The Janissary Agha and the Power of the Janissary Treasury
The Commander of the Janissaries The commander of the Janissary Corps was known as the Janissary Agha (Yeniçeri Ağası). This […]
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Military Forces in the Ottoman Provinces of Karamania and Diyarbakır
The Province of Karamania Karamania was one of the important provinces of the Ottoman Empire in central Anatolia. Like other
The Leader of the Pilgrimage and the Gifts Sent to Mecca
Organizing the Pilgrimage The writer explains that the annual pilgrimage to Mecca involved many thousands of people. Because such a
The Order of Herewi (Hizrevi)
The Time of Sultan Orhan During the reign of Orhan, the second king of the Turks, who ruled for thirty-five
The Belief in Camel Souls
In Gran Cairo (Cairo), there were many followers of a peculiar belief in the transmigration of souls, similar to the
Condemnation of Persian Heresy
If a Christian is condemned for claiming the Trinity in God, why should the Persian expect better treatment? Persians are
The Role of the Sword in Promoting Mahometan Faith
The Mahometan faith was often promoted entirely through warfare. Soldiers were taught in their catechism that those who died fighting
The Ottoman View of the Holy Roman Emperor
The Turks understood that the Holy Roman Emperor alone was not very strong. His own forces, by themselves, were considered
The Problem of a Small Nation Ruling a Large Empire
It is difficult to understand how a small group of people, even if they are brave and wise, can control
Different Policies for Old and New Lands
It is important to explain another point of Ottoman policy. While the Turks believed it was useful to keep some