496 appendix 2
janissaries’ numbers increased unnecessarily, that their salaries were also multi-
plied, and that expenses surpassed income.
... Another issue is that, for 25 or 30 years now, all the official posts in Istanbul
have been given through bribery; furthermore, bribery has reached such a de-
gree that, on the pretext of “gifts”, bribes are given and taken openly from one
household (kapu) to another. Among the ulema and state administrators it has
been raised now to a pious custom, even being—God forbid!—permissible. For
instance, if someone is thought of as pious and sincere, or is not known to associ-
ate with young boys or other lustful company, he is not given any post; nay, he is
scorned as a useless soul. This is what has become the situation in Istanbul now-
adays. In the provinces, too, most of the judges, the governors, the district gover-
nors, and the other administrators are addicted to this trouble.
... Thus, the corruption of the state of the world, the interference of strangers
with the janissary class, the appearance of robbers and of the Celalis, financial
weakness, the scattering of the peasants, the manning of government posts by
inappropriate people, the rise of bribery, and, to sum up, all these sinful acts that
are contrary to the law are the result of the grand vizier’s absence and weakness,
and of nothing else.15 Koçi Bey, Risâle (See Chapter 5)
From the first Risâle (“Treatise”):18
[All the glorious conquests of old] were made by the owners of zeamet and ti-
mars; this is how tribute was collected from all the neighboring rulers. In the
olden days, this class consisted of the selected ones, of the valiant ones who
would give their body and soul for the religion and the dynasty, and of the obedi-
ent and the superior ones. As long as they were in perfect condition, there was
absolutely no need for janissaries for the (various) wars and the battles. They
were a pure, disciplined class, well-wishing for the dynasty; not one intruder
could be found among their ranks and they were all noblemen (ocak ve ocakza-
deler) who had owned sultanly fiefs for generations ... It was a sin similar to blas-
phemy to give a timar to a city lad or a peasant ... The owner of a timar would
gain the right to a zeamet only if he showed extraordinary courage on an imperi-
al campaign, bringing ten or fiteen enemy heads or prisoners. State officials and
soldiers did not use silver harnesses, ornaments, and the like; they all cared only
for a good horse, a sharp sword, a humble robe and armor, a spear and, a bow.18 Koçi Bey – Aksüt 1939, 24–25, 44–46, 51; modern Turkish translation in Koçi Bey –
Çakmakcıoğlu 2008, 32–33, 58–61, 67.