PC: Imperial Russian Janissaries?

Or technically, reverse Janissaries; (predominately) Muslim Central Asian warriors, forcibly recruited at young age, converted to the Orthodox church and rigorously trained in warfare and administration. At least initially,the troops would be directly loyal to the Tsar and thus a useful praetorian counterweight to the Boyars/Streltsy.
 
This likely relies entirely on someone simply coming up with the idea, because its not like its something the Tsar would oppose it just doesnt seem like an obvious thing to come up with.
 
This likely relies entirely on someone simply coming up with the idea, because its not like its something the Tsar would oppose it just doesnt seem like an obvious thing to come up with.
Well it doesnt seem like a particularly useful or efficient idea. Its a long way from Central Asia to St. Petersburg after all.

There's also the fact that Russia tended to react rather negatively to slavery (serfdom being completely different).
 
I actually meant Russia mimicking the recruitment system (divishirme?) but couldn't recall the proper term. In view of the two empire's proximity, I thought it seemed a vaguely plausible convergent evolution. To the extent of my limited familiarity with Russian military history, perhaps the Cossacks eventually filled the Janissary niche?
 
Eh the Cossacks wernt really that... They were more of a cultural community that had a history of living on Russia's (rather dangerous) frontiers.

Russia did have cantonists, which were basically military elementary schools both for Russians and minorities. Graduates wernt particularly special like the janissaries were tho, they simply became normal soldiers upon turning 18.
 
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