Gentile Bellini: A Janissary (1479–81)

(British Museum, London, UK)

A drawing made by the Italian artist Gentile Bellini (1429-1507). The Janissaries were an elite infantry unit in the Ottoman empire. The unit was established during the reign of sultan Murad I (r. 1362–1389) and at first the unit was made of slaves of kidnapped young Christian boys who were converted to Islam. They were forbidden to marry and engage in trade and their loyalty was to the Sultan. During the 15th and 16th century however the strict rules were relaxed and the unit began to decline in military effectiveness. A military modernization of Western Europe further decrease the effectiveness of the Janissaries. During the 17th century the Janissaries became a reactionary force that resisted all change and rose up in revolt several times whenever they felt their privileges were being threatened, or outsiders wanted to modernize them. Ottoman sultans felt obligated to pay each Janissary a reward and raise his pay rank to ensure their loyalty. In 1826 the Janissaries were finally disbanded during the so-called 'Auspicious Incident'. Most of the 135,000 Janissaries revolted against sultan Mahmud II, and after the rebellion was suppressed, its leaders were killed, and many of its members exiled or imprisoned, the Janissary corps was disbanded and replaced with a more modern military force. This drawing of Gentile Bellini was made during the period when Bellini stayed in Constantinople when the Ottoman sultan Mehmed II requested an artist from the Venetian government. Bellini made several drawings during his stay, including a portrait of the Ottoman sultan. Drawing from 1479-1481.