Who were the Janissaries? Elite Troops of the Ottoman Empire

[@466chalk]

"As their political power increased... their military prowess declined." DJ Khaled, Suffering from Success

[@ricardoguanipa8275]

They literary played themselves

[@undrgrnd734]

praetorian guard syndrome

[@ottomanpower976]

TÜRKİYE is still one of the most powerful countries in the world! nobody and I mean really NO BODY ever dares to mess with TÜRKİYE!! anyone who has messed with TÜRKİYE, ended up being losers!

[@Omegaeon1]

Each time the military takes power in a country, that country is doomed

[@huseyincelik6946]

@@ottomanpower976 When a turk dislikes your comment about Turkey you know you fuc*ed up

[@rubz1390]

Like the Praetorian guard, their influence would become a problem for the people they where supposed to serve.

[@SupremelyFly]

It seems as the Varangians were the only truly loyal bodyguards that didn't cause problems. Then again, maybe they weren't given enough time to.

[@arawn1061]

@@SupremelyFly there was a tradition amongst the varangian guard where they would plunder the imperial treasury in order to "take their promsised share of the treasure". They were Vikings after all

[@lewisw3436]

@@SupremelyFly I mean they were one of the most loyal units rome ever commanded throught their history. So long as they were paid that is. In 1453 they abandoned the city when a new emporer was crowned during the siege of constantinople because he couldn't afford to pay them

[@hannybenny7632]

The praetorian guard was not mostly abducted childrens, uprising and living without family 'til death..

[@henriquebitencourt4280]

@@hannybenny7632 like the jannisaries

[@dankeykang868]

The Janissary-Ulema Alliance was a big reason for the Ottoman downfall. The Ulema was able to dismiss reforms with the help of the Janissaries and the Ulema passed laws that made the Janissaries even more privileged

[@tasinal-hassan8268]

The biggest downfall of the Ottomans began with Sultan Suleiman's dumbass decision to have his only brave,morally upright competent son killed because he thought his son was going to overthrow him and usurp the Ottoman throne. This also caused his youngest Cehingar to die,since he looked upto Mustafa as a role model. Truly sad. Cehingar was a hunchback and didn't even claim his right to a throne. He was a bookworm who invested his time reading books and becoming a Islamic scholar and a scientist,but the depression defeated him.

[@Fakeslimshady]

the "priest-warrior" combo.

[@Fakeslimshady]

@@tasinal-hassan8268 yes, that's what Muhtesem Yuzyil told us so it must be true

[@tasinal-hassan8268]

@@Fakeslimshady I never watched Magnificent Century. My parents watch it however. The show is pure cringe.

[@thedoruk6324]

@@tasinal-hassan8268 one part is True however; ottoman padishah's succession failure and immense manipulation/drama created by harem woman

[@nikolap92]

There is a great book by Ivo Andrić called "The Bridge on the Drina". The bridge that is a center of the story through the ages was built by Mehmed Paša Sokolović, Ottoman statesman who was taken from his Serbian Orthodox Christian family, converted to Islam, raised and educated to serve as a janissary. He rose through the ranks of the Ottoman imperial system, eventually holding positions as commander of the imperial guard... He never forgot where he came from, so as a part of his legacy he built the bridge that the book is based on. It exists to this today... Ivo Andrić won the Nobel Prize in Literature for his book.

[@EpimetheusHistory]

That sounds like a very interesting book.

[@Dorya9]

Very interesting. I'll check this book out. Sometimes though the "never forgot where they were from" part seems to be a bit romanticized because they were taken when they were like 10 years old. None the less I heard of Sokolovic but I'll check this book out, I'm a fan of the stories of these Balkan Christians may it be Serbians, Greeks, Bulgarians, Albanians or whoever that were taken by the Devrshime tax. Edit: found it used for $5 on Amazon! Ordered it. Thanks!

[@nikolap92]

@@Dorya9 I hope you will enjoy reading the book... It is truly a classic of a Serbian literature... You'll probably also get a glimpse into mentality of the people living on this area. that didn't changed much to this day...

[@rexsclavorum]

Interesting fact. That year for Nobel prize nominations in literature, Tolkin, with his creation called Lord of the Rings, finished second behind Ivo Andrić.

[@StefanMilo]

I love that book!

[@turcoslav9942]

Sir,there was no Ottoman Emirate.It was Ottoman Beylik, then empire.

[@EpimetheusHistory]

Good catch, Beylik is correct as the leader was a Bey. On the maps I used as reference to make my map the territory is listed as "Ottoman Emirate" In addition to Bey might the early leaders of the Ottoman state have had the title of Emir? As later leaders had the titles of Sultan and Caliph...I was unsure on that.

[@turcoslav9942]

Yes it's reasonable since when Yavuz took the caliph title after conquering Levant plus Egypt and rulers started to call themselves Sultan instead of Bey but Turks never used Emirates in Turkey,it was all diffrent Beyliks and Ottomans was one of them.Turks who established nations in Iraq,Syria,Egypt,Yemen,Oman,Arabian peninsula had to use emir title sometimes for high arabic culture impact in their nation.

[@KadirAksu28]

@@turcoslav9942 The Turks of Anatolia started with the 'Bey'. Later on adopte the title of Sultan Padişah and Hakan. Further in to time started to use Kayser (Caesar) as well. Though Padişah was pretty much the official title.

[@unknownmf2599]

@@EpimetheusHistory We don't

[@RandomGuy-df1oy]

@@EpimetheusHistory Ottoman sultans used lots of titles. Khan, Kayser-i Rum(Caesar of Rome), Padishah, Sultan. For example, in Turkey we mostly call as Padişah, not Sultan.

