The History Page

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The Mamelukes "recruited" from Slaves and the toughest Turkish tribes.

Many were Christian, and I believe many were Eunuchs.

They in turn were finished by the Ottoman Selim 1, Selim The Vile, who also finished Vlad the Impaler.

The little I've got in the battle of Ain Jalut suggests the Manluks used the Mongol tactics against them; a feigned retreat and a pincer movement. Also the battle is the first in which some form of cannon or explosives were used. These were more to frighten the Mongol horses than as actual weapons.

Like it or not, Owl the most prized fighters were Christian Circassians. I don't know of any specialised weapons.

Tiger will tell you US Marine Officers wear Mameluke swords.

YOU WANT TO LOOK THIS UP TOO. THIS IS PURE GOOGLE

The standing Ottoman army, first organized by bey (also erroneously called sultan) Murad 1 in the late 14th century, lasting until 1826, altogether about 450 years.

The term in Turkish, yeniçeri means new troops, indicating exactly what they were in the beginning: An alternative to the old regular army.

The Janissaries became famous for their military skills, but also because they were staffed by youths conscripted from Christian families in the Balkans. After the conscription they were defined as the property of the sultan, and practically all of them converted to Islam.

The Janissaries were subject to strict rules, limiting their freedom and demanding higher moral standards than usual in the society. In the first couple of centuries, they were forced to celibacy, but this would later change. The janissaries were not allowed to grow beard, which was the sign of a free man.

The need for the bey/sultan to form the Janissary corps, came from the fragility of an army put together by free men from many different tribes from areas often wide apart. Their allegiance were normally to their own tribal leaders, leaders that often were tempted to oppose the power of the sultan, and to find allies among the main enemies of the Ottoman empire.

The history of the Ottoman Empire is littered with Sultans being deposed and/or murdered by the Janissaries.

Eventually, though the Janissaries were conscripted from Muslims as well. Their leaders became as feudal lords and contributed so many men as their rank warranted.

Also, Hulagu was in Mongolia with the bulk of his men at a Kuralti to elect the next KaKhan. The force the Mamlukes defeated was perhaps 2-3 tumans.

Lew, is that when they elected Shaka Khan.

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