Make the Balkans Part of Your Lifestyle
Travel can fit around the way you like to live. Some people want full days of activity, while others prefer
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Tour Guide Istanbul for a Calm Weekend Escape
Make room for a slower city break A weekend in Istanbul does not need to be packed from morning until
Find a Better Rhythm with Ephesus Guides
Trade a rushed schedule for a richer day Travel is often full of decisions about where to go next. At
The Fall of Hasan Ağa’s Rebellion
Hasan Ağa’s Appeal to the Sultan As Hasan Ağa and his followers approached Üsküdar, he claimed that his actions were
Changes in the Janissary Corps and Military Service
The Traditional Role of the Janissaries The Janissaries were once the elite soldiers of the Ottoman Empire and were considered
The Meaning of the “Seven Banners”
This small republic was sometimes called “the Seven Banners.” This name had a special meaning. It suggested that, in order
The Rank Below the Grand Vizier
Next in authority after the Grand Vizier, also called the Vizier Azem or First Vizier, are the officials known as
The Dwarfs of the Ottoman Court
In the Ottoman court, there was another group of attendants besides the Pages and the Mutes. These were the Dwarfs,
Kara Chiaus and the Assault
During this time, Kara Chiaus, with 200 men, had retreated into his garden. He was soon attacked by an Aga
Flattery and Servile Behavior in the Seraglio
A Culture of Excessive Submission Within the walls of the Seraglio there appears a kind of planned and practiced baseness