Ottoman Empire 1600 (my view)
Ok I always wanted to read a little text on something so I have chosen the Ottoman state at its time of its decline.
Ottoman Empire 1600
Former Glory
The Ottoman Empire had been anything but soft before the middle of the sixteenth century, Suleyman the Magnificent(1520-1566), the last of the great Turkish warrior sultans, held the whole Balkan peninsula and most of Hungary. He had thirty million subjects, a revenue greater than that of Charles the V, and a much more efficient military system, including a permanent standing army over ten thousand infantry (Jannisaries), over ten thousand cavalry (saphis) and at least a hundred thousand infantry and cavalry for campaign.
Janissaries
The janissaries were Moslem convers, mainly drawn from conquered Greek Orthodox and Hungarians. Taken captive as boys by the sultan, they were rigorously trained to fight for Islam and administer the Ottoman Empire. They were never allowed to marry or inhered lands and titles only promoted on basis of there talent. They made superb soldiers but by 1600 the janissaries changed radically by 1600 they married passed their jobs on to their son and of course engineered palace coups.
Sick man of Europe
The key to Turkish success had always been strong military leadership by the sultan. By 1600 the sultans had become feckless who abandoned Mars for Venus. They ceased to conduct military campaigns, ceased even to leave Constantinople. Before to take power the sultan had always killed is younger brother (with a siken bowstring to not spill blood). Now it had become a slaughterhouse in 1595 the new sultan killed 19 of is brothers! In 1660 it seems that Mohammed IV would bring back the Turkish empire back on its feet he captured Crete and in 1683 he want all the way to the Hasburgs Vienna but it all stopped after is death. In 1699 Hungary was surrender to Austria, and the huge empire began to shrink for another 250 years.
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Been curious about the ottoman cavalry. Were they necessarily heavy at their heyday of 1600? Or were they more ranged?
Originally Posted by Ahiga
