Jelali revolts

Jelali revolts are a series of rebellions in Anatolia of irregular troops led by provincial administrations known as celalî, against the authority of the Ottoman Empire in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

They arise partly as an effort to attain tax privileges.

The first revolt termed as such occur in 1519, during sultan Selim I's reign, near Tokat under the leadership of Celâl, an Alevi preacher, and the name of the chief rebel is later used by Ottoman histories to define other uprisings of similar nature.

Major Celali revolts occur in 1526–28, 1595–1610, 1654–55, and 1658–59.

Although the ethnic factor in these rebellions complies with the general Ottoman pattern of intermixtures, they can be safely described as having a largely Turkic base, especially in relation to the semi-nomadic or nomadic Turkmen clans that had taken part in the building of the empire with their Ottoman kinsmen, and see themselves increasingly distanced from the power base, the central authority relying more on the devşirme system and corps.

They are brought to an end during the reign of Murad IV.

These rebellions are the largest and longest lasting in the history of the Ottoman Empire, have a serious impact on the levying and collecting of the taxes and take a heavy toll on its Turkmen inhabitants.The distinguishing characteristic of the revolts is that, although they initially start out as a civil unrest in reaction against deteriorating living conditions, in time rebellious groups turn against the people to be oppressors claiming land from common people, and as such cause the continuation of the revolts to be against them.

The major uprisings involve the sekbans (irregular troops of musketeers) and sipahis (cavalrymen maintained by land grants).

The rebellions are not attempts to overthrow the Ottoman government but are reactions to a social and economic crisis stemming from a number of factors: a depreciation of the currency, heavy taxation, a decline in the devşirme system by admission of Muslims into the army, and an increase in the number and dominance of the janissaries (sultan's household troops) both in the capital Constantinople and in the provinces.

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