The bashi-bazouks were irregular mercenary troops that were drawn from all over the Ottoman Empire. They were feared for their ferocity; originally they came from one of the tribal groups in Afghanistan. The bashi-bazouks were not paid so they lived on the procedes of their legitimised plunder. They wore no uniforms and usually were mounted. They featured in the Bulgarian Massacres of 1876.


Last modified 8 April 2002