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The following is a piece of historical fiction from the point of view of a sixteenth-century janissary living in the Ottoman Empire. This project depicts Hamid, the fabled janissary in question, experiencing the motions of everyday life in the Ottoman Empire from his birth, upbringing, training, battles, family life, retirement, and death. Each chapter is based on extensive research on the life of an Ottoman in the janissary corps and reflects, to the most accurate degree possible, an authentic telling of the janissary life. It is evident throughout the story how Hamid changes and matures with age, and he becomes more accustomed to the culture and people around him.

This story is based on Ottoman life in the early sixteenth century, notably the peak of Ottoman power. For centuries, misconceptions surrounding the Ottoman Empire, especially its military, have circulated. The Western world has proven to be the perpetrators of these stereotypes that have defined the Ottoman Empire period for many years. Keywords associated with the Ottomans include “barbaric,” “exotic,” and “savage.” This led to western historians considering the Ottoman Empire as part of the “others” mentality in which they didn’t include their growth and success as part of Western civilization and success, differing in language, religion, and structure 1. This project attempts to portray the true power of the Ottoman Empire and the janissary corps through the life of Hamid and his rise through the military ranks through strict training. The story follows his life framed by hardships, battles, and a steadfast dedication to the Ottoman Empire and its people.

This janissary, Hamid, grew up and into the role of janissary during the rule of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The Ottoman Empire was at its height in terms of power and land during the early to the mid-sixteenth century. The Empire was gradually acquiring land in the Holy Roman Empire until they reached the gates of Vienna. The military was relentless, and the janissaries led the campaign, showing their dedication and valor every step of the way as they performed their menacing war songs on the battlefield. Janissaries were held in high regard in Ottoman society, such that they had their own social class, which was more prestigious than that of some aristocrats. Their upbringing focused on strict cohesion, harmony, and obedience within the creed 2. The Ottoman sultanate regularly employed slave-taking as a means to improve their Empire and military, but this form of slavery was very different from Western perceptions. Enslaved people, including janissaries, had the option for social mobility; regardless of their background or family, they could rise through ranks solely based on merit 3.

Hamid’s life as a janissary was not easy, but like others in his regiment and throughout Ottoman military history, he was devoted to the Empire and would go to considerable lengths to protect it. According to Busbecq, Hamid and his fellow janissary warriors would have “inspire[d] terror everywhere” as a result of their training and dedication to the Empire. Busbecq admits these janissaries believe themselves to be “partly the gift of God” through “good training, great industry, and unwearied zeal”, In the face of impending battle, the janissaries “[were] firmly convinced that a man who has courage and military experience will do brave service in whatever kind of fighting he may be engaged” 4.

Footnotes:

1. Goffman, Daniel. The Ottoman Empire and Early Modern Europe. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002) 5.

2.  Jones, Dorsey D. "THE JANISSARIES—UNIQUE FIGHTING MEN." 400.

3. Peirce, Leslie. A Spectrum of Unfreedom: Captives and Slaves in the Ottoman Empire. (Budapest: Central European University Press, 2021) 10.

4. de Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain, Charles Thornton Forster, and Francis Henry Blackburne Daniel. The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq. (London: CK Paul, 1881) 287, 223.

Sources:
de Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain, Charles Thornton Forster, and Francis Henry Blackburne Daniel.

The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq. Vol. 1: 219-23, 287-290, 293. London: CK Paul, 1881.

Goffman, Daniel. The Ottoman Empire and Early Modern Europe. 5-17. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Jones, Dorsey D. "THE JANISSARIES—UNIQUE FIGHTING MEN." Social Science Vol. 6, No. 4 (1931): 399-401.

Peirce, Leslie. A Spectrum of Unfreedom: Captives and Slaves in the Ottoman Empire. 10-18.

Budapest: Central European University Press, 2021.

Roider, Karl A. The Turkish Letters of Ogier Ghiselin De Busbecq. ix-x, xxiv. Baton Rouge: LSU Press, 2005.

Rycaut, Paul. The History of the Turkish Empire: From the Year 1623 to the Year 1677;

Containing the Reigns of the Three Last Emperours. 32-36. London: J.M. for John Starkey, 1680.

​​White, Sam. The Climate of Rebellion in the Early Modern Ottoman Empire. 20-21, New York:

Cambridge University Press, 2011.

By Lillian Flick

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It has been some time now since I was brought into this new land. I do not remember much from my old life, as I was still very young when I was selected to become a janissary. I remember helping my family tend to the crops on the farm. My parents would tell me stories about Jesus and Mary, but now we are told about the Prophet Muhammad and of the Hijrah.[1] When the men came to take me and some of the other boys from the village [2], I was frightened and did not know what to expect. Shortly after, to my surprise, I was sent to work on another farm![3] I spent several years on that farm and even impressed my masters when I was able to cultivate the land and finish my tasks faster than the other boys. Without question, my stay on that farm made me stronger and helped prepare me for what was to come.[4] During my stay at the farm, I also learned how to speak this new language. It was terribly difficult at first, but, being a child, I was able to mimic the speech of my masters and eventually learned to speak Turkish. On that farm, I was also introduced to the culture of this new land and to Islam.

