Devshirme was a system used by the Ottoman Empire from the 14th to the 17th centuries to recruit boys from Christian families in the Balkans. These boys, typically aged 8 to 18, were taken from their homes and converted to Islam. They were trained to serve in various capacities, including as soldiers in the elite Janissary corps or as administrators. The devshirme system aimed to create a loyal and skilled workforce for the empire. While it provided opportunities for social mobility, it was often seen as a form of forced recruitment, leading to significant cultural and familial disruption in the communities affected.