[@silveryuno]

A Janissarie and a Samuria meet up at coffee house in Sarajevo. Samurai: Tried a revolt to preserve your social class? Janissarie: yeah... Samurai: I understand you.

[@kagtkalem7115]

Wonder how samurai get to Sarajevo

[@ihsanulfikri9812]

Up

[@IJ72]

@@kagtkalem7115 He was looking for dad.

[@rodelle-run4871]

Pony4Koma / Samurais were butchered by their own government because they were very traditional and were stopping Japan from advancing. Just watch the “ last samurai “ with Tom Cruise.

[@silveryuno]

@@rodelle-run4871 I know (And I have.) It was, kinda, the same thing with the Janessaries.

[@garabic8688]

You should also do a video on the Persian immortals, Varangian guard, Praetorian guard, Safavid army, medieval knights and stuff too

[@ArthaxtaDaVince777]

I'd also like to see the Scholarii, arguably the most bad ass tagmata.

[@daspiderbitc1468]

Sup Constantine

[@Shahanshah.Shahin]

Sasanian Pushtigban-Salars too.

[@HikmaHistory]

Great capture of an important topic!

[@dreas4010]

Important if you are a turk lol 😂

[@RayshiaRoman]

One of the first modern professional military and the source of marching bands.

[@RIFLQ]

Then why the Ottoman Empire losses WW1?

[@tasinal-hassan8268]

@@RIFLQ Traitors within the Empire are responsible for that. One of those traitors' great grandson is now UK's Prime Minister.

[@MerdoKhan1905]

Luke Work ww1 is centuries later? Russia, and Armenians on east.. Great Britain and her colonies Australia, New Zealand, India sent armies, France and Greek on west all attack at same times

[@RIFLQ]

I mean if the Ottomans is that modern professional of military, then why did the Ottomans asking Germany to help out with their old school military, which lead the Ottomans into WW1, which the Ottomans got no solid reason to join the war?

[@tasinal-hassan8268]

@@RIFLQ Lol what? No solid reason? The Caliph called the whole Muslim world to Jihad. Resisting colonialism was one of the many reasons they went to war. Ottomans wanted to liberate Muslim lands from the specter of colonialism.

[@SarudeDanstorm]

Liked the video solely because of that randomly abrupt ending: "So ended the Janissaries."

[@saimalishahid1406]

lol

[@JunSian1001]

It is so strange that the video ended so abruptly.. :/

[@hansihobr]

He made it simple, no fancy ending.

[@Zappuify]

Long live Mahmud The Second !

[@slowdown7x]

Good video but the Ottomans were never an emirate. There were only a few Turkic "Beyliks" who adopted that title but they quickly went down. Turks either used Beylik or Khangnate and bigger ones like the Ottomans later on added caliphate as well after starting to control most Muslim lands.

[@bilgeturkkan6095]

The ottoman sultans preferred the title of 'Khan', rather than 'sultan'

[@copperbeard7196]

khanate, yabgu-dom, like kingdom, and many other, actually

[@bedrantje]

Araturk

[@ceyhunozkan9919]

part of their training was, they were slapping marble walls which covered with olive oil.. so after years, their hands and wrists become so strong, when they see a horseman who advanced to them on the battlefield they were able to slap the horse (if they dont have weapon at the moment etc) from its neck and bring the horse down with its rider.

[@theodorospadelidis6537]

i own a greco turkish friendship discord server if you want to join send me your account

[@Markussiemens658]

And thus the ottoman slap was born

[@elmasmelih]

İt was called Ottoman Beylik rather than emirate.

[@rodelle-run4871]

Melih Elmas the name was Ottoman Caliphate and Caliphate is a Saudi system of government and in that system they have Emirates.

[@emirkeremklc]

@@rodelle-run4871 that makes no sense. they are turkish, if they were arabic, they would be named emirates. because emirate means duchy in arabic, beylik means duchy in turkish. and ottomans were not even a caliphate during their ''duchy'' (beylik) period.

[@RandomGuy-df1oy]

@@rodelle-run4871 Saudi? Saudis is an Arabic dynasty from the deserts. Ottoman Sultans used the title "Caliphate" when they conquered the Mamlukes and took the title from the last (hostage) Abbasid Caliph. You seem nothing but a salty butthurt. Bey and Emir are also different titles.

[@cossaizy6309]

@@emirkeremklc ottoman actually used a lot of titles from many cultures mainly Turkic, Arabic and Persian, the main title used by sultans for example was Padishah, a persian title, and titles usually underwent many changes, Mehmet ii even wanted to integrate Roman titles. But yes they used kinda used beylik which was interchangble with emirate or khanate, and actually the ottoman turks simply called themselves al-osman before the empire was actually established till the name eventually evolved to devlet aliye osmaniye

[@magnusthelame3608]

Okay gaylick then

[@thornndog]

Nice man I would love to see more Ottoman content!

[@pedjapantelic8090]

In Serbia back at the beginning of 19th century, there were 4 janissary commanders called Dahijas who rebelled and killed Pasha of Belgrade Pashaluk. And for some time territory of Central Serbia was basically in their control Janissary rebel territory. And Serbian revolution that eventually resulted in nominal independence of Serbia originally started as rebellion against Dahijas, because they were even more brutal than the official Ottoman rulers(they killed majority of Serb leaders in 1804 which lead to start of rebellion in that same year).

[@TUNC66]

I've never heard of this before, I got new information today, thank you.

[@eroleluciusferrum9550]

Can you make a Video about the Byzantine Cataphract?

[@ArthaxtaDaVince777]

Scholarii eh?

