Devshirme was a system used by the Ottoman Empire from the 14th to the 17th centuries to recruit young boys from Christian families in the Balkans. These boys, usually aged between 8 and 18, were taken from their homes and converted to Islam. They were then trained to serve in various roles, including as soldiers in the elite Janissary corps or as administrators in the empire. The Devshirme system allowed the Ottoman Empire to maintain a loyal and skilled workforce while also reducing the power of local nobility. Although it was a form of forced recruitment, many boys who entered the system rose to high positions within the empire, contributing to its administration and military strength.