Janizaries

(Jeni-tsheri, "new soldiers"), a Turkish military force which was for some time recruited from Christian prisoners taken by the Turks, more especially during the Crusades. They were originated by the Osmanli Emir Orchan, about 1330, of young Christian prisoners, which, after having been distributed among the Turkish husbandmen in Asia, there to learn the Turkish language, religion, and manners, were compelled to embrace Mohammedanism. This treatment of Christian prisoners sprang from the Mohammedan doctrine that "all children at their birth are naturally disposed to Islamism," and they reasoned that, by enforcing the conversion of the young captives to the true faith, and enrolling them in the ranks of the army of the faithful, they were serving both their temporal and eternal interests. But after a time the recruiting of the Janizaries was also undertaken among the Christian subjects of the Mohammedans, and the execution of this terrible scheme inspired terror and consternation among the vanquished Christian populations of Asia Minor, Thrace, and Anatolia, where the new tax of flesh and blood on families severed the nearest and dearest ties. For a period of 300 years it was the custom to raise annually for this branch of the Turkish army no less than 1000 Christian youths; and it is estimated by Von Hammer that no less than 500,000 young Christians were thus converted into Mohammedan Turkish soldiers (compare Creasy, Hist. Ottoman Turks, 1, 21 sq.). In the second half of the 17th century the old system of filling the ranks of the Janizaries exclusively with compulsory conscripts from the Christian subjects of the Turk was finally abandoned, as the many privileges which these soldiers enjoyed as body-guard of the sultan, etc., induced many young Turks to seek admission to their body. There were two classes of Janizaries, one regularly organized, dwelling in barracks in Constantinople and a few other towns, and whose number at one time amounted to no less than 60.000, afterwards, however, reduced to 25,000; and the other composed of irregular troops, called Jamaks, scattered throughout all the towns of the empire, and amounting in number to 300,000 or 400,000. At the head of the whole Janizary force was the Aga, who held his appointment for life, and whose power was almost without limit. In times of peace they acted as a police force; in war they generally formed the reserve of the Turkish army, and were noted for the wild impetuosity of their attack. But the many privileges which were bestowed on them soon began to make them very unruly; and their history abounds in conspiracies, assassinations of sultans, viziers, agas, etc., and atrocities of every kind; so that, by degrees, they became more dangerous to the country- than any foreign enemies. Attempts to, reform or dissolve them were always unsuccessful, till sultan Mahmoud II, in 1826, being opposed in some of his measures by them in Constantinople, displayed the flag of the Prophet, and succeeded in arousing on his own behalf the fanatical zeal of other portions of his troops. Their own aga deserted them, they were defeated, and their barracks burned, when 8000 of them perished in the flames. June 17,1826, a proclamation announced the Janizaries forever abolished. Everywhere in the empire they were persecuted until "upwards of 40,000 of these troops were annihilated, and an equal number driven into exile." See Frazer (the Rev. R. W.), Turkey, Ancient and Modern (London, 1854, 8vo), p. 406; Creasy, Hist. of Ottoman Turks, chiefly founded on Von Hammer (London, 1858, 2 vols. 8vo), Vol. 2; Knolles, Turkish History, 1, 132 sq.; Madden (R. R.), Turkish Empire (Lond. 1862, 8vo), ch. 13; Macfarland, Constantinople in 1828.