[@rtrdedn00b54]

Janissaries were actually no slaves when their recruitment was done. Since their education included converting to Islam, they became muslims. And it was forbidden to have another muslim as a slave hence janissaries were technically no slaves.

[@Lukas_6_ayat_12]

which is a Western story, you know what happened with historical facts?

[@brtn3231]

No they were slaves. Slaves can be Muslim too .Sultan can't kill any free Muslim by his own will.But Sultan can kill janissaries because they were his slaves. This is called a " Kulluk Hakkı". They were elites but still they were property of Sultan.

[@francofzg8259]

Great video

[@grandadmiralzaarin4962]

Sad how they went from elite cutting edge unit to a decadent, corrupt mob.

[@miracleyang3048]

Grand Moff Thats what happened when you use your elite fighters as Administrators the same happened to the praetorian guard, Samurais and Mamelukes

[@grandadmiralzaarin4962]

@@miracleyang3048 it happens faster when you allow their descendants to inherit their position rather than by merit and selection.

[@temptemp4174]

Cevat Paşa reform Ottoman Empire, Pakistan stand with you until the day of judgement

[@allengordon6929]

@Association of Free People Pretty much.

[@haitamc5611]

Same happened to the Moroccan black guard who were also a slave army of moulay ismael.

[@MasterOfCydonia]

Epimetheus, will you be doing a video on the Hashashin?

[@Storming360]

That would be awf...(feels a dagger on his back)... very cool

[@dreas4010]

Ancient Kurdish state 😊🇹🇯

[@OwnTrick]

@@dreas4010 it wasn't ancient, a state nor kurdish as well. More like a group recruiting members by false promise of paradise to limit foreign influences over the iranian mainland, many attempts of assasination was made to caliphs and seljuks by them.

[@bobsvagene3021]

@@dreas4010 they were Persian not kurds lol

[@solitudeguard1932]

You must've played Assassin's Creen Revelations.

[@benavraham4397]

That was an amazing story. Keep them coming! Your little charactor looked very real.

[@dzpower189]

thank you for this great work

[@gabe6158]

I would like to learn more about the training that these men and their peers from other nations would go through mentioned in 3:27, particularly strength training, and what their methods of getting strong were

[@cunningham.s_law]

taijutsu training

[@gabe6158]

honeyspoon ok boomer

[@lastword8783]

Look up ottoman slap lol. It was one of their unarmed techniques on a battlefield.

[@gabe6158]

Last Word I know what that is but I’m more interested in how these elite warriors gained muscle, because weightlifting was very basic until the 1870’s, and wasn’t mainstream for another 100 years, and there is a higher gap between Greeks throwing rocks and cowboys lifting weights that isn’t really explained

[@anlyuksel2194]

Gabe6158 _ traditional Turkish strengh training consist of lifting heavy maces named “gürz” and wrestling. Those who did the former were called “gürbaz”, whereas the wrestlers were called “pehlivan”. Mace training was for the arms. Lifting cannon balls was also a popular exercise among Janniseries. Apart from obvious weapon trainin, some kind of kettlebell called “girya” was also used in trainings. Sultan Murad the VI, who was known for his physical strength, had a famous 100kg kettlebell for example.

[@KillerBPlaying]

Thank you for the informations !

[@ibnmohammed6328]

So they ended like samurai.

[@arfn1973]

@Soundwave 47 Good ridance, they always stopping reformation. I am not as extreme like the young group, a reformation is necessary to protect Ottoman from downfall which happen too long because this "Soldier" stopping reformation. The day the entire group destroyed is literally called "Lucky Day" if i remember.

[@onurdemir3261]

@Real history is unpleasant! According to Bozkurt (1992), the name "Türk" first appears as "t'ou-kiue" in Chinese sources in the 6th Century. This transliteration must have originated from "türküt" in Turkish, which meant "powerful", but later on gained other meanings such as "maturity", "youth", "brave", "hard" in Diwan poetry. Another hypothesis is that the word goes back to "türük", a derivative of "türe", which meant something like law, cultural norm and tradition (Modern Turkish "töre"). So, "türük" was probably used to denominate people who abide by customs and traditions. Indeed, the word "tüzük" still exists in Modern Turkish and means "law" or "regulation". The /r/-/z/ sound change, which is also attested in other forms, is probably the reason how "türük" became "tüzük". As such, this latter explanation sounds more plausible. Naturally, the word must have gained other meanings throughout history such as "powerful", "brave", "youthful" in Diwan poetry, as mentioned above. Sources: Fuat Bozkurt (1992). Türklerin Dili. 5. Baskı. Kapı Yayınları.

[@onurdemir3261]

@Real history is unpleasant! dude uygurs are turks and they form a nation at 745 if you do some research you will see stop being a ignorant person

[@allengordon6929]

They were kind of the equivalents of samurai and knights, especially in training, internal culture, and discipline. They have been compared to religious orders like the knight's templar.

[@Artur_M.]

The Janissaries are certainly a fascinating topic, which you presented splendidly. The best detail is obviously the change of facial expression of the weight-lifting Janissary cadet at 3:33. :) I might add that the young King Władysław III who literary lost his head at Warna in 1444 was also (and first) King of Poland. Afterward, there were many rumors claiming that actually, somebody else's head was brought to Sultan and Władysław somehow survived the battle. He was supposedly seen in various places (particularly in Portugal), allegedly living in a self-appointed exile out of shame of defeat, and leading to it breaking of a truce. BTW His untimely death (or disappearing, if we believe the legend) led to his younger brother Casimir becoming the King of Poland, renewing the union with Grand Duchy of Lithuania, without which probably the Commonwealth wouldn't be eventually created.