After serving on that farm for several years, I was then transported to the capital, known as Konstantaniyye, of the great Ottoman Empire. Oh, the sights I saw in this wondrous city! Up until that point, I had spent my entire life on farms in the countryside. I could never have imagined the brilliance of these sights and the grandeur of the Sultan’s palace, the Yeni Saray [5]. Truly, it is a magnificent building fit for our glorious Sultan. When I was first brought to the entrance of the palace, I witnessed the most beautiful inscription above the gate. Even though I could not read or understand the engraving, I was mesmerized by its beauty. I was told that the inscription references the Quran and praises the exalted Sultans who previously ruled over this great empire.[6] [7] Even today, I long to be able to read and understand the words carved on the grand entrance, but for now I am content with viewing the masterful calligraphy.

Several months have passed since I began learning to read and write. It is still challenging, but I have made great progress and such a feat would have been impossible in my old life. It is because of this new skill that I decided to write about my journey. Now, as I look back to my former days I realize the importance of this grand opportunity to become a janissary of this great empire. I am no longer a simple peasant boy working in the country, but I am now Hamid, a servant of the Sultan. The inner workings of the janissary corps are still quite new to me. I do not know where this journey will lead me, but I know that it will not be an easy one. Our masters are strict and constantly remind us of the consequences we will face if we disobey them.[8] It is not uncommon for someone to be whipped or flogged when being disruptive or not being attentive to our masters when they give us instructions.[9] Our loyalty to the empire and to the Sultan must never falter.[10] All of us have been brought to this great land, and we have been chosen to serve our glorious Sultan. I only hope that I am up to the challenge.

Footnotes:

1. Gilles Veinstein, “On the Ottoman Janissaries (Fourteenth-Nineteenth Centuries),” in Fighting for a Living, ed. Erik-Jan Zürcher, A Comparative Study of Military Labour 1500-2000 (Amsterdam University Press, 2013), 129, https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt6wp6pg.

2. Colin Imber, The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1650: The Structure of Power (Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire ; New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002), 134.

3. Veinstein, “On the Ottoman Janissaries,” 129.

4. Veinstein, “On the Ottoman Janissaries,” 129.

5. Refers to the Topkapı Palace.

6. Theodōros Spandouginos, On the Origin of the Ottoman Emperors, trans. Donald MacGillivray Nicol (New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1997), 122–23.

7. Gülru Necipoglu, Architecture, Ceremonial, and Power: The Topkapi Palace in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries (The MIT Press, 1992), 36–37, https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/1358.001.0001.

8. Virginia H. Aksan, “Mobilization Of Warrior Populations In The Ottoman Context, 1750-1850,” in Fighting for a Living, ed. Erik-Jan Zürcher (Amsterdam University Press, 2014), 333, https://doi.org/10.1515/9789048517251-012.

9. C. T. Forster and F. H. B. Daniel, eds., The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, vol. I (London: Kegan Paul, 1881), 7.

10. Aksan, “Mobilization of Warrior Populations,” 333.

Sources:
Aksan, Virginia H. “Mobilization Of Warrior Populations In The Ottoman Context, 1750-1850.” In Fighting for a Living, edited by Erik-Jan Zürcher, 331–52. Amsterdam University Press, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1515/9789048517251-012.

de Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain, Charles Thornton Forster, and Francis Henry Blackburne Daniel.

The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq. Vol. 1: 219-23, 287-290, 293. London: CK Paul, 1881.

Imber, Colin. The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1650: The Structure of Power. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire ; New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002.

Necipoglu, Gülru. Architecture, Ceremonial, and Power: The Topkapi Palace in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries. The MIT Press, 1992.  https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/1358.001.0001.

Spandouginos, Theodōros. On the Origin of the Ottoman Emperors. Translated by Donald  MacGillivray Nicol. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1997.

Veinstein, Gilles. “On the Ottoman Janissaries (Fourteenth-Nineteenth Centuries).” In Fighting for a Living, edited by Erik-Jan Zürcher, 115–34. A Comparative Study of Military  Labour 1500-2000. Amsterdam University Press, 2013. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt6wp6pg.7.

