready to kill their former co-religionists who had become "unfaithful" to them?
The very foundation of the Janissary corps was originally planned as a knightly religious order. The spiritual basis of the Janissaries' ideology was formed under the influence of the dervish order of Bektashi. 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 cloth attached to 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 to the neophyte's head and said: "Let them call these soldiers Janissaries. Yes. their courage will 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-fold prayers, from the pilgrimage to Mecca and from fasting in the month of Ramadan. It was convenient for the "lions of Islam" living at war.
One family
The life of the janissaries was strictly declared by the charter of Murad I. Janissaries could not have families, they had to avoid excesses, observe discipline, obey the authorities, observe religious precepts.
They lived in barracks (usually located near the sultan's palace, since guarding them 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. Failure to comply with the obligations of the Sultan to supply his "new army" more than once led to janissary riots.
One of the main symbols of the Janissaries was a cauldron. He occupied such an important place in the life of the Janissaries that Europeans even took him for the banner of the Ottoman warriors. At a time when the corps of the janissaries was stationed in the city, once a week, every Friday, the orta 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, which served as a signal for the beginning of the uprising.
Kazan occupied a central place during military campaigns. He was usually carried in front of the Ortha, and at a halt he was placed in the center of the camp. The biggest "failure" was the loss of the cauldron. In this case, the officers were expelled from the detachment, and the rank and file janissaries were also punished.
Interestingly, during the unrest, the guilty person could hide under a cauldron. Only in this case could he be forgiven.
Decay
The privileged position of the janissaries, the constant increase in their number, 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 within, organized conspiracies and rebellions.
From the beginning of the 16th century, the recruiting system for selecting janissaries began to undergo major changes, more and more Turks appeared in the corps, there was a departure from the principle of celibacy, the janissaries began to acquire families that required more and more investments.
In the notes of historians describing the Ottoman Empire, the "army in the army" is often mentioned - special troops subordinate directly to the sultan. Who are the Janissaries, how this type of troops was formed, you can find out from this article.
An excursion into history
Janissaries have been known since the middle of the 14th century, when units of the Turkish elite infantry were organized by the rule of Sultan Murad I. The meaning of the word "janissaries" is "new army" (translated from Turkish). At first, their ranks were formed from captured Christian adolescents and youths. Despite the strict and sometimes fanatical Turkish upbringing, Christian names were left to the future soldiers. Janissaries were raised separately from other children, instilling martial skills and fanatical loyalty to the Sultan. In the 16th century, young men of Turkish origin could also become janissaries. The strongest, enduring and agile teenagers from 8 to 12 years old were selected from the applicants.
The chosen few lived in barracks, their training took place in especially harsh conditions. The fighters were divided into companies, ate from a common cauldron and were called friends of the order of the dervishes. They were forbidden to marry, their family was their native company (orta), the symbol of which was the cauldron.
About who the janissaries are best said famous historian 19th century T.N. Granovsky. His works mention that the Turkish sultan had the most effective infantry in the world, but its composition was rather strange: "Janissaries won all the great battles, at Varna, at Kosovo ..." It was thanks to their courage and valor that Constantinople was taken. Thus, the Turkish ruler conquered new territories and strengthened his power thanks to the soldiers of Christian origin.
The best of the best
Janissaries were endowed with a number of privileges. Since the 16th century, they had the right to start a family, engage in various crafts and trade in non-war times. Particularly distinguished soldiers were awarded personally by the Sultan. Gifts included jewelry, weapons, and a generous salary. The commanders of the Janissary companies held the highest military and civilian positions of the Turkish Empire for many years. Ojak garrisons of the Janissaries were located not only in Istanbul, but also in all major cities of the Turkish state. By the middle of the 16th century, the Janissaries ceased to accept outsiders into their ranks. Their title is inherited. And the Janissary Guard becomes a closed socio-political caste. This internal, fairly independent force participated in political intrigues, erected and overthrew the sultans and played a huge role in the country's internal politics.
Janissary uniform
High hats decorated in front with a large copper plate - keche - testify to who the Janissaries are and what their place is among other types of Turkish troops. Wooden sticks were sewn on the sides of such a hat, which gave it a stable position. Behind this headdress hung a long cloth slick that reached the waist of the fighter. The long slick symbolized the sleeve of the chief dervish, under whose blessing the janissaries were. The color of the cap corresponded to the color of the caftan (zupan) worn by the warrior.
The janissary's outerwear consisted of a long warm cloak called a kerei. At first, there was no established color of kerei, but by the beginning of the 18th century, the janissary's cloak was in most cases red. A cloth caftan, usually white, with long wide sleeves was worn under the kerei. On the sides, the zhupan had long cuts that allowed the janissary to move freely in battle. And at the bottom, this garment was embroidered with cords that were the same color as the kerey. The caftan was decorated with a saber sling and a wide leather belt.
