End of the Janissaries

The Janissaries were an elite military group in the Ottoman Empire, formed in the 14th century. Originally, they were made up of Christian boys taken from their families, trained, and converted to Islam. Over time, they became powerful and influential, sometimes even challenging the sultans. The end of the Janissaries occurred in 1826 when Sultan Mahmud II, seeking to modernize the army, declared them a threat and forcibly disbanded them in a conflict known as the Auspicious Incident. This marked a significant shift in Ottoman military and political power, paving the way for modernization efforts in the empire.