[@EpimetheusHistory]

"He was supposedly seen in various places" that is very interesting...and in a time before mass-media and photographs it was always word of mouth and what you were told happened that people had to rely on. Makes me think of the false Dimitris thing in Russia, and man in the iron mask. Much harder to verify who someone was back then. even a "legitimate ruler" could be denied if the ruling class agreed to do so potentially.

[@Artur_M.]

@@EpimetheusHistory Yeah, it was part of the reasons why that interregnum in Poland was unusually long, lasting three years. Very similar stories were told much earlier about King Olaf Tryggvason of Norway, who was rumored to survive falling into the sea during the lost battle of Svolder in 999 or 1000, becoming a pilgrim.

[@historyrhymes1701]

Wladislav is still remembered and honoured as a national hero here in Bulgraria. Our last ruler who claimed the title "Tsar" -Frujin , fought alongside him and was one of the few noblemen who survived the massacre. The westerners who prided themselves to be the greatest warriors of christ scratched their balls and engaged in petty wars among themselves while the christian balkans were being slawoled by the ottomans. The only people who seemed to care - the poles . We remember !

[@bigboyrambo2009]

@@historyrhymes1701 do you remember when Poland never existed and the only state that recognize Poland was the Ottomans and allowed Polish people to live in Constantinople.

[@RuneOverW]

Oooooh yes, I’ve been waiting for this one

[@sagagis]

You could've mentioned that Janissaries had already been doing coupe d'etats in 1600s-1700s and replacing many Sultans

[@thedoruk6324]

+Mirochi true

[@sagagis]

@@thedoruk6324 he could've also mentioned the first attempt to disband Janissaries by Osman II. Then he was killed by them

[@thedoruk6324]

@@sagagis precisely

[@Ugurcan191]

They even behaded 1 sultan LOL.

[@thedoruk6324]

@@Ugurcan191 Indeed, similiar to how revolutionories Guillotione'd the Royal Family of France

[@TheBullethead]

I have read that the Janissaries played a key role in Ottoman succession. Basically, the Sultan let his many sons murder each other until only 2 were left, then posted those two to command opposite ends of the empire. When the Sultan died, these 2 were expected to fight a civil war, the winner becoming the next Sultan, on the theory that Allah must obviously favor him as he's the sole survivor. But the Janissaries, being the only troops allowed in the capitol city, were the trump card., as they could capture the government for one prince or the other. So the Janissaries put their loyalty up for auction, forcing the princes to continually out-bid each other with offers of bribes and privileges until the Sultan died. Whoever won the auction then was assured of being Sultan and the loser would get murdered. And each generation, the auction got more expensive because the Janissaries already had whatever the previous Sultan had given them. So after a while, the Janissaries had become pretty much exempt from going on campaign (so they could keep their grip on the capitol), had a huge bankroll, and could always extort the Sultan for more stuff. IOW, politically powerful but militarily useless, and a huge expense to maintain. This is why they had to be destroyed eventually.

[@podcastler]

yeniçeri/janissary means new soldier yeni(new) çeri(soldier)

[@konradvonschnitzeldorf6506]

Thanks

[@_semih_]

@@mehdiaghaei1792 no

[@podcastler]

@@mehdiaghaei1792 is not

[@bilgeturkkan6095]

@@mehdiaghaei1792 No, that's not true. Sipahi is indeed a Persian word, but Yeniçeri is not. İt means new (= yeni) soldier (=çeri) in Turkic. The Europeans pronounced the yeniçeri as the janisary

[@hussamabdallah4776]

I know it's mean new solider We learnt that in third class of secondary school in Sudan 🇸🇩 and their leader called agha is that true? I thought English pronunciation is worst but I think it's better than arabic one Inkishari انكشارية

[@R3GARnator]

Nepotism is what did in the Jannisaries. If they'd never allowed fathers to recruit their sons, they could still be around today. Now that would be strange.

[@turkaytoklu2237]

this video is good but not long enough for janissary history, there were janissary rebellions in ottoman history, even janissaries murdered sultan osman II, and they took several sultans from the throne

[@turkaytoklu2237]

@ismart genius ismart genius osman 2 murdered by jannisaries because he wanted to close down the jannisary army, during the polish-ottoman war jannisaries were responsibles of failure and he wanted to build an army with turks of anatolia instead of devshirme jannisaries, and jannisaries took some other sultans from the throne, reason is money payment named culus

[@stupidcommentmaker]

So basically the Praetorian Guard

[@theodorospadelidis6537]

@@turkaytoklu2237 i own a greco turkish friendship discord server if you want to join send me your account

[@ewc58]

You do more justice to a subject in < 7 minutes than most do in an hour 👑

[@tessjuel]

On a tangent but a cool one I think. The Norwegian word for a military style marching band is janistjarkorps, and yes, it is indeed named after the janissaries. I think it's the smae in several other European languages too but I can't remember which off the top of my head.

[@PennyDreadful1]

3:03 I like how the illustrations go from really detailed and solemn to whatever that is...

[@owenb8636]

So basically all the things that made the Janissaries ideal as bodyguards in the beginning were slowly taken away

[@iraqimapper8625]

Turkish history is interesting

[@dreas4010]

Lol what history? Most is stolen Kurdish history 😂

[@thedoruk6324]

@@papazataklaattiranimam He spamms almost every video, He got his ass handed over to him at his 'comments' about Iraq

[@midsummernightswork]

Son of Mountain kurdish history? First time i hear of this joke. Can you show me where your country is on the world ma- oh yeah , doesn't exist

[@simurgsimurg3316]

@yaşa a butthurt greek.

[@simurgsimurg3316]

Xaris hi alban.