By Raul Morones

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I was recruited by the ‘Collection’ system which allowed the sultan to levy Christian subjects like myself to become janissary slaves in support of imperial service. [1] However, the ‘Collection’ was incredibly descriptive when considering which children were enslaved and which weren’t. For instance, many of the young children that were recruited with me ranged in age from ten to twenty. Also, I overheard many officers that were instructed to avoid capturing sons who were born to prestigious men in society such as priests; they also avoided capturing orphans because they were considered to be undisciplined. [1] I was separated into a group of 100-200 boys with a distinct register. I had to record personal information including my name, father’s name, and village name. When I finally arrived in the Ottoman Empire, another register was created for our recruited group, enabling officers to discard any falsifications and invalid inaccuracies. With my arrival, the surgeon examined and circumcised each boy in the group to create purity. Preceding this event, we were separated based on our natural characteristics. Good-looking individuals generally were taken by the sultan and given a thorough education while the strong young children were instructed for intensive military training and preparation. As I assimilated into Ottoman society, I began to adopt the dominant culture and norm that was very different from what I was accustomed to. As a young child, I was familiar with the teachings of Christianity since my family was mainly of Christian origin with non-Muslim traditions. [1] I would follow the religious ideas of the adults in my social group, aligning my religious beliefs with devout Christianity. However, when I arrived in the Ottoman Empire, I was forced to become a janissary and convert these religious beliefs from Christianity to Islam. I had no religious freedoms. I was indoctrinated as a slave to support the central Islamic beliefs that lay the foundation for the Empire; the devshirme system, a practice known to forcibly gather soldiers from Balkan Christian families. Generally, I was used to being taught the lessons of Jesus and his disciples, learning their symbolic importance in the holy scriptures. Now, I’m taught the tale of the great Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, who was a messenger of God’s word. Slowly, I transitioned from my origins of Christianity to the holy faith of Islam. I’ve heard from other janissary boys whose Christian parents were extremely distraught over their religious conversion, questioning whether they should convert to Islam in order to stay with their child. Eventually, they have torn apart from their parents, hearing the wrath and wrench from Christian women being separated from their sons. On these days, they would hear Christian women scream, “O cruel Sultan, cursed be thou!” [2] Later I realized that the Ottomans had a special tradition for taking Christians from their homes to train them as soldiers. I was with hundreds of other young children who created one of the first standing armies of the Ottoman Empire in Europe. Strong young Christian janissaries were often referred to as Yeni Ceri.[3] As I started to receive training to become an adequate soldier, they complemented combat lessons with scriptural guidance from the central book of Islam, the Quran, enabling us to abandon our past ways with Christianity. As I became a devout believer in Islam, I was chosen to support the various needs of the Sultan due to my intellectual abilities. Compared to other janissary children, we were considered to hold a more prestigious rank due to our service for the powerful sultan in the Ottoman Empire.

Footnotes:

1. Ménage, V. L. “The Dynasty: Recruitment into the Sultan’s Service.” In Ottoman Historical Documents: The Institutions of an Empire, edited by Colin Imber, 26–38. Edinburgh University Press, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3366/j.ctv1hm8hw0.12.

2. Chakra, Hayden. “Story Of The Janissaries - The Elite Corps Of The Sultan.” About History, 24 May 2021, https://about-history.com/story-of-the-janissaries-the-elite-corps-of-the-sultan

3. Jones, Dorsey D. “THE JANISSARIES—UNIQUE FIGHTING MEN.” Social Science 6, no. 4 (1931): 399–401. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23906961.

4. Maran Momdjian, “Janissaries in the Ottoman Empire” (History 111B, 2-14-22)

Bibliography

Chakra, Hayden. “Story Of The Janissaries - The Elite Corps Of The Sultan.” About History, 24 May 2021, https://about-history.com/story-of-the-janissaries-the-elite-corps-of-the-sultan

Jones, Dorsey D. "THE JANISSARIES—UNIQUE FIGHTING MEN." Social Science Vol. 6, No. 4 (1931): 399-401.

Maran Momdjian, “Janissaries in the Ottoman Empire” (History 111B, 2-14-22)

Ménage, V. L. “The Dynasty: Recruitment into the Sultan’s Service.” In Ottoman Historical Documents: The Institutions of an Empire, edited by Colin Imber, 26–38. Edinburgh University Press, 2021.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3366/j.ctv1hm8hw0.12.

“Ogier Ghiselin De Busbecq: The Turkish Letters, 1555-1562.” Internet history sourcebooks. Accessed March 13, 2022. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1555busbecq.asp.

Veinstein, Gilles. “On the Ottoman Janissaries (Fourteenth-Nineteenth Centuries).” In Fighting for a Living: A Comparative Study of Military Labor 1500-2000, edited by Erik-Jan Zürcher, 115–34. Amsterdam University Press, 2013. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt6wp6pg.7.

