About Ottoman armies

[Aryaman]

Hi
I would like to rise 3 questions
1. I wonder about the Ottoman army composition, the number of Janissaries remains fairly constant, but the the payrolls for the Janissary corps show a marked increase in strength, from 13.500 in 1564 to 54.000 in 1660.

2. The timariot cavalry of the European provinces, those mostly found by European armies, rarely used bows, instead they use lances and maces. However in the game we have only the Balkan ligh lancers, while every timariot sipahi is bow armed cavalry in the game.

3. There is also the question of the Timariot Sipahi, numbers decreasing steadily during this period, replaced by an increase of the Sipahi of the Porte.

The net result should be the shift from an army based on a numerous medium shock cavalry with some elite fire units (bow and shot) to an army based on fire units of debased quality.

[rbodleyscott]

Interesting stuff.

What is basis of your information about the usual armament of European timariots? What proportion of European timariots were of converted European origin, and what proportion were of muslim anatolian origin but given European fiefs?

You are of course absolutely right about the increase in janissaries. I suspect that the later list do not allow enough.

With regard to the increase in sipahis of the porte, their relative numbers may have increased, but this is likely to have been accompanied by a reduction in quality. From a functional point of view, therefore, the lower quality sipahis of the porte may be accurately represented in the game by the current carbine armed timariot units.

Why not make some army lists based on your research and they can be used as a mod.