[@TheMugenVideos]

Why do you abrupt end the video in that kinda way? Anyway great video! Can you do more about ottoman history?

[@micahistory]

Explaining how being a janissary could get your rich was very interesting.I never saw it from that perspective

[@micahistory]

@George Pavlov they were paid well

[@minatodroger7890]

The janissaries badass but damn did they mess up in the 19 th and 18th century

[@Euzuner41]

Not 20th century Janissary forces were removed in 1826.

[@minatodroger7890]

@@Euzuner41 sorry meant 18 and 19th lol

[@tasinal-hassan8268]

The Tanzimat reforms were really disliked.

[@Euzuner41]

@@minatodroger7890 nema problema

[@yurichtube1162]

@Soundwave 47 the ottomans shouldn't have recruited christians as jannisiars. You can't trust anyone except your own. Even if they converted, that wouldnt erase the hate they would feel for the ottomans.

[@abhyudayasinhchauhan6499]

Amazimgly informative video 🔥🔥

[@precursors]

Ottoman army consisted of 70-80% cavalry (heavy Sipahi, light Akinji, heavy and light horse archers), only 15-20% of the army was Janissary. What is this western fascination and the need to romanticize janissaries? Roman Empire did the exact same thing, took boys from Gaulic and Germanic tribes and trained them as Roman soldiers. I don't see anyone calling Roman Legionnaires a "Slave Army". Grow up!

[@euronbuci3664]

Where's the problem, ottomans were shet they had to take balkanic soldiers

[@precursors]

​@@euronbuci3664 If Ottomans were "shet", how did they conquer entire Balkans? They recruited Janissaries from Balkan kids AFTER conquering the Balkans. 😂

[@razinghavoc7419]

​@@precursorsI mean why take them If you didn't need them huh? Salty that your own soldiers weren't good enough.

[@UmitSeyhan75]

@@razinghavoc7419 As a tax, of course. At those times, subjugated and conquered settlements were supposed to provide troops in addition to money. This is the same for all the states/empires, and nothing specific to the Ottomans. By default, most of those levy men power were meat shield to be used in battles and die for the empire's actual free/noble warriors. Only very few empires put the effort to educate/train and provide armor/weapon to those men to make them actual full-fledged warriors. Ottomans were one of them.

[@glimmerxp]

@@UmitSeyhan75so the initial use of them was just another batch of troops to use ?

[@AGS363]

Fun Fact: They used spoons and pots as insignia.

[@Zappuify]

After the revolution in the Galata Oğlanları Ocağı, in the begining of 18th century, The Turks started to be accepted to Jannissary troops. This was the point in which the population of jannissaries started to grow perpetually. Glad to Mahmud The Second for kicking the ass of these troops. They were helpful in the begining but they caused more harm to empire rather than the other states afterwards.

[@micahistory]

Ironic how they were supposed to protect the sultan but later on ended up killing them

[@brokenbridge6316]

I have often found the Janissary to be a fascinating warrior to know more about. Now I do know more. Thanks for that.

[@kedici2583]

Every year about 3000 Christian children were taken from their families by the empire. Those children were schooled, educated to be the prime ministers, ministers and commanders. When the most clever ones got the managerial positions the rest were sent to the janissary army. Many historians critisized this saying that for centuries Christian converts ruled the Turks. In the Ottoman Empire there was no aristocratic class. This system was done to prevent nopotism. All of the government officers were from those children. Janissary army was the special force of the sultan. They were salary paid professional soldiers. They were not the soldiers to be perished on the front lines.

[@tanz4286]

Please do about the spies agency in the Ming! (Jinyiwei(also act as body guard), eastern depot, western depot, etc.)

[@allengordon6929]

Jinyiwei were often taken from their parents and conscripted at a young age just like the janissaries. They were created for much the same reason (avoid giving too much power to the nobility over the emperor).

[@paolostival6972]

Nothing about the bektashiya?

[@lilsultan9206]

Greatly appreciate your work on this Video. Very well explained altough it's pretty short. Greetings 🇹🇷

[@lilsultan9206]

@@papazataklaattiranimam Selam

[@geesixnine]

If the Janissaries just accepted gunpowdered weapons, they wouldve been a force to reckon with.

[@rakunsavar9956]

They actually did. Janissaries were one of the first elit units in the world to professionaly use muskeets.

[@satriorama4118]

They did. Yeniceri was the first one to use muskets and hand bombs to battles. They're the one that charge onto wall opening firsthand before others.

[@geesixnine]

@Fatir Rifai damn they really were corrypted by power

[@Rogerrramjet1]

Yes they were against using the fire arm

[@AdamNoizer]

Wayne Gee Janissaries mostly used gunpowder weapons by late 16th and 17th centuries

[@vegapunk100]

Was this unique to the ottomans? A human tax to make an elite bodyguard, then army?

[@vegapunk100]

@Soundwave 47 where they taken from within the kingdom or from conquered lands?

[@tasinal-hassan8268]

@E. R. Conscription is universal.

[@vegapunk100]

@Soundwave 47 of course, still didn't really answered my question black n white but I got an idea thx

[@tasinal-hassan8268]

@E. R. ????

[@drederaghtretre9756]

@E. R. You really are biased; aren't you? If the Ottoman empire's devhsirme' was anything 'close' to ethnic cleansing; you would have a -USA & North America- a %96.9 Turkic Balkan, a %89.9 Turkic Caucasia; but even the decandent and fall of empire; the balkans and caucasia were still diverse

[@mjdhpd]

Cool video!! I love them as a military unit! Just awesome!! Great job

[@kerimaras3229]

nobody could explain it better thanks for the facts

[@lordnicholasbuzanthefearle2155]

Fun fact. Bosnian muslims, Bosniaks were the only muslim population in the Empire who gave their sons willingly to the devshirme, and that is in the 15 century, way before the introduction of other muslims into the janissary core.

