janissar

Noun

janissary (plural janissaries)

1. (historical) An infantry soldier, often of European Christian background from the Balkans as well as Eastern Europe and forcibly converted to Islam, in a former elite Turkish (Ottoman) guard (disbanded in 1826).
   • My Lord the great Commander of the worlde,
     Besides fifteene contributory kings,
     Hath now in armes ten thouſand Ianiſaries,
     Mounted on luſty Mauritanian Steeds, […]c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC...
   1. (broadly, historical) Any Turkish soldier, particularly one escorting a traveller.
2. (figuratively) An elite, highly loyal supporter.
   • Here is a Proclamation for a Prince: that proclaims him in whoſe name it is emitted [James II of England], to be the greateſt Tyrant that ever lived in the world, and their Revolt who have diſowned him to be the juſteſt that ever was. For herein that Monſter of Prerogative is […] advanced […] to...1744, Alexander Shiels [i.e., Alexander Shields], “Period VI. Containing the Testimony through the Continued Tract of the Present Deformation, from the Year 1660 to this Day.”, in A Hind Let Loose...