The serdengeçti post on our official Instagram account invites us to reconsider a historical concept. As we keep a term alive in our cultural memory, it is also important to know when and in what sense it was used.
Historical usage
The TDV Encyclopaedia of Islam associates serdengeçti with units serving on the front line in Ottoman wars. The term was first used for volunteers undertaking dangerous missions among the akıncı raiders, and later among the Janissaries. They are particularly associated with prolonged sieges. Serdengeçti should therefore not be understood as a single uniform or an unchanging military class across all periods.
Figurative meaning and responsibility
In our organisation’s post, the concept also has a figurative meaning: commitment to an ideal and willingness to take responsibility. A historical military role must be distinguished from today’s voluntary social work.
Today, contributing to a shared future means learning and passing on culture, strengthening solidarity, keeping promises and working for society. When reflecting on concepts from the past, we value this understanding of responsibility that respects human life and dignity.
Image and source
The cover is the illustrative historical poster published by our organisation on Instagram; it is not a documentary image of a particular battle. The detailed history and bibliography of the term are available in the encyclopaedia entry below.