The Auspicious Event: Mahmud II and the End of the Janissaries

In June 1826, Sultan Mahmud II orchestrated the violent abolition of the Janissary corps, a force that had once been the backbone of the Ottoman army but had become a reactionary obstacle to reform. This episode explores the Vaka-i Hayriye (Auspicious Event) from its immediate trigger—a staged revolt by the Janissaries against new military drills—to the bloody suppression at the Et Meydanı (Horse Square) in Constantinople. We discuss how Mahmud II used religious backing from the ulema, the role of the Bektashi order, and the aftermath that saw thousands executed and the corps replaced by the Asakir-i Mansure-i Muhammediye. The event reshaped the city's military and social landscape, clearing spaces like the old Janissary barracks for new developments. Drawing on accounts from Ottoman chroniclers and European observers, we unpack why this pivotal moment is crucial to understanding modern Turkey's emergence.

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