By Simon Han

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I remember the people of the capital splitting us up into groups. They sent all the good-looking boys to receive an education in the Palace. The stronger boys were sent to the gardens of the Palace.[1] I was sent to train in the Janissary Corps in the first stage of training known as ‘acemi oglan. They called us yeniçeri oglanlari (Janissaries-to-be).[2] Before entering the ‘acemi oglan, they sent me to a Turkish farm in Anatolia with a Turkish family. I studied the Turkish language, renounced the Christian faith, converted to the Islamic faith, and I also became celibate. I spent many years working on the farm. I performed hard labor on this farm, and I got stronger over the years. My military training began when I entered the ‘acemi oglan. I spent several years training intensely. Some of the training I had to endure was learning how to swim in ice-cold water. We conditioned our bodies to many hardships that would be useful for fighting. The preceptors told us if we worked hard and behaved well, there was a possibility that we could be promoted to a governor or grand vizier, so I remained loyal to their instruction. But many boys found the training challenging and sought an escape. It was nearly impossible to escape this place if we tried. They had special staff that supervised us and captured anyone attempting to leave. The boys that misbehaved were denied their meals.[3] After my training at the ‘acemi oglan concluded, I was sent to the Palace to acquire a new skill. I learned how to garden in the Palace.[3] Although I wasn’t very good at this, the leaders saw my potential and promoted me to a more prestigious position in the Palace.[6]

Footnotes:

1. Jones, Dorsey D. “THE JANISSARIES—UNIQUE FIGHTING MEN.” Social Science 6, no. 4 (1931): 399–401. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23906961.

2. Jones “THE JANISSARIES—UNIQUE FIGHTING MEN.” 400

3.  Veinstein, Gilles. “On the Ottoman Janissaries (Fourteenth-Nineteenth Centuries).” In Fighting for a Living: A Comparative Study of Military Labour 1500-2000, edited by Erik-Jan Zürcher, 115–34. Amsterdam University Press, 2013. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt6wp6pg.7.

4.  Jones “THE JANISSARIES—UNIQUE FIGHTING MEN.” 400

Sources:
Jones, Dorsey D. “THE JANISSARIES—UNIQUE FIGHTING MEN.” Social Science 6, no. 4 (1931): 399–401. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23906961.

Ménage, V. L. “The Dynasty: Recruitment into the Sultan’s Service.” In Ottoman Historical Documents: The Institutions of an Empire, edited by Colin Imber, 26–38. Edinburgh University Press, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3366/j.ctv1hm8hw0.12.

Veinstein, Gilles. “On the Ottoman Janissaries (Fourteenth-Nineteenth Centuries).” In Fighting for a Living: A Comparative Study of Military Labour 1500-2000, edited by Erik-Jan Zürcher, 115–34. Amsterdam University Press, 2013. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt6wp6pg.7.

By Julisa Zamora

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Training has come to an end. I spent countless sleepless nights and restless days becoming the soldier I am today. I’ve lost track of time since my training began, but I see the difference in myself.5 Physically and mentally trained, I am now ready to serve the Sultan. A weird thought, that is. I prepared to serve the same man who had me enslaved.

Nonetheless, I write today to record a historic moment in my life. Everything I have been through up until now amounts to the decision made today. I will be assigned to the sector within the janissary corps that I will serve.2 I am nervous as this assignment will change my life, but I question what will become of me. Am I worthy of serving the Sultan? Do I want to dedicate my life to his service? The training should’ve been sufficient to answer those questions, but now I must wait for time to tell.

Under Suleiman I, there are 165 ortas 4, each headed by a different çorbaci.3 The ortas of janissaries are divided into three sectors: the cemaat, the beylik, and the seymen.4 One aga oversees all the ortas.1 I am a beylik, a janissary corp consisting of 61 ortas.1 As a beylik, I must serve as the sultan’s bodyguard. I am glad to have received this assignment, as I am proud to serve the sultan closely. Though I am barely starting, I look forward to rising in rank within my orta.

It is upsetting to leave my comrades from training behind as I accept my new assignment. It is inevitable. My sole purpose is to serve the sultan, and I move forward with pride while wishing my comrades success. Who knows what the future holds, for the battlefield may reunite in service to the empire. As I leave my past behind, I look ahead to my life among the royals. What a scary thought. How will I fit in with the royal family and within my orta? Will I ever be more than a bodyguard? So many questions and so few answers. It is troubling me, but once again, I won’t know the answer now, and I must move forward without hesitation to fulfill my duties to the empire.

Footnotes:

1. Aksan, Virginia H. The International History Review 20, no. 4 (1998): 957–59. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40108015.

2. Fariba Zarinebaf, John Bennet, Jack L. Davis, Evi Gorogianni, Deborah K. Harlan,

3. Machiel Kiel, Pierre A. MacKay, John Wallrodt, and Aaron D. Wolpert. “A Historical and Economic Geography of Ottoman Greece.” Hesperia Supplements 34 (2005): i–328.

