Chapter 8 Matching Exercise

Ottoman cavalry.

Meaning “nations,” these were horizontal divisions of the Ottoman Empire based upon religious affiliation. Typically, those in an official millet, such as Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, or Jewish would look to their own courts and officials in family and religious affairs. Islam itself was not a millet since it was the state religion.

The concept of group solidarity or social cohesion.

This was the top administrative body in the Ottoman Empire composed of leading government ministers, led by the sultan—and in his absence, the grand vezir (or sadr al-azam).

Literally meaning “a gathering or levying of youths,” this was an Ottoman system of collecting and recruiting Christian children, usually between the ages of eight and thirteen, from within the empire (mostly in the Balkans), converting them to Islam and training them as soldiers and bureaucrats.

From the word gaza, meaning going to war for the faith. Used especially by early Ottoman sultans to refer to their Muslim soldiers and is akin to the popular meaning of mujahideen or holy warriors.

Land grants in return for service to the Ottoman Empire.

Slaves converted to Islam, educated in Turkish and Ottoman ways, then given military training and organized into what became an elite infantry.

(slaves of the Porte, Sublime Porte): In the Ottoman Empire, these were slaves captured in battle or purchased outright by the Ottoman government. The slaves were then converted to Islam (if they were not already Muslim), trained, and taught the Ottoman way. Most of them would then fill the ranks of the Janissary corps and some went to work in the bureaucracy.

Originally a moral authority, but came to denote a Muslim sovereign.

Assets that are donated or bequeathed for a charitable cause.

A large territorial subdivision of the Ottoman Empire, the equivalent of a province, led by a provincial governor known as beylerbey. A province has also been termed vilayet, and if using this reference, the governor is called the vali.