Woodcut by Melchior Lorch (1646), originally engraved in 1576. Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris

A Sipahi (Ottoman Turkish: سپاهی; also transliterated as Spahi, Sepahi, and Spakh) was a member of an élite mounted force within the Six Divisions of Cavalry of the Ottoman Empire. The name ultimately derives from the Persian سپاه (sepâh, meaning "army") and has the same root as the English term "sepoy". The sipahis' status resembled that of the knights of medieval Europe. The sipahi was holder of a fief (تيمار tîmâr; hence the alternative name timarli sipahi) granted directly by the Ottoman sultan, and was entitled to all of the income from it in return for military service. The peasants on the land were subsequently attached to the land. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Ottoman Turkish (Turkish: Osmanlıca, Ottoman Turkish:لسان عثمانی) is the variant of the Turkish language which was used as the administrative and literary language of the Ottoman Empire, containing extensive borrowings from Persian, which in turn had been permeated with Arabic borrowings. ... Transliteration is a mapping from one system of writing into another. ... The Six Divisions of Cavalry (Altı Bölük) was a corps of mounted elite soldiers in the Ottoman army. ... Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power (1683) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Söğüt (1299-1326), Bursa (1326-1365), Edirne (1365-1453), Ä°stanbul (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanl... Persian (known variously as: فارسی Fārsi or پارسی Pārsi, local name in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, Tajik, a Central Asian dialect, or Dari, another local name in Tajikistan and Afghanistan) is a language spoken in Iran, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Southern Russia, neighboring countries, and elsewhere. ... A sepoy (from Persian سپاهی Sepâhi meaning soldier) was a native of India employed as a soldier in the service of a European power, usually of the United Kingdom. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... A sultan (Arabic: سلطان) is an Islamic title, with several historical meanings. ...

The Sipahis were originally founded during the reign of Murad I. They eventually became the largest of the six division of the cavalry and were the mounted counterpart of the Janissaries, who fought on foot. The Sipahis, however, should not be confused with the Timariots, who were irregular cavalry organised along feudal lines and known as "sipahi"s colloquially. In fact, the two formations had very little in common. Sultan Murad I (มู้หลัดที่หนึ่ง) Murad I (nick-named Hüdavendigâr, the God-liked one) (1319 (or 1326) – 1389) was the ruler of the Ottoman Empire from 1359 to 1389. ... Young Greeks at the Mosque (Jean Léon Gérôme, oil on canvas, 1865); this oil painting portrays Greek youths who converted to Islam to become the elite of the army (Turkish yeniceri, recruit) The Janissaries (or janizaries; in Turkish: Yeni çeri, meaning new troops; in Greek: Γενίτσαροι) comprised infantry... A timariot (or timar holder; timarlu in Turkish) was an irregular cavalryman that served the Ottoman sultan and in return was granted a fief called a timar. ... Irregular soldiers in Beauharnois, Quebec, 19th century Irregular military refers to any non-standard military. ... Feudalism comes from the Late Latin word feudum, itself borrowed from a Germanic root *fehu, a commonly used term in the Middle Ages which means fief, or land held under certain obligations by feodati. ...

The duties of the Sipahis included riding with the sultan on parades and as a mounted bodyguard. In times of peace they were also responsible for collecting taxes. The Sipahis played an important part in The Auspicious Incident, subjugating the last rebellion of Janissaries in 1826. However, two years later, Sultan Mahmud II revoked their privileges and dismissed them in favour of a more modern army structure. The Auspicious Incident (in Turkish Vaka-i Hayriye) was the forced disbandment of the centuries old Janissary corps by Ottoman sultan Mahmud II. By the early 17th century, the Janissary corps had ceased to function as an elite military unit. ... The oldest surviving photograph, Nicéphore Niépce, circa 1826 1826 (MDCCCXXVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Sultan Mahmud II Animation showing the structure of the Tughra of Mahmud II Mahmud II (in Arabic محمودالثانى ) (July 20, 1785–July 1, 1839) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death. ...

A timar was the smallest unit of land owned by a sipahi, and would give a yearly revenue of no more than 10,000 akçe, which would be two to four times what a teacher earned. A ziamet yielded up to 100,000 akçe, and was owned by Sipahis of officers rank. A hass gave revenues of more than 100,000 akçe, and was only for the highest ranking in the military. A timar Sipahi was obliged to provide the army with up to five soldiers, a ziamet with up to twenty, and a hass with far more than twenty.

Although the Sipahis were originally recruited, like the Janissaries, from the devshirmeh system[1], by the time of Sultan Mehmed II, their ranks were only chosen from among the ethnic Turks who owned land within imperial borders^{[citation needed]}. Devshirmeh (Turkish devÅŸirme, Greek, paedomazoma) refers to the system used by the Ottoman sultans to tax newly conquered states, and build a loyal slave army and class of administrators: the Janissaries. ... Mehmed II by Gentile Bellini The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ...

From the middle of the 16th century, the Janissaries had started to be the most important part of the army, though the Sipahis were still an important factor in the empire's economy and politics. As late as the 17th century, the Sipahis were, together with their rivals the Janissaries, the actual rulers in the early years of sultan Murad IV's reign. (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Sultan Murad IV Murad IV (June 16, 1612 – February 9, 1640) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1623 to 1640, known both for restoring the authority of the state and for the brutality of his methods. ...

France's Spahis

In the French army, certain Algerian, Tunisian, and Moroccan cavalry units were also called Spahis. First raised in about 1840, they saw service in the conquest of Algeria, the Franco-Prussian War, the occupation of Morocco and Syria, and both World Wars. Prior to 1914 there were four regiments of Spahis in the French Army, three recruited primarily in Algeria and one in Tunisia. During World War I the number of units increased with the creation of Moroccan Spahi regiments and the expansion of the Algerian arm. In the course of World War II most Spahi regiments were mechanised but several squadrons remained mounted for patrol work in North Africa and ceremonial duties in France itself. At the end of the Algerian War (1962) all but one of the Spahi regiments were disbanded. The modern 1st Spahis is an armoured unit which saw service in the First Gulf War. It also maintains the traditions of the entire corps as it previously existed.

During their period as mounted cavalry the Spahis comprised for the most part Arab and Berber troopers commanded by French officers. This division was not absolute however and there were always a certain number of French volunteers in the ranks. In addition, a fixed number of commissioned positions up to the level of captain were reserved for Muslim officers. NCOs were both French and Muslim. As Spahi units were mechanised the proportion of Frenchmen in the ranks increased.

Throughout most of their history the Algerian and Tunisian Spahis wore a very striking Zouave style uniform. It comprised a high Arab headdress, a red jacket embroidered in black, a wide red sash and voluminous light blue trousers. A white burnous was worn together with a red cloak (blue for the Moroccan Spahis). From 1915 on a more practical khaki uniform was adopted for service but the classic red and blue reappeared for parade and off duty wear in 1927. The mounted squadrons retained for ceremonial duties wore this parade uniform until they were disbanded in 1962 The modern 1st Spahis still wears the burnous and red or blue cloaks for full dress.

The Italian colonial administration of Libya raised squadrons of locally recruited Spahi cavalry between 1912 and 1942. These differed from their French namesakes in that their prime role was that of mounted police, tasked with patrolling rural and desert areas. Although they had Italian officers these spahis were more loosely organised than the regular Libyan cavalry regiments ("Savari"). They wore a picturesque dress modelled on that of the desert tribesmen from whom they were recruited. 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the year. ...