AKINCI CORPS (JANISSARY PERIOD)

DELI CAVALRY (JANISSARY PERIOD)

OTTOMAN IMPERIAL ARMY CORPS OF BASHI-BAZOUK 1860 TILL 1870

Akinci Corps (1566-1595)

• In January 1916, in Birussebi there was a camel company of the 3rd division, however unlike the other transport units, this was designated as “Akıncı” (raiders).

The Akinci Corps organization emerged in the period of Osman I (1258–1326). However, they reached their full development under Suleiman the Magnificent (1494- 1566). 

The Akinci Corps uniform/costume, consisted:

• Made from fur skin, dyed with spots to simulate animal like the Siberian leopard cat, or tiger-skin.
• Elaborate Plume, of black and white feathers with bird wings, in a Janissary plume holder.
• Head gear made from bear fur.
• Carries a painted angular-pointed Hungarian-style shield, with an eagle wing attached to it - this could be an actual bird's wing, or a similated one.

Typically it is believed that the Akıncıs wore colourful and bizarre uniform/costumes to shock and confuse their opponents (like the later Bashi-Bazouk - discussed below).

• However, examining this picture of them it is also clear these warriors are adopting the persona of three predator animals – the bear, the eagle and the Siberian leopard cat, in order to scare their opponents, as well as imbue the totem-powers of these animal spirits [1].

The Akinci Corps mounted warrior (above) is accompanied by a foot soldier (wearing the uniform/costume is made from fur skin, dyed with spots), who is bow armed.

• This suggests that the Akinci Corps incorporated mounted and well as foot sodier's companies (in the same manner that that later Bashi-Bazouk were organised - discussed below).

The Akinci  Corps was largely destroyed in a battle on the Danube River (24 October 1595), and their role was gradually ceded to new irregular corps, such as the:

• Deli.
• Bashi-Bazouk (discussed below), organised to control the Ottoman Empire’s boarder regions in the Bulkans.

Deli Cavalry (1595-1658)

18th Century Beginnings of the Ottoman Bashi-Bazouks

Originally describing the homeless beggars who reached Istanbul from the provinces of the Ottoman Empire, the term Bashi-Bazouk was later applied to all Muslim subjects who were not members of the Imperial Army, but whom were employed in formed bands of mixed mounted and foot troops attached to the army but under independent officers and providing their own weapons and horses. They appeared at the end of the 18th century and fought in Egypt against Napoleon. During the Crimean War the allied generals made fruitless attempts to discipline them. Their excesses during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78 at last forced the Ottoman government to abandon their use.

• There is a connection, with the earlier tradition of the Ottoman Akinci warriors (the Akinci system from the 14th to 16th centuries), which continued after the modernization of the Ottoman army, and used till late 19th century in the Balkan provinces as the Bashi-Bazouk (irregular) warriors.
• Akinci (like the later Bashi-Bazouk ) were unpaid they lived and operated as raiders on the frontiers of the Ottoman Empire, subsisting totally on plunder.
• Because of their mobility Akinci (like the later Bashi-Bazouk ) were used for reconnaissance and as a vanguard force to terrorize the local population before the advance of the main Ottoman forces. Since they were irregular militia, they were not bound by peace treaties, so they could raid border villages and attack enemy garrisons, fortresses and border posts during peace time, constantly harassing the enemy and checking the weak spots on the rival country's defences. They would also attack trading routes to cut enemy's supply and transportation.
• The Bashi-Bazouk , like the Akıncıs wore colourful and bizarre uniform/costumes to shock and confuse their opponents.

Crimean War Ottoman Bashi-Bazouks

• See Plate 23: Turkish Gallipoli Irregular Cavalry, 1854.

1857 Ottoman Albanian Mercenary Troops

Count Amedeo Preziosi, illustrations of the "Albanians Mercenaries in the Ottoman Army", which was Published by Lemercier & Cie, Paris, in 1857, shows that the Ottoman Army, like the Egyptian Army maintained a force of Albanian mercenaries. According ‘Khedive Ismail's Army', by John P. Dunn (2013) - The Khedive of Egypt, up till 1853 placed great value on Albanian mercenaries, and by the start of the Crimean War 4,500 Albanians were part of the Army – maintain their traditional role as skirmishers, mountain warfare experts, police and security and bodyguard units.

• In particular, they were organised as traditional Ottoman Bashi Bazouks (this was an irregular soldier of the Ottoman army), and received following 1848 “state-of-the-art weaponry in the form of American revolvers” (which would have to be the Revolving gun made by Samuel Colt, patented first in 1848, and then 1850).
• The Ottoman Albanian Mercenaries, mainly wore either green jackets edged in red tape and embroidery, or red jackets edged in yellow/gold tape and embroidery.

(a) Fustanella (Long-Skirted Shirt)

The figure also wears the 'Fustanella', which still forms part of the national dress for the Greeks.

• It is a traditional shirt with long skirt.
• It is worn by men of many nations in the Balkans.
• The 'Fustanella' is also part of traditional Albanian and Macedonian dress.

This combination of the red jackets edged in yellow/gold tape and embroidery, and the the long white 'Fustanella', became the basis of the uniform-costume of the Turkish Imperial Army Corps of Bashi-Bazouk (1860-1870).

