List of foreigners who were in the service of the Ottoman Empire
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is an incomplete list that refers to those who were not from the Ottoman Empire, but later served the country. This may be militarily, as a diplomat, a spy, or any other way. Foreigners employed by the Sublime Porte, often renegades and refugees, were diverse in their ethnic origins, generally hailing from aristocratic families. Typically high-ranking individuals in Ottoman society, they were regarded as "invaluable" by the Sultan, and were therefore "generously rewarded" for their services.[1]
Italian historian Giancarlo Casale posits that it was the ability of the Ottomans to "accommodate diversity" and "embrace it fully as their own" which attracted foreigners to the country.[2] Those who converted to Islam in general, but especially while in the service of the Ottoman state, were considered by Christendom to have 'turned Turk'.[3][4][5][6]
The increased prevalence of foreign military officers in the Ottoman Empire after the mid-1800s is owed to the fact that non-Muslims were no longer required to convert to Islam to serve in the Ottoman army after the passing of the 1856 Reform Edict.[7] However, there are numerous notable cases before the Edict where conversion to Islam was not required. An example is Sinan 'The Great Jew', regarded as the right-hand man of famed Grand Admiral, Hayreddin Barbarossa.[8]