JALONNEURS, Fr. are the men selected from a battalion to mark out the ground, or, to take up relative points towards which the columns may march. We call them guides of manœuvre.
St. JAMES, Knights of, a military order in Spain, first instituted in the year 1170, by Ferdinand II. king of Leon and Galicia. The greatest dignity belonging to this order was that of grand master, which had been united to the crown of Spain. The knights were obliged to make proof of their descent from families that had been noble for four generations on both sides; they must also make it appear that their said ancestors had neither been Jews, Saracens, nor heretics, nor have ever been called in question by the Inquisition! The novices were obliged to serve six months in the gallies, and to live a month in a monastery. They observed the rules of St. Austin, making no vows but of poverty, obedience, and conjugal fidelity.
JANIBAR, Ind. an advocate; a defender; it likewise signifies a partial person.
JANISSAIRES, Fr. See [Janizaries].
JANIZARIES. The first establishment of this body of armed men took place when the sultan Amurat obtained such wonderful success in the inroads that were made into Thrace, and a part of Macedonia, by the Bachas Lala, Saim, and Auranos. Nor was the sultan satisfied with this good fortune; he pushed his successes into Europe, and took an immense number of prisoners of all ages, but principally children. These were put under military tuition, with the view of hereafter converting them to some useful purpose for the Ottoman state.
Amurat took advice of one Agis Bictas, who by the dint of hypocrisy had obtained the character and reputation of a very virtuous man. Agis Bictas gave directions in the first instance, that these children should put several christians to death. He did this with the view of accustoming their young minds to scenes of slaughter, and to inure them to cruelty, as they were hereafter to compose the groundwork of the Turkish infantry, under the appellation of janizaries, or new militia. He next instructed them to observe an austere and barbarous outside appearance, and to become emulous of acquiring peculiar fame whenever they should be engaged in battle. In order to impress them with ideas of grandeur, he took off a part of his muslin sleeve, and twisted it in the shape of a turban, put it round the head of one of the children, when the corps were first established. This turban or cap was the model which the rest were to imitate. The Janizaries wear the same sort to this day, with the addition of some gold lace.
The body of janizaries has been considerably augmented since their first establishment. According to a late account they have been increased to 54,222; these have been divided into three separate corps, viz. into jajabeys, bolykys, and selmanys. These were moreover distinguished among themselves by the following names; corigys, oturakys, and fodlahorans.
They are under chiefs appointed for the specific purpose of superintending their conduct and behaviour, and are subordinate to particular officers, whose charge is confined to corps or companies that are called odas, a Turkish word, which properly signifies chamber or room, being thus called from the place in which they were ordered to mess. At Constantinople these chambers are covered with a sort of china ware; and there are recesses, called sophas, on which the men may sit or sleep. A kitchen is attached to each room, with every other convenience. When they take the field the same arrangement is attended to. The different companies being distributed in large round tents that are distinguished by the figures of beasts and Arabic words.
All the janizary companies consist of 196 men each. There are 101 companies of jajabeys, who form the garrisons of the most important places upon the frontiers. The officers belonging to these companies are permitted to ride in the presence of their general, which is a privilege peculiar to themselves. On this account they wear yellow half boots.
The bolykys consist of 61 companies; the commanding officers are obliged to wear red half boots, which is to shew, that they are not permitted to go through their duty on horseback.