Falconers dormitory in Topkapı Palace

The palace school Enderun, which became the basis of Ottoman administrative and military structure, was an important institution during the Ottoman classical age. The courtyard of Enderun was at the same the third courtyard of the Topkapı Palace, which served as a living area for the Sultan. Here captive or converted Christian boys were educated so as to become administrators in future. These boys either managed to rise from lower ranks to upper military order of cavalry troops or were promoted to the level of private room and served as the lord of one of the rooms of the Sultan. Next, they were appointed to covenient posts as administrators, but if they were lucky enough, they could be Grand Viziers as well. The Enderun School had five dormitories, the last of which called falconer dormitory. The pages (ichoghlani) of falconers dormitory were called doghanghi, toganî or bazi. Falconers (doghanghis) both were educated and guided by their experienced colleagues about the profession of doghanghi. They attended the hunting trips of the Sultan and trained the falcons brought from Egypt and other dependent states of the Ottoman Empire. After their education, doghanghis were accepted first by seferli dormitory, to be followed by hazine and seferli dormitories respectively, just to end up with the private room (khass oda) of the Sultan. In the private room they first took the third rank, to be promoted to the second rank next. Then they were given the title of chief falconer (doghanghi bashi) and were hold responsible for the administration of doghanghi dormitory and the command of doghanghis of outer palace. The falconers dormitory was attempted to be abolished in 1084 (A. H.), to be left only one falconer in the Enderun within the next five years. But this last falconer did also leave the Enderun after a while and the falconers dormitory ceased to fulfill its historical function.