The Ottoman army that conquered much of the Middle and Near East was composed mostly of:
A) mercenaries.
B) free Muslim citizens.
C) slaves.
D) volunteers from conquered countries.
E) drafted Christians from conquered lands.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Ottoman army was composed mostly of slaves, who were recruited through the devshirme system. This was a process of selecting young boys from Christian families in conquered territories, who were then trained and converted to Islam to serve the Ottoman Empire as soldiers and administrators. This practice continued until the 17th century.

The Ottoman Army That Conquered Much of the Middle and near East