Devshirme in the Ottoman Palace School
Encyclopedia
The primary objective of the Palace School
was to train the ablest children for leadership
positions, either as military leaders or as high administrators to serve the Empire
. Although there are many resemblances between Enderun
and other palace schools of the previous civilizations, such as those of the Abbasids, and Seljuks or the contemporary European palace schools, Enderun was unique with respect to the background of the student body and its meritocratic
system. Ethnicity or race was irrelevant in the strict draft phase (devshirmeh), as students were selected from the multicultural population of the Empire.
Those entrusted to find these children were scouts who were specially trained people throughout the Empire's Europe
an lands. Scouts were recruiting youngsters according to their talent and ability with school subjects, in addition to their personality, character, and physical perfection. The Enderun candidates were not supposed to be orphan
s, or the only child in their family (to ensure the candidates had strong family values); they must not have already learned to speak Turkish
or a craft/trade. The ideal age of a recruit was between 10 and 20 years of age. Mehmed Refiq Bey mentioned that youth with a bodily defect, no matter how slight, was never admitted into palace service (as cited in ), because Turks believed that a strong soul and a good mind could be found only in a perfect body.
The brightest youths who fit into the general guidelines and had a strong primary education
were then given to selected Muslim families across Anatolia
to complete the enculturation
process. They would later attend schools across Anatolia to complete their training for six to seven years in order to qualify as ordinary military officers. They would get the highest salaries amongst the administrators of the empire, and very well respected in public. Armagan, defined the system as a pyramid which was designed to select the elite of the elite, the ablest and most physically perfect. Only a very few would reach the Palace school. More than three hundred years later, in 1789, Thomas Jefferson
, the future president of the United States
, proposed a similar system of identifying the most capable and educating them to their highest potential in his "A Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge".
Palace school
The Palace school was part of the House of Osman's system, designated to educate the Ottoman Empire's governing elite. It consisted of two distinct branches. The Madrasa for the Muslims, which educated the scholars and the state officials in accordance with Islamic tradition...
was to train the ablest children for leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
positions, either as military leaders or as high administrators to serve the Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. Although there are many resemblances between Enderun
Enderun School
Enderun School which meant "inner most" was a free-boarding school for the Christian Millet of the Ottoman Empire, which recruited students via Devshirme - an enculturation system of the Christian youngsters for learning the characteristics of the Islamic society and the unique culture of the...
and other palace schools of the previous civilizations, such as those of the Abbasids, and Seljuks or the contemporary European palace schools, Enderun was unique with respect to the background of the student body and its meritocratic
Meritocracy
Meritocracy, in the first, most administrative sense, is a system of government or other administration wherein appointments and responsibilities are objectively assigned to individuals based upon their "merits", namely intelligence, credentials, and education, determined through evaluations or...
system. Ethnicity or race was irrelevant in the strict draft phase (devshirmeh), as students were selected from the multicultural population of the Empire.
Those entrusted to find these children were scouts who were specially trained people throughout the Empire's Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an lands. Scouts were recruiting youngsters according to their talent and ability with school subjects, in addition to their personality, character, and physical perfection. The Enderun candidates were not supposed to be orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
s, or the only child in their family (to ensure the candidates had strong family values); they must not have already learned to speak Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
or a craft/trade. The ideal age of a recruit was between 10 and 20 years of age. Mehmed Refiq Bey mentioned that youth with a bodily defect, no matter how slight, was never admitted into palace service (as cited in ), because Turks believed that a strong soul and a good mind could be found only in a perfect body.
The brightest youths who fit into the general guidelines and had a strong primary education
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
were then given to selected Muslim families across Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
to complete the enculturation
Enculturation
Enculturation is the process by which a person learns the requirements of the culture by which he or she is surrounded, and acquires values and behaviours that are appropriate or necessary in that culture. As part of this process, the influences which limit, direct, or shape the individual include...
process. They would later attend schools across Anatolia to complete their training for six to seven years in order to qualify as ordinary military officers. They would get the highest salaries amongst the administrators of the empire, and very well respected in public. Armagan, defined the system as a pyramid which was designed to select the elite of the elite, the ablest and most physically perfect. Only a very few would reach the Palace school. More than three hundred years later, in 1789, Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, the future president of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, proposed a similar system of identifying the most capable and educating them to their highest potential in his "A Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge".