# How Ottoman Janissaries Changed European Warfare

An episode of [The Ottoman Empire and Its Influence on Modern Europe — Fexingo History](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1895344416), 20 Sep 2026, 7:54.

Audio: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/the-ottoman-empire-and-its-influence-on-modern-europe/episode-0240.mp3

We trace the journey of the devshirme system from its brutal origins in the Balkans to the creation of Europe’s first standing professional army. Lucas and Luna explore how Sultan Mehmed II recruited Christian boys, converted them to Islam, and trained them as elite soldiers known as Janissaries. We examine their rigorous education at the Enderun school, their mastery of gunpowder weapons like the arquebus and cannon, and their pivotal role in the Siege of Vienna. The conversation also looks at how this military innovation forced European powers to modernize their own forces, fundamentally altering the balance of power on the continent for centuries. #OttomanEmpire #Janissaries #Devshirme #MehmedII #EuropeanHistory #MilitaryHistory #GunpowderEmpires #SiegeOfVienna #EnderunSchool #BalkansHistory #Istanbul #Sultanate #EarlyModernWarfare #Firearms #Arquebus #OttomanMilitary #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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