Wide and long trousers were also in the color of kerei. They usually covered the upper half of the boot.
Military bands
The banners had their own orchestras and their own music. Such orchestras were called janissary chapels. The main feature of such a chapel was the drum - twice as large as in the bands of other infantry regiments. Six or more musicians, otherwise called surmachi, took part in the chapel. Contemporaries describe Janissary music as "barbaric" and "terrible".
The end of the Janissaries
Belarusian janissaries ceased to exist after the defeat of Stanislav Radziwill. After a series of military setbacks, he retreated abroad. And his personal army was disbanded, and the janissary detachment was also demobilized.
A more tragic fate awaited their Turkish counterparts. IN Ottoman Empire everyone knew who the Janissaries were. Unlike the Commonwealth, these soldiers did not belong to the Sultan's personal guard, but existed as a closed military caste, until 1826. Then the Turkish Sultan Mahmud II issued an order to destroy the Janissaries. Since in an open battle the chances of defeating experienced warriors were negligible, the sultan used a trick. More than 30 thousand people were lured into a trap at the Hippodrome and shot from cannons with buckshot. So the era of the Janissaries ended, and their martial arts became a thing of the past.
Almost all great powers had their own military estates, special troops. In the Ottoman Empire, these were the Janissaries, in Russia - the Cossacks. The organization of the corps of janissaries (from “yeni cheri” - “new army”) was based on two main ideas: the state took upon itself all the 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 orders of chivalry 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 among the sultans. The emergence 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 striking 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. Submission to the Sultan personally was symbolized by "burk" (aka "yuskuf") - a kind of headdress of the "new warriors", made in the form of a sleeve of the Sultan's robe - they say that the janissaries are at 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 Janissary organization. The lowest unit in the organization was a department - 10 people, united by a common cauldron and a common packhorse. 8-12 squads formed an ode (company), which had a large company cauldron. In the XIV century, there were 66 odd janissaries (5 thousand people), and then the number of “odes” increased to 200. The commander of an oda (company) was called chorbaji-bashi, that is, a soup distributor; other officers had the rank of "chief cook" (ashdshi-bashi) and "water carrier" (saka-bashi). The name of the company - an ode - meant a common barracks - a bedroom; the unit was also called "orta", that is, the herd. On Fridays, the company cauldron was sent to the Sultan's kitchen, where pilav (pilaf, a dish based on rice and meat) was prepared for the soldiers of Allah. Instead of a cockade, the janissaries stuck a wooden spoon into their white felt hat from the front. In the later period, when the corps of the janissaries had already decomposed, rallies took place around the military shrine - the company cauldron, and the refusal of the janissaries to taste the pilaf brought from the palace was considered the most dangerous rebellious sign - a demonstration.
The care of the upbringing of the spirit was entrusted to the Sufi order of dervishes "bektashi". It was founded by Haji Bektash in the 13th century. All janissaries were assigned to the order. In the 94th orta, the sheikhs (baba) of the brotherhood were symbolically enrolled. Therefore, in Turkish documents the janissaries were often called "the Bektash partnership", and the janissary commanders "agha bektashi". This order allowed certain liberties, such as the use of wine, and contained elements of non-Muslim practices. Bektashi's teachings simplified the basic tenets and requirements of Islam. For example, it made the five-time daily prayer optional. Which was quite reasonable - for an army on a campaign, and even during hostilities, when success depended on the speed of maneuver and movement, such delays could become fatal.
The barracks became a kind of monastery. The order of the dervishes was the only enlightener and teacher of the Janissaries. Dervish monks in the Janissary units played the role of military chaplains, and also bore the duty of amusing 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 decay, the situation radically changed), in life to be content with war booty, and after death to hope for paradise, the entrance to which was opened by the "holy war."
At first, the corps was formed from captured Christian adolescents and youths 12-16 years old. In addition, the Sultan's agents bought young slaves in the markets. Later, at the expense of the "blood tax" (devshirme system, that is, "recruitment of children of subjects"). It was levied on the Christian population of the Ottoman Empire. Its essence was that from the Christian community every fifth immature boy was taken as the slave of the Sultan. An interesting fact is that the Ottomans simply borrowed experience. Byzantine Empire... The Greek authorities, feeling a great need for soldiers, periodically carried out forced mobilization in areas inhabited by Slavs and Albanians, taking away every fifth youth.