4. Jenkins, Hester Donaldson. The American Historical Review 19, no. 1 (1913): 141–43.https://doi.org/10.2307/1834815.

5. Maran Momdjian, “Janissaries in the Ottoman Empire” (History 111B, 2-14-22)

6. Urquhart, David. The Military Strength of Turkey: From Mss. Entitled “The Ottoman

7. Empire under Abdul Medjid,” Written in 1852. Pamphlets. Diplomatic review office, 1862. https://jstor.org/stable/10.2307/60200477.

8. Veinstein, Gilles. “On the Ottoman Janissaries (Fourteenth-Nineteenth Centuries).” In

9. Fighting for a Living: A Comparative Study of Military Labour 1500-2000, edited by Erik-Jan Zürcher, 115–34. Amsterdam University Press, 2013. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt6wp6pg.7.

Sources:
Fariba Zarinebaf, et al. “A Historical and Economic Geography of Ottoman Greece.” Hesperia Supplements, vol. 34, The American School of Classical Studies at Athens, 2005, pp. i–328, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4150513.

Goodwin, Godfrey. The Janissaries. Saqi, 2013.

Jenkins, Hester Donaldson. The American Historical Review, vol. 19, no. 1, [Oxford University Press, American Historical Association], 1913, pp. 141–43, https://doi.org/10.2307/1834815.

Urquhart, David. The Military Strength of Turkey: From Mss. Entitled “The Ottoman Empire under Abdul Medjid,” Written in 1852. Diplomatic review office, 1862, pp. 1–142, https://jstor.org/stable/10.2307/60200477.

Veinstein, Gilles. "On the Ottoman janissaries (fourteenth-nineteenth centuries)." Fighting for a Living. A Comparative History of Military Labour (2005): 1500-2000

By Malik Oda

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Today I entered the Saray-ı Cedîd-i Âmire, the New Palace, not as a student but as an official member of the janissary corps.  Since I have completed my formal training, my new task will be to guard and protect Sultan Suleiman in the New Palace. I have been told that I may also be tasked with greeting and protecting any and all guests of the Sultan, guarding the Imperial Divan, and even enforcing public order within the city.1 Although The New Palace is a place I have known for many years, today it all felt so different. It is truly unlike anything I have ever seen before. Many years ago, before I had even arrived in the New Palace, I had heard rumors of the palace that Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror had designed and built and I was stunned when I witnessed it for the first time.2 Yet these beautiful changes completed under Sultan Suleiman and his Persian architect, Alaüddin, have made this palace worthy of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.3 It seems to me that as Sultan Suleiman has expanded his great empire, he has also demanded the expansion of the New Palace. The intricate designs on the walls and ceilings can make a person feel as though they are walking in a painting. Though I must admit I spend most of my time in the first courtyard, the Alay Meydanı, or in my living quarters, the ağa kapısı, and I find great happiness here.4

Now that I have finished my formal education and begun my official service to the Sultan, I will begin to receive a generous fixed salary from the Hazine-ı Âmire and I am very much looking forward to this security.5 I can recognize that although my fellow janissaries and I may be slaves, we are greatly privileged and honored to be serving such a powerful and giving Sultan. Other devşirme oğlan were not as lucky.6

As a janissary, I have the opportunity to promote my career and ascend status within our great Empire – some janissaries even go on to become Grand Viziers. I wonder if I will ever do something great like that. Not only a great salary but I also have disability and pension rights and access to orta sandığı from the corps’ fund.7 Truly I am a blessed man. I am unsure of what my future may await but I am eager to demonstrate my loyalty to my Sultan.

Footnotes:

1. Charles Thornton Forster and Francis Henry Blackburne Daniel, eds., The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Vol. 1: 219-23, 287-290, 293. London: CK Paul, 1881.

2. ​​Fehmi Yılmaz. “The Place Of Soldiers In The Social Life Of Istanbul.” History of Istanbul.

3. Gülru Necipoğlu. Architecture, Ceremonial, and Power: The Topkapi Palace in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries. New York: Architectural History Foundation, 1991.

4. “Topkapı Palace.” Büyük İstanbul Tarihi. Accessed March 13, 2022. http://www.3dmekanlar.com/en/topkapi-palace.html

5. Gilles Veinstein. “On The Ottoman Janissaries (Fourteenth-Nineteenth Centuries)” in Fighting for a Living. Amsterdam University Press.

6. Fehmi Yılmaz. “The Place Of Soldiers In The Social Life Of Istanbul.” History of Istanbul.

7. ​​Fehmi Yılmaz. “The Place Of Soldiers In The Social Life Of Istanbul.” History of Istanbul.

Sources:
Forster, Charles Thornton and Daniel, Francis Henry Blackburne, eds., The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Vol. 1: 219-23, 287-290, 293. London: CK Paul, 1881.

