Institution
Devshirme
The devshirme was the Ottoman system of levying boys, mainly from Christian families in the Balkans, who were converted to Islam and trained for state service. The ablest entered the palace administration, while most joined the Janissary corps. It gave the Ottoman Empire a loyal military and administrative elite dependent on the sultan.
Mentioned in 1 profile
See also
Cite this entry
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Devshirme. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/devshirme
- MLA
- “Devshirme.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/devshirme. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Devshirme.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/devshirme.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Devshirme’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/devshirme (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