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 would become terrible enemies of the Christian world. Well trained and fanatical warriors who were of Christian and Slavic origin (mostly). It should be noted that the "slaves of the Sultan" had nothing to do with ordinary slaves. They were not slaves in chains doing hard and dirty work. Janissaries could reach the highest positions in the empire in the administration, in the military or police formations. At a later time, by the end of the 17th century, the janissary corps was already formed predominantly according to the hereditary, class principle. And rich Turkish families paid a lot of money so that their children were admitted to the corps, as there it was possible to get a good education and make a career.
For several years, children, forcibly torn away from their parental home, spent in Turkish families to make them forget their home, family, homeland, family, and learn 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. It was a kind of mixture of the cadet corps, military "training", construction battalion and theological school. Devotion to Islam and the Sultan was the goal of this upbringing. Future soldiers of the Sultan studied theology, calligraphy, law, literature, languages, various sciences and, of course, military science. In their free time, the 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), was obliged to live in the barracks, silently obey all the orders of the elder, and if a disciplinary penalty was imposed on him, he had to kiss the hand of the one who imposed the penalty as a sign of obedience.
The devshirme system arose after the formation of the Janissary corps itself. Its development was slowed down during the turmoil that followed the invasion of Tamerlane. In 1402, in the battle of Ankara, the Janissary and other divisions of the Sultan were almost completely destroyed. Murad II revived the devshirme system in 1438. Mehmed II the Conqueror increased the number of Janissaries and raised their salaries. The Janissaries became the core of the Ottoman army. In later times, many families themselves began to give children away so that they could get a good education and make a career.
The main janissary for a long time was the bow, in the possession of which they achieved great perfection. Janissaries were foot archers, excellent marksmen. 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 initially light infantry, with almost no heavy weapons and armor. With a serious adversary, they preferred to conduct a defensive battle in a fortified position protected by a moat and light obstacles placed in a circle with transport carts ("tabor"). 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. Chalkondilus, 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 supplies, and concern for maintaining communication lines. He noted the good organization of camps and support services, as well as the large number of pack animals.
Janissaries had a lot in common with other military classes, in particular, with the Cossacks. Their essence was common - active defense of their civilization, homeland. Moreover, these estates had a certain mystical orientation. The Janissaries had a connection with the Sufi order of dervishes. Both the Cossacks and the Janissaries had their main "family" fighting brothers. As the Cossacks in kurens and stanitsas, so the janissaries all lived together in large monasteries-barracks. The Janissaries ate from the same cauldron. The latter was revered by them as a shrine and a symbol of their military unit. 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, had no right to marry. As you know, the Cossacks did not let women into the Sich.
Militarily, the Cossacks and Janissaries were a light, mobile part of the army. They tried to take by maneuver, by surprise. In defense, both of them successfully used a circular defensive formation of carts - "tabor", 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. During the creation of the Romanov empire, the Cossacks often proceeded from their corporate interests and from time to time fought against the central government. Moreover, 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. For a long time the Cossacks retained their internal autonomy. Only in the later period did they become unconditional servants of the "king-father", including in the matter of suppressing the actions of other estates.
The Janissaries evolved in a different direction. If initially they were the most loyal servants of the Sultan, then in a later period they realized that "their shirt is closer to the body" and after that it was not the rulers who told the janissaries what to do, but vice versa. They began to resemble the Roman Praetorian Guards and shared their fate. Thus, Constantine the Great completely destroyed the Praetorian Guard, 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 displace the sultans of their own free will. The Janissaries turned into a powerful military-political force, the thunderstorm of the throne and the eternal and indispensable participants in palace coups. In addition, the Janissaries lost their military significance. They began to engage in trade and craft, forgetting about military affairs. Previously, the mighty janissary corps lost its real combat capability, becoming a weakly controlled, but armed to the teeth assembly, which threatened the supreme power and defended only its corporate interests.
Therefore, in 1826 the corps was destroyed. Sultan Mahmud II began military reform, transforming the army along the European lines. In response, the capital's janissaries revolted. The uprising was suppressed, the barracks were destroyed by artillery. The instigators of the riot were executed, their property was confiscated by the Sultan, and the young janissaries were expelled or arrested, some of them entered new army... The Sufi order, the ideological core of the Janissary organization, was also disbanded, and many of its followers were executed or expelled. The surviving janissaries took up craft and trade.
It is interesting that the Janissaries and Cossacks even outwardly resembled each other. Apparently, this was the common heritage of the military estates of the leading peoples of Eurasia (Indo-European-Aryans and Turks). In addition, do not forget that the Janissaries were originally mostly Slavs too, albeit Balkan. The Janissaries, unlike the ethnic Turks, shaved their beards and grew a long mustache, like the Cossacks. Janissaries and Cossacks wore wide trousers, similar to the Janissary "Burke" and the traditional Zaporozhye hat with a slab. The Janissaries, like the Cossacks, have the same symbols of power - bunchuks and maces.