Necipoğlu, Gülru. Architecture, Ceremonial, and Power: The Topkapi Palace in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries. New York: Architectural History Foundation, 1991.

“Topkapı Palace.” Büyük İstanbul Tarihi. Accessed March 13, 2022.

http://www.3dmekanlar.com/en/topkapi-palace.html

Veinstein, Gilles. “On The Ottoman Janissaries (Fourteenth-Nineteenth Centuries)” in Fighting for a Living. Amsterdam University Press. http://www.jstor.com/stable/j.ctt6wp6pg.7

Yılmaz, ​​Fehmi. “The Place Of Soldiers In The Social Life Of Istanbul.” History of Istanbul.

https://istanbultarihi.ist/470-the-place-of-soldiers-in-the-social-life-of-istanbul

By Jazmine Gutierrez

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The strong beat of the drum echoes throughout my ears as we prepare for the forward march. Our mehter, or band of musicians who accompany our forces into battle, creates ardent sounds which instill us with bravery while simultaneously intimidating our opponents. It is a symbol of sovereignty and independence for all on our side while weakening the confidence of our challengers so that we may rise to an even greater power, taking land, riches, and prisoners for the great Sultan 1. By the will of the almighty God, we will see success and they shall meet their imminent defeat 2.

The mehter is distinguished by specific clothing and great prowess. They are highlighted by white turbans wound around a kavuk with a red coat over a yellow robe and red trousers. A shawl is wound around the waist and accompanied with yellow leathered shoes, while others wore a long tunic secured by a cloth belt to house the powder horn and sword—many with a tall bork hat that carries a jeweled ornament in the middle of the forehead and a tail traveling past the shoulders and down the back 3. We use our dâire, zurna, boru, ney, davul, naffir, and kös to signal our arrival and let it be known that a bloodbath is soon to occur because so long as our music soars we are unstoppable 4. The rousing songs and crashing sound of the great kös drums unnerve our enemy while our morale is heightened by the cry of the ney 5. These instruments compose such haunting impressions for this reason.

During our battles, the large instruments and their players are mounted on our animals, such as horses and camels, as many weigh a great deal that is not as easily transportable, while others are meant to be carried in hand. The band marches to a specific rhythm, chanting ‘Gracious God is good. God is compassionate’ as the çorbacibasi leads the path to follow, recognized by their üsküf (headdress). Even the Europeans who usually criticize us admire our methods and try to replicate our wonderous capabilities! There are none like us, we may very well be the first of our kind but certainly not the last 6. The loudness of our music is of great importance when on the actual battlefield, as the monstrous winds carried the sounds to great lengths and corners 7. We use our percussion to signal a soldier's call to arms and to make notes regarding the progress of our battle. We gather along to let it be known that so long our chants are heard we are unharmed and will continue to fight for our all-powerful Sultan 8. However, if danger is nearby or a threat has risen, the music changes to signal that so our great leader may be protected and our forces banded together once again. We play not by notes, but by the heart through body and soul 8. Even in grave danger, the sound of our music provides remarkable energy and conjures drive and ability found only deep within.

Footnotes:

1. Catherine Schmidt-Jones, “Janissary Music and Turkish Influences on Western Music,” 1.

2. “Ogier Ghiselin De Busbecq: The Turkish Letters, 1555-1562,” 2.

3. Violet Caswell, Bridget Halstead, and Clemency Warner, “Stories Ottoman Objects Tell,” Stories ottoman objects tell, accessed March 14, 2022, https://mediakron.bc.edu/ottomans/janissary-hat-1, 4.

4. Michael Pirker, “Pictorial Documents of the Music Bands of the Janissaries (Mehter) and the Austrian Military Music,” accessed March 15, 2022, https://www.jstor.org/stable/41604938, 2.

5. Catherine Schmidt-Jones, “Janissary Music and Turkish Influences on Western Music,” 3.

6. Mary Momdjian, “Janissaries in the Ottoman Empire” (History 111B, 2-14-22)

7. Michael Pirker, “Pictorial Documents of the Music Bands of the Janissaries (Mehter) and the Austrian Military Music,” accessed March 15, 2022, https://www.jstor.org/stable/41604938, 3.

8. Catherine Schmidt-Jones, “Janissary Music and Turkish Influences on Western Music,”4.

9. Michael Pirker, “Pictorial Documents of the Music Bands of the Janissaries (Mehter) and the Austrian Military Music,” accessed March 15, 2022, https://www.jstor.org/stable/41604938, 4.

Bibliography:

Schmidt-Jones, Catherine. “Janissary Music and Turkish Influences on Western Music.” Connexions. May 10, 2010.

