TRENDEFRAtlas of the Sultans · Glossary
Term · Army and navy
Also known as: household troops
Salaried soldiers and servants in permanent service, directly attached to the sultan.
The kapıkulu army consisted of infantry and cavalry corps: the Janissaries, the armourers (cebeci), the artillerymen and the kapıkulu cavalry were the chief among them. While the timar-holding sipahis came from the provinces, the kapıkulu soldiers were based in the capital and drew their pay from the treasury.
Source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, article “KAPIKULU” (in Turkish); text condensed for the atlas.