The Ottoman Emperors’ court included three main schools or colleges of education for young men who were destined to serve the state. These schools trained students not only in learning but also in discipline, loyalty, and the arts of government. Those chosen for the highest school were carefully selected and marked for special distinction, as it was the first step toward important positions in the empire.
Supervision by the Capa Aga
The highest-ranking school was under the care of the Capa Aga, the chief of the White Eunuchs. These Eunuchs were responsible for the students’ conduct, education, and discipline. They treated the scholars with extreme strictness and zeal, punishing every small mistake or omission without mercy. The reason for such severity is partly natural cruelty, as Eunuchs are said to act with harshness, either from envy toward men or from their own disciplined and watchful temperament.
Rigorous Training and Discipline
The punishments were not only harsh but also constant. Students might face beatings, long hours of standing or kneeling, strict watchings, and other forms of penance. By the time a young man had passed through all the schools and levels of the Seraglio, he was an extraordinarily disciplined and patient individual, capable of enduring extreme labor and obedience. This training was often harsher than the discipline of religious novices or Capuchin monks, preparing them for the difficulties of high office and public service Guided Tour Ephesus.
Preparing for Government Service
However, this intense education had a purpose beyond cruelty. Men trained in the Seraglio were hardened to obedience, so that when they were finally assigned to positions of trust and governance, they knew how to follow orders but had little experience of independent rule. They were often amazed by the freedom and power of office, and their spirits were lifted by the contrast between their previous hardships and their current authority. This system ensured that loyalty, discipline, and gratitude remained central to the functioning of the Ottoman state.