The Presence of Janissaries in Ottoman Provincial Cities and their Non-military Activities

The Ottoman Janissaries in the Classical period were elite soldiers who were in the infantry class of guilds of the sultan’s household troop, received quarterly wages called ulufe, resided in Istanbul and were always ready for war. A number of janissary crews were appointed as fort guards in province town centers out of Istanbul. However, after the Shehzade Bâyezid incident in 1559, there was an increase in the number of janissary deployed to provinces for various reasons. In this period, janissaries adopted activities different from their usual occupation by becoming friendly with the people, marrying, getting involved in trade and crafts, husbandry in rural areas and disposing various bailees. When their wages received from the Empire and tax exemption is taken into account, it appears that janissaries occupied a very privileged position compared to others in the provinces. This article will focus on the duties and non-military activities of the janissaries in Ottoman provinces.