[@barisozkaya2710]

But many christian families gave their sons voluntarily

[@tasinal-hassan8268]

Many Christians gave away their sons,and some even bribed Ottoman officials to take away their sons. Life under Muslim lands was simply wayyyyy better.

[@shorewall]

@@tasinal-hassan8268 You mean that life for Christians under Muslims was wayyyyy worse. That is the MO of Islam. Treat the non-muslim like shit. Force them to pay the Jiyza. Have a separate court and laws for non-muslims. And then act like the Muslims had some inherently better way of life. It's interesting that the best Ottoman warriors weren't turks at all.

[@barisozkaya2710]

@@shorewall you are brainwashed.

[@barisozkaya2710]

@@takod323 Dallama dallama eko yapma lan DalEko. you even dont know what you are shitting.

[@PUNISHERMANIA]

After their downfall and the destruction of their barracks with cannon fire in 1826, many of them died, but some of them escaped and returned their homeland. It was a huge manhunt by the way, led by Sultan and the new army and the public. Some stayed. Those who survived the great purge eventually became gangsters (Kabadayı) and received extortion from the public. But not in the sense of Italian Mafia, they didnt have any organization. Mafia has no rules, they do only one thing making profit. A Kabadayı has some certain rules (Racon), a Kabadayı works alone, demonstrates brute force, bravery, cuts the Racon (establishing a certain rule for doing a job), gains fame and that's so. Everyone fears him in a particular territory, pays homage and sees him as the unofficial authority in his own territory. They were notorius for their Stilletto duels. Their culture endured so many years, even in modern times.

[@finalprophet813]

According to historians the janissaries were the first modern professional standing army in Europe, the Janissaries of the Ottoman Empire, formed in the fourteenth century were proper career army, paid good salaries, pensions, always given new good outfits etc It was the first professional career army in Europe since the Romans.

[@euronbuci3664]

EUROPEAN KINGDOMS DURING THIS TIME HAD ONLY PROFESSIONAL SOLDIERS PAID REGULARLY, IT LIMITED THEM TO HAVE BIGGER ARMIES

[@bretalvarez3097]

One small correction, the Ottomans didn’t enter Europe until 1353 but the 1350 map shows them having control of Gallipoli and the surrounding area.

[@quentasilmarillion552]

This is the most neutral explanation of the Janissery system. This one became short but well explained as much as it can. Most people think that Janisseries were forced to fight, work as straight slaves of these times but the truth is different. They were raised as a normal Turkish person and educated in Turkish military system. They became the most skilled warriors in almost all of the European history. They had too many rights beside the Sultan, in the army and inside the population. They were a part of the Empire as they were supposed to be. Ottoman Empire didn't suffer to people people who chose to live under their rule,just gave non-Muslim ones more tax rates as a Muslim State.

[@greekgirlsofia2937]

Their conversion to Islam was forcefull, christian parents were obliged to hand over Their boys to the sultan they werent happy believe me, also why the taxes should be heavier to non muslims? What kind of discrimination is that? So christians having a good time under their rule ha? History is written

[@diegomaine7331]

Mke a video about the excubitors, the late roman emperor guard!

[@Alejandro-te2nt]

wrestling weightlifting horsemanship and the use of all manner of weapons you say? sounds like a good time. "expected to remain celibate during the course of their training..." oh... nvm.

[@Brutian96]

Alejandro later janissaries doesnt really care about those rules

[@tasinal-hassan8268]

Semen retention helps in combat.

[@allium2718]

Without wanting to judge and trying to start a comment war: Were the drafted Janissaries allowed to keep their religion? Because in the video it just says they were taught 'islamic law', which is rather vague.

[@EpimetheusHistory]

From what I read they were accused of forced/coerced conversions(especially by western writers of the time), but they denied forcing them. My impression is that it was heavily encouraged to convert over the years with the initial family(might depend on the family)...when I was reading I saw phrases like"practically all of them converted to Islam" which infers some did not, but I could not find any examples of non-Muslim Janissaries. Which would be very interesting to read about if their were ones that stood Christian. If there were I would imagine they would not be promoted or have access to the Sultan.

[@allium2718]

@@EpimetheusHistory Interesting, thank you for the reply!

[@shorewall]

Muslims will always lie to make themselves seem better.

[@allengordon6929]

@Aleksa Petrovic Christians in the program would have likely ended up as leaders of the christian millets. Church patriarchs, Governors, etc. It's actually what happened to Vlad the Impaler (the Sultan intentionally put him on Wallachia's throne believing he was loyal. Vlad was also not forced to convert to islam)

[@MrFusionCube]

"And so ended the Janissaries" - And so too did the video

[@geoffreyM2TW]

Funnily enough some Turkic Sultans and their ministers, e.g. in the Ghaznavid Empire, were themselves once slaves or slave warriors. The Mamluks of Egypt who at some point took control of the country were also slave warriors.

[@copperbeard7196]

whats the relation though

[@copperbeard7196]

someone didint study history

[@unknownmf2599]

@@copperbeard7196 You can't make a slave out of a Turk tho. It never happend. They fought or they died.

[@copperbeard7196]

still blaburing the same shit... there were many turkic slaves thourgh out the history. mamlukes overthrowing the monarch eventually doesnt change shit. and btw, those mamlukes were captured and sold by other turkic men. why are we so proud that we are blind?

[@copperbeard7196]

everyone enslaved and enslaves. youre ignorant as fuck.

