Editing Selim III (section)

=== Janissary revolt ===
The Sultan's most ambitious military project was the creation of an entirely new infantry corps fully trained and equipped according to the latest European standards. This unit called the ''[[Nizam-I Cedid]]'' (the new order), was formed in 1797 and adopted a pattern of recruitment that was uncommon for the imperial forces; it was composed of Turkish peasant youths from Anatolia, a clear indication that the ''devshirme'' system was no longer functional. Officered and trained by Europeans, the ''Nizam-I Cedid'' was outfitted with modern weapons and French-style uniforms. By 1806, the new army numbered around 23,000 troops, including a modern artillery corps, and its units performed effectively in minor actions. But Selim III's inability to integrate the force with the regular army and his reluctance to deploy it against his domestic opponents limited its role in defending the state it was created to preserve.

From the start of Selim's reign, the Janissaries had viewed this entire military reform program as a threat to their independence, and they refused to serve alongside the new army in the field. The powerful ''derebeys'' were alarmed by how the sultan financed his new forces—he confiscated ''timars'' and directed the other revenue toward the ''Nizam-I Cedid''. Further opposition came from the ulama and other ruling elite members who objected to the European models on which Selim based his military reforms.

Led by the rebellious Janissaries, these forces came together in 1806, deposed Selim III, and selected a successor, Mustafa IV, who pledged not to interfere with their privileges. The decree of deposition accused Selim III of failing to respect Islam's religion and the Ottomans' tradition. Over the next year, the embassies in Europe were dismantled, the ''Nizam-I Cedid'' troops were dispersed, and the deposed sultan, whose cautious military reforms were intended to do no more than preserve the tradition of the Ottomans, was murdered.<ref>{{cite book|last=Cleveland|first=William|title=A History of the Modern Middle East|year=2013|publisher=Westview Press|location=Boulder, Colorado|isbn=978-0813340487|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofmodernm00will/page/57 57–58]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofmodernm00will/page/57}}</ref>