THE RISE OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE 95pursuing beaten enemies, their nature ran contrary to the Ottoman desire
to establish settlements in conquered areas—raiders are more likely to
loot and destroy than to occupy and build. These disruptive nomads, who
would continue to prove troublesome until as recently as 1918, were sent
to the frontiers where their depredations would fall more on neighbors
than on their friends.
Unfortunately, the Ottomans needed a suitable replacement before they
could dispense with the services of this irregular force. As a result, Orhan
Gazi, the Ottoman ruler from 1324 to 1359, began the process of orga-
nizing regular, salaried bodies of soldiers. His Ottoman standing army
consisted of infantry oryayaand cavalry known asmu ̈sellems.This army
included both Christian and Muslim Turks, but as the Ottomans moved
into the Balkans under Sultan Murat I (1326–89) the emphasis shifted to
Muslim troops. As the army grew, the Turkomans were moved to the
frontiers for use as shock troops and known asakinci(raider) ordeli
(fanatic).
Orhan’s eldest son, Suleiman, died before Orhan, so Murat I (1360–89)
succeeded the great leader, and ascended the Ottoman throne. Under Mu-
rat I theyayasandmu ̈sellemsremained the permanent army paid in pro-
vincial fiefs rather than cash. In order to gain greater control of the
mercenary troops raised by the provincial commanders, Murat began to
organize a new military force composed of the “slaves of the Porte”(kap-
iskullari).These men came to the sultan’s service as young men. They
were educated in the Turkish language and Ottoman culture. The “New
Force” or Janissary corps was given military training and organized as
infantry or as cavalry known as “Spahis.”The Janissaries received salaries
paid directly by the sultan and were under the direct control of the central
government. The Spahis, however, were supported by a series of fiefs,
known astimars,controlled by the old Turkish nobility. This process
pushed theyayasandmu ̈sellemsinto rear-line duties. The New Force and
other salaried forces became the primary instrument of conquests.
Once on the throne, Murat I began extending Ottoman control in central
Anatolia. Completing his occupation of central Anatolia, he turned on
Europe. He bypassed Constantinople and made his first target Edirne,
which commanded the pass between the Balkan and Rhodope Mountains.
With his lines of communication secure, he began a steady push into the
Balkans.
On June 15, 1389, the Ottoman forces under Murat I found themselves
at Kosovo, facing a Christian army. Some suggest that the Ottoman army
had 60,000 men and the Christian army under King Lazar of Serbia had
100,000 men. The Ottoman army right was formed by Murat’s European