Auspicious Incident

Quick Facts: Who was Auspicious Incident?

Subject:

Auspicious Incident

Known for:

The forced disbandment of the Janissary Corps by Sultan Mahmud II in 1826.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Auspicious Incident or Auspicious Event (Ottoman Turkish: وقعۀ خيريّه, romanized: Vak'a-i Hayriyye, lit. 'The Fortunate Event' in Constantinople; Vaka-i Şerriyye, lit. 'Event of Malignity' in the Balkans) was the forced disbandment of the centuries-old janissary corps by Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II on 15 June 1826. Most of the 135,000 janissaries revolted against Mahmud II, and after the rebellion was suppressed, many of them were executed (6,000 or more), exiled or imprisoned. The disbanded janissary corps was replaced with a more modern military force.

Career & Major Achievements

The janissaries were first created by the Ottoman Sultans in the late 14th century and were employed as household troops. Janissaries began as an elite corps made up through the devşirme system of child slavery, by which young Christian boys, notably Serbs, Albanians, Bulgarians, Croats, Greeks, Hungarians, and Romanians were taken from the Balkans, circumcised, converted to Islam, and incorporated into the Ottoman army. During the 15th and 16th centuries they were recognized as one of the best-trained and most effective military units in Europe. They became known for their discipline, morale and professionalism. They were paid regularly and were expected to be ready to enter battle at any time.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

However, by the early 17th century, the janissary corps had ceased to function as an elite military force, and had become a privileged hereditary class, and their exemption from paying taxes made them disfavoured by the rest of the population. Additionally, since the early eighteenth century, several prominent Istanbul Jewish families had served as moneylenders (sarrafs) and financiers for the corps, with Isaac Çelebi Bekhor Carmona also being one of the Pekidei Kushta at the time. The number of janissaries grew from 20,000 in 1575 to 135,000 in 1826, about 250 years later. Many were not soldiers but still collected pay from the empire, as dictated by the corps since it held an effective veto over the state and contributed to the steady decline of the Ottoman Empire. Any sultan who tried to diminish its status or power was immediately either killed or deposed.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1575: 1575 Milestone — The number of janissaries grew from 20,000 in 1575 to 135,000 in 1826, about 250 years later.
2. 1826: 1826 Milestone — 'Event of Malignity' in the Balkans) was the forced disbandment of the centuries-old janissary corps by Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II on 15 June 1826.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Auspicious Incident

True or False: “The janissaries were immediately replaced by a force composed entirely of local Balkan residents who hated them.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While some locals participated in the fighting, the replacement was a new modern corps called Asakir-i Mansure-i Muhammediye, organized along European lines.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Bernhard Riemann — Historical peer (Born in 1826) (1826): Pioneering mathematician whose work shaped modern analysis, geometry, and number theory.
• Carl Maria von Weber — Historical peer (Died in 1826) (1826): Pioneering German composer, central to the development of German Romantic opera.
• Akiyama Nobutomo — Historical peer (Died in 1575) (1575): A prominent samurai of the Sengoku period, known for his service to the Takeda clan.
• Baba Nobufusa — Historical peer (Died in 1575) (1575): A prominent samurai of the Sengoku period, known for his service to the Takeda clan.

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