[@error5202]

0:36 ah! his eyes moved!

[@mannypardo1080]

Devşirme was such a brutal system. The damage that the Janissary system did to the various Christian populations is still talked about today.

[@thedoruk6324]

+Manny Pardo Its nothing 'new' - several empires've used similiar methods to assimilate the population. Heck; even newer empires've used similiar methods to assimilate as the 'Mandatory' 'schooling' system for Australian Aborgines and Canadian Natives would tell

[@MANTARKAFA31]

Even byzantines used muslim mercenaries tho

[@Kingtot]

Yeah, being ripped from your family either as a child or captive is certaintly the same as mandatory schooling. Yup. /facepalm

[@franciscomm7675]

@@thedoruk6324 good point

[@MANTARKAFA31]

Ottomans were much brutal though they converted them and not allowed them to marry so if it was their only son the bloodline would end but it was much profitable than being a villager

[@stone8905]

Awesome video! thanks Assassins next please

[@thedoruk6324]

1:30 - *Improved Politics Depictions* :)

[@Fakeslimshady]

"Bro"

[@LM-pd6wj]

Make a video about the tocharian people!

[@LM-pd6wj]

@@papazataklaattiranimam Not probably

[@aspermwhalespontaneouslyca8938]

@@papazataklaattiranimam basically yes

[@micahistory]

I never realised that people actually wanted to be janissaries

[@zahranmohammad3880]

Yea, with the bribing and all

[@piotrsadkowski8016]

good one. really appreciate the content

[@HoundofOdin]

Another video on the Ottomans? Is it my birthday?

[@heroduelist9242]

Janissaries:we are the best soldiers to protect the strongest empire Winged hussars:hold my beer you mongol

[@generalmichaelconstantine4598]

You should make a video about the Klephts / Enzones.

[@benthomason3307]

The Janissaries: the perfect hybrid of technological superiority and goofy hats.

[@berk1154]

It Should be Ottoman Beylik not emirate. Emirate is for arabians

[@fatihsaidduran]

I'll remind you Timur was an Emir.

[@AlexGarcia-fk7cf]

@@fatihsaidduran Timur emir lakapını kullanıyordu. Fakat Osmanlı beylikdi. Sonradan imparatorluk oldu.

[@ChromeMan04]

Arabs don’t only have emirates

[@Soykancelik7]

@@fatihsaidduran Timur just made up this title for himself, because he was not a descendant of Ghengis Khan so he was not able to claim the Khan title. Almost all of Khans in any Turkic state argued that they are descendants of The Great Khan, except the Ottomans.

[@utkugulgec5508]

Also when a new Sultan comes to the throne, it was a tradition to give Janisseries "culus", some kind of bonus payment. Janisseries started to abuse this as they become corrupted, they tried to depose Sultans in order to get some sweet culus

[@menaseven9093]

The Janissary elite troops remind me of the Mamluk slave army of the Fatimid sultans of Egypt, the Praetorian guard of the Roman emperors, and the Varangian guard of the Eastern Roman emperors. A slave army is a misnomer because a slave with weapons will not remained a slave for long time. The Mamluk slave army of Egypt deposed the Fatimid sultan and become the ruler of Egypt. In the Ottoman empire the Janissary slave army became the power behind the throne.

[@TheGreyPeregrine]

You should have mentioned that jannisaries were practicing a very different type of Islam called Bektashism, a Sufi doctrine that incorporated many elements from Christianity, Zoroastrianism and even Buddhism.

[@youraverageimperialguard7932]

That's completely false. Also Sufi Islam is not influenced by Christianity, Buddhism or any other religion. It's the most devout/extreme sect of Islam, it doesn't accept outside influences. Sufi Islam is solely focused on complete and total submission to Islam regardless of your life or environment. Stop lying.

[@TheGreyPeregrine]

@@youraverageimperialguard7932 As a matter of fact you are the one who has no idea what he's talking about. You confuse Sufism with Sunni Islam.

[@brinjoness3386]

@@youraverageimperialguard7932 you don't think it would have been in the sultans interest to give a watered down version of his religious beliefs? He probably told them their were 140 virgins in the sky waiting for them, he certainly had no problem with them sleeping together.

[@youraverageimperialguard7932]

@@TheGreyPeregrine Sufism is apart of both Sunni and Shia Islam, you complete moron.

[@youraverageimperialguard7932]

@@brinjoness3386 No, it would not. Sufism is not "watered down" either. It's the most strict/extreme sect of Islam. Lots of famous jihadists in history have been Sufis. Like I said Sufism is the most extreme puritan form of Islam. Hence why most Sufis don't even eat watermelon or other foods because Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) didn't. To suggest such a thing is EXTREMELY Stupid and highlights a intense ignorance of what Sufism is. Sufism is widely accepted and highly regarded by the vast majority of Muslims everywhere in the Muslim world for their devotion to Islam and the last Prophet.

[@okok-ky4in]

one of the factors that took the remnants of the roman empire down

[@fraid5508]

What do you mean by were removed?

[@EpimetheusHistory]

I believe they were sent to do menial jobs with the regular army or serve in it part/time full time (baggage train type jobs). From what I read I have the impression it was on a case by case basis; but I am not 100% on that.

[@Realite58]

The special forces of the Ottomans are ‘Akincilar’ the traditional nomadic Turks. There is no emirates in Turkic history, it is Beyliks and the rulers are not Emir but ‘Bey’.

[@torikeqi8710]

Also the Akniclar war used very rarley and had no mportance. By 1480 they were not used anymore. Sipahis were more important.

[@Leo_1975]

Good stuff!!!

