from the 14th centuryReputable sourceWell documented
The Janissaries and the Devshirme
On the timeline · around from the 14th century ·
What happened
The Ottomans built an elite standing army, the Janissaries, through the devshirme — a levy of Christian boys from the Balkans who were converted to Islam and trained as fiercely loyal soldiers of the sultan.
Why it matters
The Janissaries were among the first modern standing armies in Europe and the disciplined core of Ottoman power for centuries.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. The Ottoman Empire · Reputable source