Caswell, Violet, Bridget Halstead, and Clemency Warner. “Stories Ottoman Objects Tell.” Stories ottoman objects tell. Accessed March 14, 2022. https://mediakron.bc.edu/ottomans/janissary-hat-1.

Jones, Dorsey D. "THE JANISSARIES—UNIQUE FIGHTING MEN." Social Science Vol. 6,

No. 4 (1931): 399-401.

Maran Momdjian, “Janissaries in the Ottoman Empire” (History 111B, 2-14-22)

“Ogier Ghiselin De Busbecq: The Turkish Letters, 1555-1562.” Internet history sourcebooks. Accessed March 13, 2022. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1555busbecq.asp.

Pirker, Michael. “Pictorial Documents of the Music Bands of the Janissaries (Mehter) and the Austrian Military Music.” RIdIM/RCMI Newsletter 15, no. 2 (1990): 2–12. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41604938.

By Rachel Mobaraka

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My heart overflows with pride and jubilation on the night of my first battle. Although my body is weary and sore, I feel compelled to arise and sing praises to God for giving us the power to vanquish our enemies on this glorious day at Mohács. Verily, our achievement shall live in the memory of history forever. It was after our journey across the Drava that our forces met the Hungarian King and his forces on this marshy plain 1. During the first moments of the battle, our enemy appeared to have the upper hand as their cavalry charged the Rumelian army and scattered them 2. For a moment, the life of our glorious Sultan appeared to have been put in jeopardy when he was nearly struck by arrows. Soon, we gained an advantage over the Hungarians as more Ottoman forces arrived to join us on the field. The enemy soon realized that our troops and weapons were much superior to their own. Many of the Hungarians were shot down by mounted Janissaries who wielded arquebuses with exceptional skill; others were blown to pieces under the fire of artillery. Soon, the enemy was forced to withdraw for they knew that defeat was inevitable for them 3.

We have received news that the Hungarian King, after making his cowardly escape, has drowned in a river after being cast off his horse 4. It is clear that God has punished our enemy and given all his blessings to the noble Sultan Sulayman and his faithful servants.

As we sit in darkness on this field and wait for our orders to return to camp, I must take some time to acknowledge the excellence of the Ottoman troops. Without the self-discipline and strength that we have acquired during our training, we would never have defeated our enemies. It is true that we have learned to fight valiantly despite being given rations that are barely sufficient to sustain life. Most of our armor is ill-fitting, old, and does little to protect us in battle 5. However, we are still able to achieve victory against our more well-equipped Christian enemies. They are too quick to become insubordinate and lose the will to fight when they are living under unfavorable conditions 6. But we, the sons of the Ottoman Empire, are taught to endure the worst hardship so that we may bring glory to our empire, to our Sultan, and to our most compassionate and merciful God.

Footnotes:

1. “Operations Up to the Battle ,” The Fall of the Medieval Kingdom of Hungary: Mohacs 1526 - Buda 1541, accessed March 13, 2022, https://web.archive.org/web/20070317055456/http://www.hungarian-history.hu/lib/warso/warso22.htm.

2. Balázs Polgár, “The First and the Second ‘Battle of Mohács’ (AD 1526, 1687) Archaeological Research and Perspectives,” Communicationes Archaeologicae Hungariae (Ministry of Defence Military History Institute and Museum, 2014), https://mnm.hu/sites/default/files/polgar_b_cah2014.pdf.

3. “The Battle,” The fall of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary: Mohacs 1526 - Buda 1541, accessed March 13, 2022, https://web.archive.org/web/20070426224314/http://www.hungarian-history.hu/lib/warso/warso26.htm.

4. Sandberg, Brian. “Going Off to the War in Hungary: French Nobles and Crusading Culture in the Sixteenth Century.” The Hungarian Historical Review 4, no. 2 (2015): 346–83. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24575824.

5. “Ogier Ghiselin De Busbecq: The Turkish Letters, 1555-1562,” Internet history sourcebooks, accessed March 13, 2022, https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1555busbecq.asp.

6.  “Ogier Ghiselin De Busbecq, Turkish Letters (1581)1,” accessed March 14, 2022, http://media.bloomsbury.com/rep/files/primary-source-46-comparison-of-turkish-and-christian-soldiers.pdf.

Sources:
“Operations Up to the Battle .” The Fall of the Medieval Kingdom of Hungary: Mohacs 1526 - Buda 1541. Accessed March 13, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20070317055456/http://www.hungarian-history.hu/lib/warso/warso22.htm.

“The Battle.” The fall of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary: Mohacs 1526 - Buda 1541. Accessed March 13, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20070426224314/http://www.hungarian-history.hu/lib/warso/warso26.htm.

“Ogier Ghiselin De Busbecq: The Turkish Letters, 1555-1562.” Internet history sourcebooks. Accessed March 13, 2022. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1555busbecq.asp.

