Six Divisions of Cavalry

The Six Divisions of Cavalry (Turkish: Altı Bölük Halkı), also known as the Kapıkulu Süvarileri ("Household Cavalry of Gate Slaves"), was a corps of elite cavalry soldiers in the army of the Ottoman Empire. There were not really six, but four, divisions in the corps. Two of the six were sub-divisions. The divisions were:

• Sipahis (From Persian, translated roughly as "armymen")
• Silahdars (From Persian, translated roughly as "weaponbearers")
• Ulufecis (Turkish: Ulufeciler; translated as "stipendiaries"), organised into two sub-divisions:
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• Garips (Turkish: Garipler; translated roughly as "strangers"), organised into two sub-divisions:
  • Garips of the Left
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The elite cavalry was the mounted counterpart to the Janissaries and played an important part in the Ottoman Army. The Six Divisions were probably founded during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II (r. 1451–1481), but the Sipahis had existed since 1326.

See also

• Military of the Ottoman Empire