514 appendix 2
At the accession to the throne of that flower of Emperors, Sultan Süleyman
Cannuni, the science of firing with quickness artillery in position, making use
of muskets, and practising such like military exercises, and of defeating large
armies with a very small body of troops, was not known amongst the foreign
states of Europe and other nations. In this state of things they carried on wars
against us; and in such contests the pious enthusiasm of the soldiers of Islam
caused the gales of victory and conquest to blow on the side of the Sublime
Government. Sometimes, also, they were on that of the enemy. It came to pass
by a disposition of Divine Providence, that His Highness Sultan Süleyman hav-
ing for some years following continually met with bad success in his wars against
the Germans, and perceiving that his defeats were owing to the unskilfulness
and want of discipline of our soldiers, employed himself in creating a corps of
regular troops, and inscribing recruits for that purpose. Immediately a number
of idle, and ignorant vagabonds, who disapproved of this institution of troops,
quarters, and military regulations, began to murmur, saying, “Was the world
originally conquered by the Janissaries? No; it was subdued by the Segbans, and
other valiant companies. What sort of corps is this? and what is the meaning
of these dresses? What strange things are the water-carriers, cooks, and ser-
vants, with their various dresses and titles!” ... Before much time had elapsed,
the enemy being broken and routed, and perceiving by experience the advan-
tages of this discipline, obtained peace with a thousand entreaties. Hereupon all
the Crals [Christian kings] ... held a council ... They concluded their conference
by forming a masterly project, and inventing a method of using with expedi-
tion their cannon, muskets, and other instruments of war, and prohibiting their
troops from engaging in commerce, they obliged them to pass their whole time
in learning military exercises, in which they made such progress that it became
at last impossible to break their ranks. In truth, it is well known to those who
are acquainted with history, that in the wars which have taken place since the
invention of this new system of tactics, the Ottomans have been most frequently
worsted, because they found it impossible to make use of their sabres among the
infidels as they wished to do; for their regular troops keep in a compact body,
pressing their feet together that their order of battle may not be broken ...
By explaining all this, and by giving answers founded on the knowledge of
passing events, I have succeeded in convincing many persons, who by falsehood
endeavoured to support the unjust opposition of the partisans of the Janissaries.