Janissary

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/janissary

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the founding period?Established in the 14th century, likely under Orhan or Murad I
2. What is the primary recruitment method?The devşirme system, levying Christian boys from the Balkans
3. What were Janissaries?Janissaries were the elite soldiers of the old Ottoman Empire. They were chosen from young boys, trained hard, and served the Sultan with great loyalty.
4. How were Janissaries recruited?The Ottoman Empire used a system called devşirme. Christian boys from the Balkans were taken, converted to Islam, trained as soldiers, and paid a salary.

Devşirme System: A levy of Christian boys for conversion to Islam and military/administrative service in the Ottoman Empire.
Standing Army: A permanent, professional military force maintained by a state, distinct from temporary militias.
Civilianization: The process by which a military corps gradually incorporates non-military members or adopts civilian characteristics and interests.
Auspicious Incident: The violent suppression and abolition of the Janissary corps by Sultan Mahmud II in 1826.