Podcasts · The Story of Turkey: From Byzantium to the Ottoman Empire to Today — Fexingo History
The Janissary Massacre and the Birth of Modern Turkey
· 7:21 · S5 E224
Episode The Janissary Massacre and the Birth of Modern Turkey
In 1826, Sultan Mahmud II orchestrated one of the most brutal political purges in history to destroy the Janissary corps. This episode explores the 'Auspicious Incident' (Vaka-i Hayriye), where the Sultan used artillery to bombard the Janissary barracks in Istanbul, ending a military order that had ruled emperors for centuries. We examine how this violent act cleared the way for modernization reforms like the Nizam-i Cedid and set the stage for the eventual transition from Ottoman Empire to Republic of Turkey. The story covers the rise of the Janissaries through the devshirme system, their transformation into a political force that could depose sultans, and the final confrontation at the At Meydanı horse racing arena. Listeners will learn about key figures like Sultan Selim III, who tried reform before being overthrown, and how Mahmud II’s decisive action reshaped the military and administrative structure of the Middle East’s last great Islamic caliphate.
#MahmudII #Janissaries #Vaka-iHayriye #OttomanMilitary #IstanbulHistory #TurkishReforms #Devshirme #SelimIII #Nizam-iCedid #AtMeydani #ByzantiumToTurkey #OttomanDecline #MilitaryHistory #MiddleEastHistory #FexingoHistory #HistoryPodcast #IslamicEmpires #ModernTurkey
Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
Links in the notes 1
Transcript
Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them. Explicit shows are for adult profiles only, and children’s profiles hear only children’s shows. More about this list.