#Janissaries

[theknitpotato]

This now-famous building in Istanbul (Constantinople) has a history spanning centuries, with each floor representing a different era. The foundation is a Roman cistern, which was forgotten and buried due to earthquakes and rising ground levels. In Roman and Byzantine times, the area was bustling with merchants, and the cistern likely served their needs. Nearby is a historical bath used by Janissaries in the 15th-16th centuries, which may have also been supplied by the cistern during that time.

[beyondmistland]

You referred to GRRM's insulting equivalent of the Mamluks and Janissaries. You wouldn't mind elaborating on why you think so?

Sure, I don't mind. As always, a proper historian is free to correct me if and where I've gotten something wrong.

The Mamluks and Janissaries were not eunuchs, were not given drugs, were not made to change their names every day, and were not forced to kill puppies or babies as part of their training

Over time, they grew so powerful that, like the Praetorian Guard of the Roman Empire, they became the power behind the throne and literal kingmakers, as more than one Ottoman sultan learned the hard way when he tried to rein in the Janissaries to give just one example

The Mamluks and Janissaries did not use tactics and equipment that were millennia behind the curve

Retired Janissaries were given positions of importance within the Ottoman bureaucracy

The Mamluks were the only ones allowed to openly carry weapons and the Janissaries were the first military unit in the world to have their own marching band

To be a Mamluk was prestigious enough for parents to sell their own children into slavery for a shot at being one

As part of their training, the Janissaries were given a formal education

(Its things like this that make me thankful GRRM doesn't have an equivalent of Arabs or Islam in his setting.)

Thanks for the question, @cynicalclassicist

[who-canceled-roger-rabbit]

Based on my earlier comparison between Ottoman Janissaries and the Jedi Order, now I want someone to remix "Ceddin Deden" together with the Imperial March. I'd do it myself but I'm both lazy and fairly inexperienced with sound mixing.

[immaculatasknight]

Heinlein's wet dream

[hyperboreandad-82]

[megafunk]

Muhammad Sumbul, the sleepiest soldier

I might do the rest of the kitties too :D

Find all of the kitties drawn here

[pushing500]

Everyone say hello to the Jones Boys' new dog, Othello! He's a very big boy, and I love him ❤️

After we got Othello, a stranger showed up to hang out. If Mechi has anything to say about it, he probably won't be here for long.

YES!!! Finally!!! The first piece of the puzzle!! Time to scrounge up whatever social skills we can and make friends with Wasbum. We have to get that map piece!

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[mightydyke]

When characters choose to stop perpetuating a pattern or realise that they can just walk away from what they're "meant" to do... yes girl break the cycle! To hell with the narrative!

[art-o-gant]

UDJFYHIBJDNKSIOGYUDBJHSNKIOUHFGYDSHJIOUFYHGSDHJ JANISSARY: A BALKAN ROCK OPERA I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUU DHSXJFCDHSBDJNSHBFSDJDHDSNJDS D I LOVE THRIS ALSBUM SO CMUCH IM ACYRTALLY THIS CLOSE TO FUCKING EXPLODING IM SO NORMALLLL ALL THE MUSIC AND THE STORYIS SO BEAUFYTIL ND AMAXDNG AND THE FUCKING FINAL CONFRONTATION ALWAYS MAKES ME FEEL SO MANY KTHINGS BRO I OUCLD QUOTE LITERALLY EVERY LINE RIGHT NOW. BRO. I NEVER CHOSE THJE PATH OF LOVE. BRO IM FHDJSKFNDDJHSBDNSDSJSDKDJSDDSDS THE. BRO. THE KINDER THINGS I SHOULD HAVE DONE U FAULED ALL I SHOUDLD HAVE SAVED THE ONLY LEGACY I MADE IS THE ONE I BRING NOW MADE IN BLOOD. I HDSJNKFBVDHJNKHGSVBHDJNSBNSHBDSJNHGDBSJCDFGSHYU

[gracelyngrausamkeit]

I just seem to have a thing for ridiculously long-mustached villains in high heels.

So, I finally started my next tabletop roleplaying project after the hiatus year that followed the conclusion of my previous one. As I intended, the players took the role of to-be- Ottoman Janissaries in Constantinople/Istanbul in a timeline where most other nations have succumbed to the influence of devils and demons.

From sesh one, I presented the players with XYZ (pronounced Huz) - the first major recurring villain they will be facing. Boasting skinwalking abilities that allow him to turn into a perfect copy of someone just by putting on their skinned face as a mask, he could be anywhere anytime. Hellbent on doing the dark bidding of the Devil himself, XYZ is dead-set on undermining the Empire.

As for the meta information, he is obviously meant to represent the iconic clash between the Polish hussars and the Janissary corps. For his look, I went with the most over-the-top comically-hard-going design I could think of. The idea of him wearing a skirt with a flame-pattern and summoning a flaming skeleton, which he uses to light a cigar seemed just right.

[awkward-sultana]

"But she has one quality none of you have: she has never betrayed me before. She has never wanted to replace me while I sit on this throne."

[hurremsultanns]

[subject-to-entropy]

Speaking of the Elder Steward, where was she when Will and Violet were imprisoned by the Stewards and sentenced to death? We only get a few glimpses of what’s going on upstairs while they’re in their cells and she’s not in them.

This very much sounds like she wasn’t there at all, like the High Janissary made this decision without her, which, how, why?

She never once mentions it later either, just treats them like nothing ever happened. Does she not know? If so, what the fuck? Or does she know and choose not to acknowledge it? If so, what the fuck? Either there was way more internal conflict and scheming among the Stewards than we were led to believe or the Elder Steward was way more flawed than we were led to believe and I kind of hope it’s both.

[immaculatasknight]

Making starship troopers

[mishkakagehishka]

"The imagery of innocent (white christian children) girls under threat from violent (brown muslim) invaders (men) when that simply isn't accurate to where the practice came from" you're right, christian children were never threatened by ottoman invaders, really, we're just making it up as a cool backstory for sicanje. What are janissaries and devşirme anyway