The Devshirme: How the Ottomans Took 1 in 40 Sons

Name: The Devshirme: How the Ottomans Took 1 in 40 Sons
Uploaded: 2026-10-21T13:00:34Z
Duration: 171 s
Channel: Kings and Generals
Description: Every seven years, Ottoman commanders gathered Christian youths across the Balkans through the Devshirme ("child levy"). Targeting rural boys aged 14–18 from every 40th household, only-sons were spared to keep farms taxable. While some families hid sons in caves or married them off early to explo...