Editing Devshirme (section)

== Decline ==
According to the historian Cemal Kafadar, one of the main reasons for the decline of the devshirme system was that the size of the janissary corps had to be expanded to compensate for the decline in the importance of the [[sipahi]] cavalry forces, which itself was a result of changes in early modern warfare such as the introduction of firearms and increased importance of infantry.<ref name=autogenerated3>Cemal Kafadar. "The Question of Ottoman Decline." Harvard Middle Eastern and Islamic Review, vol. 4, no. 1-2, 1997–1998, pp. 52</ref> Indeed, the janissary corps would soon become the empire's largest single military corps.<ref name=autogenerated3 /> As a result, by the late 16th century, the devshirme system had become increasingly abandoned for less rigid recruitment methods, which allowed Muslims to enter directly into the janissary corps.<ref name=autogenerated3 />

In 1632, the janissaries attempted an unsuccessful coup against [[Murad IV]], who then imposed a loyalty oath on them. In 1638<ref>Hubbard, Glenn and Tim Kane. (2013). Balance: The Economics of Great Powers From Ancient Rome to Modern America. Simon & Schuster. p. 152. {{ISBN|978-1-4767-0025-0}}</ref> or 1648, the devshirme-based recruiting system of the janissary corps formally came to an end.<ref>{{cite book |last=Zürcher |first=Erik |year=1999 |location=London and New York |title=Arming the State |publisher=LB Tauris and Co. Ltd. |page=80|isbn=1-86064-404-X }}</ref> In an order sent in multiple copies to authorities throughout the European provinces in 1666, a devshirme recruitment target of between 300 and 320 was set for an area covering the whole of the central and western [[Balkans]].{{sfn|Murphey|2006|pp=44–45}} On the accession of sultan [[Suleiman II of the Ottoman Empire|Suleiman II]] in 1687, only 130 janissary inductees were graduated to the janissary ranks.{{sfn|Murphey|2006|p=46}} The system was finally abolished in the early part of [[Ahmet III]]'s reign (1703–1730).{{sfn|Murphey|2006|p=223}}

After Napoleon invaded Egypt in 1798, there was a reform movement in Sultan [[Selim III]]'s regime to reduce the numbers of the askeri class, who were the first class citizens or military class (also called janissaries). Selim was taken prisoner and murdered by the janissaries. The successor to the sultan, [[Mahmud II]], was patient but remembered the results of the uprising in 1807. In 1826, he created the basis of a new modern army, the [[Asakir-i Mansure-i Muhammediye]],<ref name = Kinross456>Kinross, pp. 456–457.</ref> which caused a revolt among the janissaries. The authorities kept the janissaries{{which|reason=The "Auspicious Incident" article states that the leaders were killed but does not say what happened to the others.|date=December 2016}} in their barracks and slaughtered thousands of them.<ref>Hubbard, Glenn and Tim Kane. (2013). Balance: The Economics of Great Powers From Ancient Rome to Modern America. Simon & Schuster. p. 153. {{ISBN|978-1-4767-0025-0}}</ref> That development entered the [[Ottoman history]] annals as the [[Auspicious Incident]].