1860 Corps of Bashi-Bazouks

The origin of the Bashi-Bazouk as a military formation was mercenary soldiers, intended to act as irregular skirmishing troops of the Ottoman Empire. They were notorious for their indiscipline, plundering, and brutality.

• The word 'Bashi-Bazouk (or Bashibazouk)' is Turkish literally meaning "free headed", "leaderless", "disorderly" and was a specific mercenary irregular soldier of the Ottoman Imperial Army, of the 1860s-1870s.
• The term is often incorrectly applied by Western writers throughout the 19th century, and still currently to identify all types of Ottoman Army irregulars, when it actually related to a specific band of Ottoman mercenary soldiers who operated in Gallipoli, the Ionian coast, and the Balkans.

1860 till 1870 Bashi-Bazouk Corps Organisation

Relating various sources/references together, it appears that, this Corps of Bashi-Bazouk (1860-1870):

• Their excesses during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78 at last forced the Ottoman government to abandon their use.
• Numbered 1,000, to about 2,000 officers and soldiers.
• Employed as a mercenary force, given carte blanche authority to act-on-their own as an irregular force operating ahead of the Imperial Army on campaign to wreak as much havoc as possible among enemy populations and armies.

The corps incorporated mounted and well as foot sodier's companies (in the same manner that other Hamidiye corps were organised).

1860 till 1870 Bashi-Bazouk Corps Flag

The Corps of Bashi-Bazouk (1860-1870), carried a green flag, on a red pole with a silver spear point.

• This detail can be seen in the Horace Vernet (1789 - 1863), painting 'A Bashi-Bazouk', based on a figure seen in the Crimean War.

Bashi-Bazouk Corps Mounted Contingents

Bashi-Bazouk Mounted Contingent Horse Furniture

The horse furniture, used by the mounted contingent of Bashi-Bazouk company, were elaborate 'medieval-fantasy' kits, with red cord horse aprons, intending to shock opponents. 

1860 till 1870 Bashi-Bazouk Corps Clothing

Bashi-Bazouk Barracks Uniforms

In barracks, the Corps of Bashi-Bazouk wore:

• Simple plain uniforms.
• Standard Ottoman Imperial Army fez.

This is based on the Illustrated News picture (below), showing the Bashi-Bazouk barracks. This indicates that it was only in the field, or on patrol that the Bashi-Bazouk 'dressed-up', in their tall hats etc in order to shock their opponents.

Corps of Bashi-Bazouk Barracks

Corps of Bashi-Bazouk barracks, were in two locations:

• Appear to have had a base-barracks in Gallipoli.

1860 till 1870 Bashi-Bazouk Corps Rank System

The uniforms rank system was based on the 1861 pattern of cuff chevrons (see the section on 1860 till 1876).

• Commanded by a Chief of the Bashi-Bazouk, in the Imperial Army. Who wore, the crescent badge above his cuff insignia signifies that he is an 'Aide-de-camp to the Sultan'.
• The Corps had a simplified rank system, consisting of the following officers:

Various officers, like the Albanian troops in the Ottoman Imperial Guard, were equipped with a traditional Balkan weapons belt, incorporating a belly wallet, called a “Bensilan” (this is pictured in Plate BB2). The Bensilan allowed for the traditional "yatagan" curved sword to be carried across the waist.

Bashi-Bazouk Uniform-Costume: Officers

Bashi-Bazouk Uniform-Costume: Soldiers

Each figure has different zouave jacket lace details, one with a double-line boarder, and the other with a thick wavy line boarder, likely indicating different junior officer's ranks.

Chief of the Bashi-Bazouk - Imperial Army from the 1860s till the 1870s

• These features in particular, show a later 1850s figure of a Balkans, or Greek soldier, whom Jean Brindesi has included as representative of the Janissary, and pre-1826 New Model Army, when in actual fact this figure is an 1850s-1860s officer in earlier formation of the Bashi-Bazouk (from the mid, and the immediate post-Crimean War period).

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[1] It also needs to be understood, that "The Vinkhuijzen Collection of Military Costume Illustration" was assembled by H. J. Vinkhuijzen (1843-1910), a Dutch physician, and presented to the New York Public Library by Mrs. Henry Draper in 1911. "Dr. Vinkhuijzen's usual strategy was to extract plates from illustrated books and magazines. He colored some of the printed images, and when printed images were lacking, drew others by hand. Some of the unsigned watercolors found in the collection may also be by him. He arranged his collection as loose images in boxes according to his own classification system; this organization is retained for browsing the digital collection. (Mounting the plates in scrapbooks was apparently accomplished by others after Dr. Vinkhuijzen's death.)"

1890 Establishment of the Hamidiye Corps

Following the disolution of the Bashi-Bazouk, after 1878, the Hamidiye Corps (literally meaning "belonging to Hamid”), were established in 1890.

• These had the full official name Hamidiye Hafif Süvari alayları (Hamidiye Light Cavalry Regiments) were well-armed, irregular Sunni Kurdish, Turkish, Turkmen and Yoruk cavalry formations that operated in the eastern provinces of the Ottoman Empire.
• Established by and named after Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1890.