Podcasts · The Story of Turkey: From Byzantium to the Ottoman Empire to Today — Fexingo History
The Auspicious Incident: How Mahmud II Destroyed the Janissaries
· 5:49 · S4 E187
Episode The Auspicious Incident: How Mahmud II Destroyed the Janissaries
In 1826, Sultan Mahmud II orchestrated the violent end of the Janissary corps, an elite slave-soldier institution that had been the Ottoman Empire's military backbone for nearly 500 years. This episode traces the Janissaries' origins in the devshirme system, their transformation into a reactionary political force, and the dramatic events of the Vaka-i Hayriye — the Auspicious Incident. We explore how Mahmud II used artillery and propaganda to crush their revolt, executing thousands and abolishing the order forever. The price of modernization was steep, but it opened the door to the Tanzimat reforms and reshaped the empire's trajectory. Join Lucas and Luna as they unpack this bloody turning point, from the Janissaries' golden age under Mehmed the Conqueror to their final stand in the Hippodrome of Constantinople.
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Transcript
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