Akinji or akindji ( ota, آقنجى, aḳıncı, lit=raider, ; plural: ''akıncılar'') were irregular

light cavalry Light cavalry comprised lightly armed and armored cavalry troops mounted on fast horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, where the mounted riders (and sometimes the warhorses) were heavily armored. The purpose of light cavalry was primarily ...

, scout divisions (deli) and advance troops of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distin ...

. When the pre-existing Turkish ghazis were incorporated into the Ottoman Empire's military they became known as "akıncı." Unpaid, they lived and operated as

raiders Raider(s) may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Paul Revere & the Raiders, an American rock band * "Raider", a track from the 1969 album ''Farewell Aldebaran'', by Judy Henske and Jerry Yester * "Raiders", a track from the 1987 album ''Young an ...

on the frontiers of the Ottoman Empire, subsisting on plunder. There is a distinction made between "akıncı" and "

deli Deli may refer to: * Delicatessen, a shop selling specially prepared food, or food prepared by such a shop * Sultanate of Deli, a former sultanate in North Sumatra, Indonesia Places * Deli, Boyer-Ahmad, a village in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Pr ...

" cavalry.

History

In war their main role was to act as advance troops on the front lines and demoralise the marching opposing army by using guerrilla tactics, and to put them in a state of confusion and shock. They could be likened to a scythe in a wheat field. They would basically hit the enemy with arrows. When attacked in

melee A melee ( or , French: mêlée ) or pell-mell is disorganized hand-to-hand combat in battles fought at abnormally close range with little central control once it starts. In military aviation, a melee has been defined as " air battle in which ...

, they would retreat while still shooting backwards. They could easily outrun

heavy cavalry Heavy cavalry was a class of cavalry intended to deliver a battlefield charge and also to act as a tactical reserve; they are also often termed '' shock cavalry''. Although their equipment differed greatly depending on the region and histori ...

because they were lightly armed and their horses were bred for speed as opposed to strength. Akinji forces carried swords, lances, shields and battle axes as well, so that in a field of combat, they could face the enemy first and fight melee. In some Ottoman campaigns, such as the

Battle of Krbava field The Battle of Krbava Field ( hr, Bitka na Krbavskom polju, Krbavska bitka; hu, Korbávmezei csata; tr, Krbava Muharebesi) was fought between the Ottoman Empire of Bayezid II and an army of the Kingdom of Croatia, at the time in personal uni ...

, Akinji forces were the only units utilized without any need for Ottoman heavy cavalry or infantry. Because of their mobility akinji were also used for

reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops ( skirmishe ...

and as a vanguard force to terrorize the local population before the advance of the main Ottoman forces. Since they were irregular militia, they were not bound by peace treaties, so they could raid border villages and attack enemy garrisons, fortresses and border posts during peacetime, constantly harassing the enemy and checking the weak spots on the rival country's defences. They would also attack trading routes to cut enemy's supply and transportation. Akinji forces were led by certain families. Well-known akinji families were Malkoçoğlu,

Turhanlı Turahan Bey or Turakhan Beg ( tr, Turahan Bey/Beğ; sq, Turhan Bej; el, Τουραχάνης, Τουραχάν μπέης or Τουραχάμπεης;PLP 29165 died in 1456) was a prominent Ottoman military commander and governor of Thessaly ...

, Ömerli, Evrenosoğlu, and Mihalli. These akinji clans were mainly composed of

Turkmen Turkmen, Türkmen, Turkoman, or Turkman may refer to: Peoples Historical ethnonym * Turkoman (ethnonym), ethnonym used for the Oghuz Turks during the Middle Ages Ethnic groups * Turkmen in Anatolia and the Levant (Seljuk and Ottoman-Turkish desc ...

tribal warriors with a leading dynasty which descended from the warrior ghazis of the first Ottoman ruler

Osman I Osman I or Osman Ghazi ( ota, عثمان غازى, translit= ʿOsmān Ġāzī; tr, I. Osman or ''Osman Gazi''; died 1323/4), sometimes transliterated archaically as Othman, was the founder of the Ottoman Empire (first known as the Ottoman Bey ...

. Adventurers, soldiers of fortune, mercenaries, warrior dervishes, and civilians looking for fortune and adventure would also join the ranks of akinji gangs. Since akinjis were seen as irregular militia, they did not have regular salaries as kapikulu soldiers, or fiefs like timarli soldiers; their only income was the booty that they captured. The Akinji system had an important role at the establishment of the empire and fast expansion of Ottoman territories in Europe. Though the akinji system worked excellently from the 14th to 16th centuries, it began to decline after the 16th century. Starting with 16th-17th century nomadic

Tatar The Tatars ()Tatar
in the Collins English Dictionary is an umbrella term for different

and Nogay cavalry from the

Crimean Khanate The Crimean Khanate ( crh, , or ), officially the Great Horde and Desht-i Kipchak () and in old European historiography and geography known as Little Tartary ( la, Tartaria Minor), was a Crimean Tatar state existing from 1441 to 1783, the long ...

also served as akinjis for the Ottoman Empire. After the Ottoman advance in Europe stopped, akinji warriors became unnecessary and without the economy of booty this warrior class slowly faded away. After the modernization of the Ottoman army, the last few officially recognized akinji clans were abolished. Still, last remnants of akinji system existed till late 19th century in the Balkan provinces as the bashi-bozouk (irregular) warriors. Although the terminology differentiating between similar types of Ottoman cavalry corps is not fully clarified, the akinji, once decimated in the battle of Giurgiu in October 1595 as they were retreating over the Danube, was apparently gradually replaced by new irregular corps, such as the "deli" and "bashi-bozouk".

In literature

Akinji lifestyle with battles was a romantic fantasy for the public and so akinjis were a popular subject in Ottoman folk literature and music. "Serhad türküleri" or "border folk songs" is a subcategory of Ottoman folk music dealing mostly with akinji raids and battles or love affairs of akinji warriors, sometimes odes to fallen warriors. Alişimin Kaşları Kara" (My Aliş had Black Eyebrows), "Estergon Kalesi" (Castle of Esztergom) are some of the most popular examples. In the modern period, romantic-revivalist Turkish writers also wrote poems about akinjis. Yahya Kemal's "Akıncılar" is one of the most well-known example on this subject.

Gallery

Image:Sueleymanname akinci2.png, An akinji irregular doing battle. Image:AkincilarMezari.JPG, Akinji graveyard at Budapest Image:Sueleymanname akinci.png, Akinji duelling with Hungarian knight-Suleimanname Image:Sueleymanname Akinci-Beys.png, Sueleymanname Akinji-Beys Image:Deli Sinan.jpg, Akinji Sinan Bey duels with Hungarian knight Eugene, 1526, Suleymanname Image:Akinci Rekrutierung.png, Akinji Recruitment letter

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Akinji Cavalry units and formations of the Ottoman Empire Irregular units and formations

History

In literature

Gallery

See also

References