[@ricardoguanipa8275]

The transformation from a European Christian to a Turk at 3:12 is hilarious

[@sephikong8323]

This is what wearing a fez does to your mood This post was made by anti fez gang

[@kamilkaze-ku7ys]

Lolll

[@americohagim1131]

What’s the different between the Janissary tunic colors?

[@americohagim1131]

@İstila-i Tatar, thank you

[@Rogerrramjet1]

Just to show my appreciation for making a video on Ottomans janissaries, I will tell you the Turkish version of the Janissaries history. Mehmet gave a creative twist to slavery. He turned them into the guardians of the empire. He created the " Janissaries " a word that comes from the Turkish yeni ceri, or simply, new troops. The process of recruitment was called devshirme, or gathering and this was literally true. A firman(order) would be issued, and officials go to Christian territories like Bosnia to gather Slav boys between the ages of eight to sixteen(no Turks could be so gathered). They were taken to Constantinople, circumcised and converted. Pedigree then came into play. The best would go to a palace school or a pasa household and then down the line till some reached farms. Chosen few were trained to become the janissaries. This elite palace guard also became a spearhead of the empire: it protected the Seven Towers, Patrolled the walls and enforced law and order in the city. Deprived on family, these young men diverted their loyalty to the state even more than to the Sultan. In return, the state gave them power and comfort(the head of each unit of the guard wore a soup ladle in his belt). Their barracks were between the Suleyman mosque and the Golden Horn., while their Aga lived in a splendid palace. On Tuesday, once every three months came payday, the Sultan, as a Janissari of the sixty-first unit himself, also received his small leather bag. He had a good sense to return it, with a hefty tip, to the commander. Whenever the Sultan visited the barracks he would drink sherbet and fill the emptied glass with gold coins before returning it. During Ramadan, Baklava would come from Harem.

[@freetube5304]

Can you do a video on the history of the *Mamluks*

[@zahranmohammad3880]

Memeluk

[@janne4518]

I just love how that Balkan boy turns into Aladdin

[@user-sb3yq5hi5p]

Alaaddin is arabic Ottoman is TÜRK

[@janne4518]

@@user-sb3yq5hi5p a joke. he looks like the character.

[@miltonalencar94]

@@user-sb3yq5hi5p Ottoman is Muslim Greek

[@user-sb3yq5hi5p]

@@miltonalencar94 Greeks are muz of Albanian ,Slav Macedonian ,Bulgar Pomak and Turks

[@miltonalencar94]

@@user-sb3yq5hi5p All the ones you mentioned are remixed remixed, Greeks are Pellasgians, Minoans and Mycennaens.

[@90blin19]

3:13 kinda funny how they added the mustache in

[@Emrek157]

I've never seen a foreign video about our history that objective. Great video. Foreigners think that we stole Christian kids, Turks think that it was a luck for them. Probably both of them are right at some parts and you included both opinions about the situation in the video. It's not something happens a lot tho. Foreign pov when it comes to Turkish history is unrealistic and biased. Greetings from Istanbul (:

[@allengordon6929]

@Real history is unpleasant! Watch the outlaw king. That 14-year old was damn lucky.

[@euronbuci3664]

They were captured or by force or for money. BALKAN EUROPEAN SOLDIERS WERE THE BESTS THAT'S WHY

[@Emrek157]

@@euronbuci3664 If they were the best why did they lose to Ottomans in the first place? If they were the best why were they raised as a Turk?

[@markokralj3398]

That map at 5:29 is a bit wrong Serbian Despotate fell only in 1459 and southern Hungary wasn't controlled by Turks.

[@AegeanGreywolf]

Ottomans wasn't a "emirate". Ruler's title was Bey in early era,not "emir"

[@PcCAvioN]

I wonder what a centuries old weightlifting program would look like

[@redbaron4436]

When I saw that he wrote the Ottoman emirate, I closed it

[@cutthroatsociety7520]

What do you mean by that

[@Cyprian96]

I would really love for you to start adding your sources. I really would like to dig deeper, very interesting topic

[@EpimetheusHistory]

Main two sources for this video The Janissaries by David Nicolle and another book of the same name The Janissaries by Godfrey Goodwin. I list sources on some video but often forget to.

[@EpimetheusHistory]

Added to description :)

[@Cyprian96]

@@EpimetheusHistory thanks so much!

[@chrisgaming3373]

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

[@wasi6798]

Janissaries are more like the Storm Troopers from the Sequel movies, rather than the Clone Troopers from the originals and the prequels.

[@allengordon6929]

@@wasi6798 The first order stormtroopers are an exceptionally dark take on the idea of the derivişhme

[@zahranmohammad3880]

@@wasi6798 execpt stormtroopers werent elite bodyguatds

[@seribelz]

it's like you read my mind Yay Janissaries! Evet

[@BOB-yt2to]

Epimitheus, you do a lot of middle eastern history. Why do don’t you make more videos about this empire. Like this is the first video you make on this empire. I hope you do it-😀

[@rogerwilson9892]

The Janissary became king makers as in the past when they became trouble were broken up by someone seen it was time to disband them.

[@Original_Dalvik]

Kinda got inspiration for the idea of foreign bodyguards from the Byzantine Varangian Guard in a way.

[@Original_Dalvik]

Soundwave 47 The Byzantines were the Romans.

[@hazzmati]

Soundwave 47 yeah but praetorians were native bodyguards and eventually disbanded because they were so problematic

[@shorewall]

Yeah, but Varangians were voluntary, Jannissaries were child slaves.

[@kralyoh]

@@Original_Dalvik Ottomans were Byzantines

[@Original_Dalvik]

Shorewall yeah I know that’s why in my comment I put I “in a way” since they’re familiar with being foreign.