DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4023#0105
AND NUBIA, 59
sorne os the Turks, that had remained in the country. These soldiers were
divided into disserent military claffes, that are in use in the Ottoman empire, and
that are known under the name os sortes. But as there are none but thofe os
the Janissaries, and os the Affass, that can make themselves considerable, and J"jissy«
that the others even pass themselves off most commonly sor being of one os those
two corps, I willingly omit them, that I may speak more amply of the two portes
I have jufl: mentioned.
These two corps os soldiers disser only in their number, whichsometimes
hkewife is not greater in the one than in the other m. In other refpects their go-
vernment, and their difcipline, referable each other intirely. This does not
hinder them from living in continual jealousy, and, according to all appearances,
the fault is owing to the janiffaries, who, thinking themfelves more formidable,
become in confequence more haughty ; for though, with regard to valour,
they are much inferior to thofe of Conftantinople, yet they do not forbear to
pique themfelves upon the honour of their name, and to defpife the other corps.
Each porte has an Aga at its head. This ossicer is not nominated by the Aga*
bashaw. It is necenary that he mould be elected by the corps itfelf, and that
he fhould be asterwards vefted with the Caffetah, or commillion from the
Grand Seignior. He concerns himfelf folely with the interefls of his porte : he
affifts at the Grand Divan: he prefides at the council of his own corps, and
he has under him inserior ossicers, called Kiaja, or Kieche and Sious.
They mean by Kiaja, or Kieche, a sort os colonels, that have admit-Kiaja or
tance likewife to the divan of the Bafhaw, and are fometimes people of great K,ed,e-
^iiportance. They form together a company ; and two from - amongft them
are choferi, every year, for attending on the affairs os their porte.
Th e Sious, or black-heads, are lesler ossicers, but yet have their share in s;ous.
the government,' according as their views of intereft determine them. There
are in each porte some hundreds os them.
This would be the proper place, without doubt, todistinguim more particularly
the posts that I have been, mentioning, and to make the reader know exactly their
disserent duties; but besides that I have no intention to enter into a longer detail
°n their account, I own srankly, that I have not fussiciently fludied all the
rules os their difcipline. Moreover, my view is only to acquaint the reader
Vvith what paffed, at the time os my abode in the country ; and perhaps that
alone will give a more juft idea of their military ftate, than all the defcriptions
that could be given of it.
T o finifli what I have to say in general, concerning the military govern-
ment, I shall observe, that Selim did not sind it convenient to keep up in the
country any naval army ; and that os confequence we ought not to enquire after
xt at present.
m According to monsieur Maillet, " The men os the janissaries may amount to six or eight
dumber of essective men amongst the affass may be thoufand."
between three and sour thouiand. The essective
As
sorne os the Turks, that had remained in the country. These soldiers were
divided into disserent military claffes, that are in use in the Ottoman empire, and
that are known under the name os sortes. But as there are none but thofe os
the Janissaries, and os the Affass, that can make themselves considerable, and J"jissy«
that the others even pass themselves off most commonly sor being of one os those
two corps, I willingly omit them, that I may speak more amply of the two portes
I have jufl: mentioned.
These two corps os soldiers disser only in their number, whichsometimes
hkewife is not greater in the one than in the other m. In other refpects their go-
vernment, and their difcipline, referable each other intirely. This does not
hinder them from living in continual jealousy, and, according to all appearances,
the fault is owing to the janiffaries, who, thinking themfelves more formidable,
become in confequence more haughty ; for though, with regard to valour,
they are much inferior to thofe of Conftantinople, yet they do not forbear to
pique themfelves upon the honour of their name, and to defpife the other corps.
Each porte has an Aga at its head. This ossicer is not nominated by the Aga*
bashaw. It is necenary that he mould be elected by the corps itfelf, and that
he fhould be asterwards vefted with the Caffetah, or commillion from the
Grand Seignior. He concerns himfelf folely with the interefls of his porte : he
affifts at the Grand Divan: he prefides at the council of his own corps, and
he has under him inserior ossicers, called Kiaja, or Kieche and Sious.
They mean by Kiaja, or Kieche, a sort os colonels, that have admit-Kiaja or
tance likewife to the divan of the Bafhaw, and are fometimes people of great K,ed,e-
^iiportance. They form together a company ; and two from - amongft them
are choferi, every year, for attending on the affairs os their porte.
Th e Sious, or black-heads, are lesler ossicers, but yet have their share in s;ous.
the government,' according as their views of intereft determine them. There
are in each porte some hundreds os them.
This would be the proper place, without doubt, todistinguim more particularly
the posts that I have been, mentioning, and to make the reader know exactly their
disserent duties; but besides that I have no intention to enter into a longer detail
°n their account, I own srankly, that I have not fussiciently fludied all the
rules os their difcipline. Moreover, my view is only to acquaint the reader
Vvith what paffed, at the time os my abode in the country ; and perhaps that
alone will give a more juft idea of their military ftate, than all the defcriptions
that could be given of it.
T o finifli what I have to say in general, concerning the military govern-
ment, I shall observe, that Selim did not sind it convenient to keep up in the
country any naval army ; and that os confequence we ought not to enquire after
xt at present.
m According to monsieur Maillet, " The men os the janissaries may amount to six or eight
dumber of essective men amongst the affass may be thoufand."
between three and sour thouiand. The essective
As