Janissary: Encyclopedia II - Janissary - The janissary revolts

Janissary - The janissary revolts

Janissaries also became aware of their own importance and began to desire better payment. In 1449 they revolted for the first time, demanding higher wages, which they obtained. After 1451, every new sultan was obliged to pay each janissary a reward and raise his pay rank. Sultan Selim II gave janissaries permission to marry in 1566.

In the aftermath of the Moldavian Magnate Wars (1595–1621) with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Habsburgs, culminating in the battles of Cecora and Ottoman defeat at Khotyn, Sultan Osman II died during the Janissary rebellion of 1622.

By the early 18th century janissaries had such prestige and influence that they dominated the government. They could mutiny and dictate policy and hinder efforts to modernize the army structure. They could change sultans as they wished through palace coups. They made themselves landholders and tradesmen. They would also limit the enlistment to the boys of former janissaries who did not have to go through the original training period in the acemi oglan.

When janissaries could practically extort money from the Sultan and business and family life replaced martial fervour, their effectiveness as combat troops decreased. The northern borders of the Ottoman Empire slowly began to shrink southwards after the second Battle of Vienna in 1683. The Janissaries resisted attempts to reorganise the army and in 1622 killed sultan Osman II when he planned to replace them. They also had support of the bektashi sect.

In 1807 the janissaries revolted and deposed Selim III, who had tried to modernize the army along Western European lines. His supporters failed to recapture power before Mustafa IV had him killed, but elevated Mahmud II to the throne in 1808. When the janissaries threatened to oust Mahmut, he followed suit and had the captured Mustafa executed and eventually came to a compromise with the janissaries. He spent more than a decade in securing his position.

In April 1810, janissaries burned 2,000 homes in Galata and in spring 1811 two regiments engaged in a gun battle in Istanbul. They fought in the Greek War of Independence.

Eventually Mahmud II had to get rid of the janissaries, perhaps because he had to pay the high salaries of 135,000 janissaries, many of whom were not actually serving soldiers. Indeed, many may have been already dead or retired soldiers that were kept on the payroll to allow the commander to claim the money with the pay tickets.

In 1826 the janissaries noticed that the sultan was forming a new army. Some have suggested that the sultan had incited them to revolt on purpose. On June 14 15 June 1826, the janissaries in Istanbul revolted but this time most of the army, and the population at large, turned against them. The Sipahis, the cavalry units loyal to the sultan, forced them to retreat to their barracks. Artillery fired 15 volleys into the barracks, causing massive casualties. Survivors were executed or banished and two years later Mahmud II confiscated the last janissary possessions. This event is now called The Auspicious Incident.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "The janissary revolts", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki