Ottoman Army
Ottoman Empire
Originally planned to include the Ottoman Empire in my Minor Nations/States thread, but clearly it deserves its own thread.
The Ottoman Army is a highly complex issue and the following merely scratches the surface. It is impossible to produce a similar list of regimental names as for other nations, so I have concentrated on listing troop types. Spellings of the same Ottoman Units vary enormously and as a basis I have used those adopted by Wiliam E Johnston in his booklet “The Crescent among the Eagles – The Ottoman Army in the Napoleonic Wars” - my thanks to Karaislam for his help in correcting the westernised spellings of troop types below.
To produce the following I have drawn on Otto von Pivka's "Armies of the Napoleonic Wars", Philip Haythornthwaite "The Napoleonic Source Book", the Osprey Men at arms on the Ottoman Army, William E Johnson “The Crescent among the Eagles”, Richard Partridge & Michael Oliver "Napoleonic Army hadbook - The British army & Her Allies", Knotel "Uniforms of the World", various magazines, articles & websites.
The Ottoman army was basically divided into 2 elements: paid (Kapı Kulu) & unpaid (Müsellem) or irregular forces (Toprakli). The Ottoman military was very much ad hoc in nature and should not be thought of in European regular terms.
The Kapı Kulu were divided into Ocak (branches):
Yeniçeri (Janissary - infantry)
Süvari (Cavalry)
Topçu (Artillery).
Each branch was divided into Orta - some historians have used this to equate to regiments but that appears to be incorrect. An Orta was divided into a number of Bölük (some have used this to equate to companies). A Yeniçeri Orta was divided into Oda (chambers) equivalent of a barrack grouping, and further divided into 10 to 25 men groups known as a tent grouping.
Yeniçeri were divided into 2 classes:
Cemaat - 101 Orta - guarding strategic points on the frontiers & important cities.
Benluks - 61 Orta - garrisoned the capital, and formed the personal guard of the Sultan and Sancak-ı Şerif (Flag of the Prophet).
However Pivka (and a couple of websites) also lists Sekban with 34 Orta as part of the Janissary Corps.
Certain of the Yeniçeri Orta were awarded special titles (I have not been able to find a complete list):
Ceemat Ortas:
1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Orta were called Deveci (camel drivers) who were responsible for escorting camel baggage
14th, 49th, 65th & 67th Orta were called Hassakis (Privileged)
17th Orta was called Samnoundji (???)
16th & 18th Orta marched with the artillery;
35th Orta was called sekban avcıları (hunting masters)
39th Orta served as Naval Marines & as light infantry;
44th Orta served as light infantry
55th Orta was called talimhaneciler (instructors) – responsible for weapons training;
60th, 61st, 62nd & 63rd Orta served as solaklar (Archers) and the archers of the Sultan’s Guard du corps were drawn from these units.
63rd Orta was also called turnacı ortası (Guardians of the cranes or geese)
64th Orta was called şahincibaşı and were responsible for accompanying the Sultan on his hunts to control his dogs.
35th, 39th, 44th, 64th, 68th & 71st Orta served as light infantry.
84th Orta was called d’Imam-Ortassi (???)
Benluk Orta :
5th Orta was called Bach-Tchaouudh-Ortassi (Messengers)
19th Orta were scouts
28th Orta commander was in charge of Justice
31st Orta served as Marines
54th Orta were responsible for military exercises
56th Orta guarded the Sadrazam (Grand Vizier) office.
There were also 34 Orta of Acemi Oğlan (inexperienced boys) – which served as training units for the army.
There was also a corps of korucular (foresters) – who patrolled the forests & guarded the water supplies.
Nizam-ı Cedid (New Order Army) – These were troops trained in the European manner.
1st regiment established in 1794, 2nd in 1799 and 3rd soon after. Each regiment comprised 12 fusilier companies, each of 100 men. 10 gun artillery unit was attached. By 1801 (?) 12 infantry regiments had been raised. Provincial Governors were ordered recruit men locally and train them in the Nizam-ı Cedid manner. Eventually all arms forces were raised. 4 or 6 Lancer units were raised. But the Janissaries forced the suppression of the Nizam-ı Cedid in 1807.
In 1808 the Sultan reformed them as Sekban-ı Cedid with a strength of 6 regiments each of 2 battalions, but the Janissary again revolted against attempts to limit their powers, and although a compromise was agreed the Janissaries massacred the Sekban-ı Cedid in late 1808.