“Ogier Ghiselin De Busbecq, Turkish Letters (1581)1.” Accessed March 14, 2022. http://media.bloomsbury.com/rep/files/primary-source-46-comparison-of-turkish-and-christian-soldiers.pdf.

Polgár, Balázs. “The First and the Second ‘Battle of Mohács’ (AD 1526, 1687) Archaeological Research and Perspectives.” Communicationes Archaeologicae Hungariae . Ministry of Defence Military History Institute and Museum, 2014. https://mnm.hu/sites/default/files/polgar_b_cah2014.pdf.

Sandberg, Brian. “Going Off to the War in Hungary: French Nobles and Crusading Culture in the Sixteenth Century.” The Hungarian Historical Review 4, no. 2 (2015): 346–83. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24575824

By Brendan Rettberg

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After serving in the janissary corps for several years I was recently promoted through seniority within my orta, finally being able to establish authority over my peers. My heart filled with excitement when I was finally rewarded with my excellent fighting and complete loyalty to the sultan. I have been unfortunate enough to originate from a poor social background, therefore my promoted status was earned through accomplishments with excruciating discipline.

Ever since my integration as a janissary from a young age, I have begun to shape a new identity for myself that revolves around being a key piece in the greatness of the empire, striving to enrich the symbol of my orta, and my fascination with syncretic beliefs within my janissary corps. Throughout our janissary prayers, I noticed there is a prominent emphasis on the Prophet’s cousin, Ali. I became accustomed to these Shiite features and took a deep interest in Ali and his two martyr sons, repeatedly hearing about them in the gulbank. There was very little retaliation from our leaders, signaling that they allowed for a Shiite imprint to indulge fellow soldiers in their best interests. It almost felt like our Shiite integration was completely controlled by the state to stabilize the structure of our janissary corps. I continued to embark upon my new identity as a soldier in the janissary corps and serve with unquestionable loyalty.

As I grow older and approach retirement, I sometimes wonder what it would be like to have a wife and children of my own. When I was first integrated into the janissary corps I dedicated myself to training and did not worry about family, in fact, I personally considered the Janissary battalion as my family as we were so close with each other. I was never permitted to marry anybody and spent most of my time in the barracks, but now that I am older I sense to settle down and start a family of my own.  My heart drops with sorrow when I think about dying alone, and I am hopeful that we will eventually be allowed to marry in the near future.

Sources:
Budanovic, N., 2022. The Janissaries - An Elite Ottoman Army Unit Who Became Public Enemy No1. [online] WAR HISTORY ONLINE. Available at: <https://www.warhistoryonline.com/medieval/janissaries-elite-ottoman-army-unit-became-public-enemy-no1.html?chrome=1> [Accessed 14 March 2022].

Veinstein, Gilles. “On the Ottoman Janissaries (Fourteenth-Nineteenth Centuries).” In Fighting for a Living: A Comparative Study of Military Labor 1500-2000, edited by Erik-Jan Zürcher, 115–34. Amsterdam University Press, 2013. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt6wp6pg.7.

Konstanty Michałowicz, Svatopluk Soucek, and Benjamin A Stolz. 2011. Memoirs of a Janissary. Princeton, Nj: Markus Wiener Publishers.

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Maran Momdjian, “Janissaries in the Ottoman Empire” (History 111B, 2-14-22)

By Muhammad Gsibat

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Time went by so fast, and yet I feel as though I have accomplished so much. I was a little boy, who had seen nothing and had to future. The Janissary corps took me in and made me into the man I am today. I didn’t put much thought into this in my younger years, but I knew that eventually, my service to the Sultan will come to an end. My body has grown old, filled with scars and tears from battles and years of hard work. I can no longer properly fulfill my duties and so my time to retire has come.

Thinking back, I am grateful for my life. Though I have seen the grandest palaces, participated in the most glorious battles – I will miss my brothers in arms the most. It was with fellow Janissaries that I persevered, and through comradery, we were able to serve the Sultan. They were my only family, and for that I am grateful.

I wished to eventually marry, but sadly, I was unable. Though few were granted permission by the Sultan, no law was passed to grant us the right to marry during my time. I spent my final days in the outskirts of Konstantaniyye living a simple life. I tended to a small farm, but I was often called back into the palace to broker peace between revolting Janissaries and the Sultan. My years of service, the people I knew and my experience was often needed in the palace to broker compromise between the Sultan and the Janissaries.

Sources:
Veinstein, Gilles. “On the Ottoman Janissaries (Fourteenth-Nineteenth Centuries).” In Fighting for a Living: A Comparative Study of Military Labor 1500-2000, edited by Erik-Jan Zürcher, 115–34. Amsterdam University Press, 2013. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt6wp6pg.7.

Lewis, Bernard. The Middle East. Scribner, 1997.  123-125.

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