Janissaries were formed using the the Ottoman system of Devshirme. I'm sure you are familiar with that.
It was the Ottoman practice of taking Christian boys from their families as a "tax" and raising them as Muslims in order to be raised to man the Janissary army - and other things. If the family objected to losing their sons, they'd be killed. This was a common practice in Greece when the Ottomans enslaved them for 400 years. It would even happen if the local Pasha couldn't/didn't have a son. Some of these boys grew to men and survived. It is said that Erdogan himself is a descendant of one of these Greek Christian boys taken in the name of Devshirme in the early 1800's.
I don't think the Alawites are willing to give their sons for Devshirme.
Sorry but so much wrong info.
The devshirme system is often discussed in a very one-dimensional way, but the reality is far more nuanced. First and foremost, the Janissaries did not take children from Alawite families, as the Janissary corps was closely associated with the Bektashi order, which shares deep ties with Alevi traditions. In fact, the Janissary banners often displayed symbols like the Zülfikar sword, a significant emblem in Alevi-Bektashi culture.
en.wikipedia.org
Regarding the claim about President Erdogan's ancestry, historical records and genealogical research indicate that his roots trace back to a
Georgian family from the Black Sea region, not to Greeks. This kind of speculation about lineage is not only unfounded but detracts from constructive historical discussion.
Moreover, the majority of Janissaries were recruited from regions such as Bulgaria, Serbia, and Bosnia, rather than Greece. It's also worth noting that regions like the Morea in Greece were conquered by the Ottomans relatively late compared to their earlier expansions.
The size of the Janissary corps was relatively small throughout Ottoman history, especially considering the empire's vast population and the social dynamics of the time.
- Founding Period (14th - 15th centuries): In its early stages, the corps consisted of only a few thousand soldiers.
- Classical Period (16th - 17th centuries): Even at its peak, the Janissary corps numbered between 12,000 and 15,000, which was a modest figure compared to the empire's population.
- Late 17th and 18th centuries: The corps expanded to 30,000 to 40,000, but this growth caused a decline in discipline and operational efficiency.
- 19th century (Abolishment): By 1826, during the "Auspicious Incident," the corps numbered around 135,000, but many of these individuals were no longer active soldiers and had transitioned to civilian roles.
By the 17th century, the original practice of recruiting Christian boys through the devshirme system had largely faded. Instead, many Janissaries were voluntarily joining from Muslim communities, with Albanians, Turks, and others making up a significant portion of the corps. This shift reflected the appeal of Janissary service, as it offered unparalleled opportunities for social mobility. Families often viewed it as a great privilege for their sons to join what was effectively an elite unit, comparable to a modern special forces group like the Delta Force. Janissaries enjoyed the potential for a prosperous future, with many rising to become governors, judges, or high-ranking officials within the Ottoman administration.
Despite their relatively small size, the Janissaries played a crucial role in maintaining the empire’s stability and governance.
To evaluate devshirme within its historical context, it’s important to consider that life in the late medieval and early modern periods was harsh for the majority of people across Europe, where poverty, disease, and limited lifespans were common. In contrast, Janissaries were provided with extensive training, high social status, and opportunities to rise to prominent positions, including becoming pashas, governors, judges, and diplomats. This system, while controversial by modern standards, enabled the Ottomans to create an administrative and military elite that contributed to stability, justice, and prosperity in the regions they governed.
It’s also worth addressing the broader context of Ottoman governance. The empire often elevated devshirme recruits to positions of power precisely because local Turkic tribes frequently rebelled. These individuals, drawn from diverse backgrounds, were integrated into the system and played critical roles in maintaining order, delivering justice, and fostering coexistence in a multi-ethnic empire.
By the 19th century, with the rise of nationalist movements, Turks began to grow disillusioned with the devshirme system, and new political organizations, like the Young Turks, emerged. The Ottoman Empire, which had been a Balkan empire, was remarkably tolerant of its diverse peoples. The empire didn’t interfere with the religion, ethnicity, or language of its subjects. Greeks, Jews, and Armenians were among the richest minorities in the empire, as they were exempt from military service and only paid the
cizye tax. This system allowed these communities to prosper while the majority Muslim population did the military service.
Until the First World War and the Balkan Wars, these minority communities lived peacefully and cooperatively for over
600 years within the empire, contributing to its economic and social development.
Despite the relatively small size of the Janissary corps, it played a key role in maintaining the stability of the empire and ensuring good governance, while the Ottoman tolerance for diversity allowed different communities to thrive side by side.
When it comes to DNA, there is a vast difference between Turks and Turkic people. The so-called Turkish nation today is actually a mixture of Persians, Greeks, Georgians, Armenians, Arabs, Albanians, and many other peoples. Atatürk actually recreated this kind of people as a nation-state within a secular order.
By viewing history in its full complexity, we can better understand how societies functioned, rather than imposing modern biases on past practices.