Bostanci – took the best of the Acemi Oğlan and acted as the Sultan’s Guard. Were a few thousand strong. The Sadrazam (Grand Vizier) was accompanied on campaign by small units of Bostanci.
Süvari or Buluk Halki (regimented men)
28,000 men divided into 6 Divisions.
2 Divisions were considered as Guard: Silahtar (Weapon Bearers) & Sipahi Oglans (Sipahi’s Children).
The other 4 were divided into left & right wings, and comprised two classes: Ulufeciler (Salaried Men) & Garipler (Strangers)
Ulufeciler right wing was also called yeşil bayrak (Green banner) while the left was called ???? (white/yellow banners)
In addition there were 10,000 Sipahis of the Porte.
Smaller Household Units:
Sultan’s Mounted Life Guard 400 men
Memlük of the Sadrazam (Grand Vizier) 100 men
Memlük of the Grand Seignoir 100 men
Memlük of Constantinople (Istanbul) 500 men
Gönüllü Cebeli 100 men
Koruma (Lifewatch) Cebeli100 men
Topçu
25 foot artillery regiments comprising 10 guns (4 were old heavy Balyemez, 2 older lighter Abus guns & 4 new French designed 6pdrs, known as Surats or rapid fire pieces) served by 115 officers & men. In addition there were 30 replacement gunners, & 20 rifle-armed battery guards.
A 1,000 man Horse artillery unit (3 batteries in 1808-12; 5 batteries by 1815 - each with 10x 6pdr guns) was added in 1808 but it was virtually destroyed in 1812 by the Russians. It was later rebuilt and formed a well-trained, well-paid part of the Sultan’s personal guard.
There is some suggestion that there were 2 camel batteries – armed with British 6pdrs.
Humbaraci
5 units served by 191 men each.
4 of which served 10 mortars each – the 1st served 65cm mortars; 2nd served 36cm mortars; 3rd served 22cm mortars & 4th served 14cm mortars.
5th unit served Abus cannon (5 x 7cm diameter, & 5 x 10cm diameter) which were similar to Russian Licornes.
Irregular Infantry
Sekban in theory without pay irregular volunteer infantry who served in times of war or a national emergency. Many Governors maintained large permanent standing armies – often drawn from mercenaries throughout the Empire (and some from beyond its borders). Nominally organised into 1,000 men units of 10 companies each. (including Albanian, Anatolian, Moroccan; other irregulars included Rumelian, Moldavian, Croatian, Transylvanian,...)
Re'aya – peasant sharpshooters organised into companies of 50 to 100men. Usually assigned to the Janissaries to act as skirmishers.
Derbend Muhafızı – local militias (including Greek Martolos, Bulgarians, Anatolian).
Fellah – local peasants impressed into service.
Levend - term originally used for Turkish corsairs, but became used for Turkish & Greek personnel recruited from the coast of Anatolia & Aegean islands. Used as Marines
Irregular Cavalry
Tımarlı Sipahi (Feudal Sipahi - horsemen) – organised into units (based on geographical districts) of 1,000 men (Anatolia, Albania, Rumelia, ....).
Memlük – 12,000 men.
Yörük – Volunteer cavalry units who were employed in the same way as Russian Cossacks (including from Rumelia, Anatolia, Macedonia & Bosnia).
Humidie - 24 units of Kurdish cavalry, performed similar role to Yoruks.
Djellis (Guides) – many from the Balkans (Croats, Serbs & Bosnians; others included Kurds, Anatolians, ...).
Arab cavalry – supplied by Bedouin & Berber.
Provincial Artillery
Local Governors maintained their own artillery units.
Ottoman Tactical Doctrine (adapted from “The Crescent among the Eagles”)
The Ottomans emphasised the power of the tactical defensive, even when the army was strategically on the offensive.
The army commander stood in the centre of a powerful system of fieldworks and artillery. With him were his personal guard of Solaklar and Janissaries. Heavy cavalry deployed on the flanks.
The Sekban (irregular infantry) was deployed in the front & rear of this “mini-fortress”. On their flanks were the Sipahis. Ahead of them were the light cavalry to draw the enemy cavalry toward the Sekban. After absorbing the enemy charge, the Sebhan would move aside to allow the artillery and Janissaries to open fire. Finally the flanking Sipahis would attack the disordered enemy & attempt to surround him.
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Originally Posted by Dee Jay
