RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF NIZAM-I CEDID IN THE OTTOMAN MILITARY DURING THE ERA OF MAHMUD II (1808-1839)

The military history of the Ottoman Empire in the early 19th century is often narrated through the dramatic account of the Vaka-i Hayriye (1826) event, namely the dissolution of the Janissary Corps. This perspective, however, tends to overshadow the continuity of the concepts and doctrines associated with Nizam-i Cedid that were inherited from the reign of Selim III. Such a framing creates a historiographical gap, which indicates that Mahmud IIs reforms represented a completely new beginning, disconnected from earlier attempts at modernization. This qualitative study aimed to examine the continuity, modernization and adaptation of Nizam-i Cedid elements, mainly organizational structure, recruitment mechanisms and military education, inherent in Mahmud IIs reform agenda. This studys research design involved historical investigation and content analysis, whereby data were collected primarily through documentation that focused on selected reliable sources.