What was the Ottoman name for the elite cavalry force?

The Ottoman elite cavalry force was known as the sipahis, or Sipahis. The name covered important mounted troops in the Ottoman military, including the timarli sipahis and the palace-based Kapıkulu Sipahis.

Timarli sipahis formed much of the empire’s provincial cavalry. In return for administering a land grant called a timar, collecting revenue, and maintaining order, they provided military service. They commonly fought on the army’s flanks and were especially important during the empire’s classical period.

The Kapıkulu Sipahis were a separate elite household cavalry corps directly attached to the sultan’s palace. They were the mounted counterpart of the Janissaries, who served as elite infantry. This distinction explains why historical sources can use “sipahi” both for a broad cavalry class and for a specific palace regiment.

The terms Akıncılar and Deli referred to other types of mounted troops, while Janissaries were primarily infantry. Sipahi ultimately derives from the Persian word sepāh, meaning army.