"Ottomans: When did they start using firearms?" Topic

Some posts I've read here and on the Pan Mark Yahoo Group suggest that the Ottomans were using only very few firearms at the time of the Battle of Chocim in the early 1620's.

Does anyone know when firearms started to be a significant part of the Ottoman weaponry for major pitched battles?

My understanding is that "eastern" armies in general picked up on extensive firearm use later than Europe, and always lagged behind in the latest developments.

In the early 17th century, the Janissaries were the only "corps" completely armed with guns. Azub infantry were using the usual bows, spears and javelins, with some starting to use the arquebus. But infantry played a secondary role to the more numerous cavalry, which continued to be horsearchers for the most part. The Balkan cavalry serving the Ottomans would have been armed with pistols by this period.

Thanks. I'll pick up a copy of the book from my alumnus library this week.

Pretty early. In the first half 16th Century all Janissary foot regiments become equiped with arquebuses. And, of course, we can point to the good use that the Ottoman army made of heavy siege guns in 1453 to besiege Constantinople.

Thanks, Basileus. Do you know off-hand when Spahis would have started using pistols?

[ In the first half 16th Century all Janissary foot regiments become equiped with arquebuses.]

Not all. The new ortas raised by Selim I in 1514 were all-guns, in part due to his frustration with not being able to get the older ortas to convert to the new weapons. When he marched against Persia and then Egypt, the Janissaries were probably about 50% arquebus-equipped. Some ortas stubbornly retained their bows or crossbows well into the reign of his son, Suleiman the Magnificent.