JANIZARIES, or JANISSARIES, an irregular infantry, which, until the year 1826, formed the principal strength of the Turkish army. Vossius derives the word from genizers, which in the Turkish language signifies novi homines or milités. But D'Herbelot tells us that jenitcheri signifies a new band or troop, and that the name was first given by Amurath I. called the Conqueror, who, having selected one fifth of the Christian prisoners whom he had taken from the Greeks, and instructed them in the discipline of war and the doctrines of Islamism, sent them to Hagi Bektasche, a person whose pretended piety rendered him extremely revered amongst the Turks, that he might confer his blessing on them, and at the same time give them some mark to distinguish them from the rest of the troops. Bektasche, after blessing them in his manner, cut off one of the sleeves of the fur gown which he had on, and put it on the head of the leader of this new militia; and from that time, namely, the year 1361, they retained the name of jenitcheri, and the fur cap.
At the time when the janissaries were thus instituted, there was not a single power in Europe which maintained a regular body of troops in its pay. The Christian armies were raised at the will of the nobility, who brooded no superior, and seized the first pretext to leave the armies of their sovereign, and return with their vassals to their strongholds. The advantage of union against a common enemy was not felt or appreciated; and victory declared in favour of those troops who to courage and enthusiasm united some degree of discipline, and a blind obedience to the will of their leaders. Such were the janissaries originally. They swept all before them; and, whilst the capture of Christians furnished slaves to supply the va-
cancies in their ranks, fortune smiled on their prowess and daring. But when this body ceased to form a class separate from the nation; when they were allowed to marry and enrol their children, and the odas (companies or regiments) were encumbered with men who preferred an inglorious life in the retirement of their families to the fatigues and dangers of the field; then the janissaries ceased to be formidable to their enemies, and, like the pratorian guards of Rome, were only dreaded by the sultans. Yet on this class did the Porte, until recently, depend for defence against its enemies; and although their inefficiency became daily more apparent, no reform could be effected in the system. In vain did Selim attempt to remodel them; his life paid the forfeit of his temerity. In vain did Mahmoud, upon his accession to the throne, wish to enforce the regulations of Suleiman the Magnificent. The consequence was an insurrection, which, during three days, inundated his capital with blood, and obliged him, in self-defence, to command the execution of his own brother. But the stern disposition of Mahmoud was in no degree daunted by this failure. He now saw that nothing less than the entire destruction of the janissaries would enable him to improve the condition of his empire; and he waited patiently until he could strike a blow with the certainty of success. In 1826, the janissaries again mutinied; but this time they found the sultan prepared, and they gave but the signal for their own destruction. The artillery-men and other troops faithful to the sultan surrounded them in the Etmeidan. They attempted to defend themselves, but without success, and about twenty thousand perished in the hopeless conflict. The suppression of this body, which immediately followed, left Mahmoud at liberty to remodel his army in such a manner as appeared best suited to the times; and, accordingly, he lost no time in taking measures to supply the void occasioned by the destruction of the only military force in the empire. See TURKEY.