The Rise and Fall of the Janissaries of the Ottoman Empire
Timothy Sexton
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The Janissaries were a critical constituent in the development of supremacy of the Ottoman Empire. What started as a tentatively structured team of soldiers accumulated through forced recruitment fr 
om the class of prisoners taken into custody after battle progressively developed into a privileged and influential warrior force that also provided a quite effective way to convert young Christian men to Islam and instruct them in the Turkish martial arts. Stringently imposed moral codes united with potent martial training to transform the Janissaries into much more than merely an impressive force of military strength, but eventually a political entity of such unchecked power that they unwittingly contributed to the very downfall of the empire itself.
The training of Janissaries was exceedingly regimented, obeying Islamic laws supporting celibacy and rejecting facial hair. The Janissaries were an indispensable factor in the military expansion of the Ottoman Empire during the course of all its most important wars, ranging from the 1453 capture of Constantinople to the battles against the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. As the Janissaries began to emphasize their domination on the battlefield, their reputation started to grow, and with it came a big ol' burst of prestige that caused the ranks to swell. This proved acceptable as a means of recruiting new members, but any time one faction begins to grow in power there is always an in increase in tension. It slowly dawned on the Janissaries that their prestige could serve to increase the quality of life. The next couple of centuries witnessed the growth of the power of the Ottomans, but that growth was punctuated by a succession of uprisings that resulted in more power finding its way into the Janissaries' hands. The inaugural Janissary revolt did not occur until 1449 and it resulted in an increase in their wages, but the true value achieved by this uprising was the priceless dividend of precedent. That first Janissary uprising served as a model that set the stage for many later successful revolts, each of which brought them more power.
The training of Janissaries was exceedingly regimented, obeying Islamic laws supporting celibacy and rejecting facial hair. The Janissaries were an indispensable factor in the military expansion of the Ottoman Empire during the course of all its most important wars, ranging from the 1453 capture of Constantinople to the battles against the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. As the Janissaries began to emphasize their domination on the battlefield, their reputation started to grow, and with it came a big ol' burst of prestige that caused the ranks to swell. This proved acceptable as a means of recruiting new members, but any time one faction begins to grow in power there is always an in increase in tension. It slowly dawned on the Janissaries that their prestige could serve to increase the quality of life. The next couple of centuries witnessed the growth of the power of the Ottomans, but that growth was punctuated by a succession of uprisings that resulted in more power finding its way into the Janissaries' hands. The inaugural Janissary revolt did not occur until 1449 and it resulted in an increase in their wages, but the true value achieved by this uprising was the priceless dividend of precedent. That first Janissary uprising served as a model that set the stage for many later successful revolts, each of which brought them more power.