Bostanji

{{Short description|Imperial guards of the Ottoman Empire}} {{other uses|Bostancı (disambiguation)}} thumb|right|A guard of the bostanji corps A '''bostanji''' (also spelled '''bostandji''' or '''bostangi'''; from {{langx|tr|bostancı}}, literally "gardener"<ref name="m-w">[http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bostanji "bostanji."] ''Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged.'' Merriam-Webster. 2002.</ref>) was a member of one of the types of imperial guards of the Ottoman Empire. The bostanji were mainly responsible for protecting the sultan's palace and its premises.<ref name="m-w" /> They also guarded the seraglio and rowed the sultan's barge.<ref name=nie/> Their chief was called the '''bostanji-bashi''' ({{langx|tr|bostancıbaşı}}), and he had the rank of a pasha.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Chambers's Encyclopaedia |title=Bostanji |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UaIMAAAAYAAJ |accessdate=2009-08-10 |year=1883 |publisher=W. and R. Chambers |pages=259 }}</ref> The bostanji at one time numbered 3000, and were united with the janissaries, another Ottoman imperial guard corps, in military duty. In wartime their strength was 12,000. By the beginning of the 20th century their number was about 600.<ref name=nie>{{Cite NIE|wstitle=Bostangi}}</ref>

==See also== * Topkapı Palace

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?1239154 "Image of a Bostanji-bashi."] ''Digital Gallery.'' New York Public Library. 2009.

Category:Ottoman titles Category:Turkish words and phrases Category:Royal guards Category:Military units and formations of the Ottoman Empire Category:Corps of Janissaries