The Janissary Tree
Encyclopedia
The Janissary Tree is a crime novel
, written by Jason Goodwin
. It is set in Istanbul
in 1836.
The first in a series featuring the eunuch
detective Yashim, it deals with the fictional aftermath of a real event in Ottoman history – the so-called Auspicious Event
, which took place in June 1826 – the disbanding (and mass killing) of the Janissaries, once elite troops of the Ottoman Empire but long an unruly element beyond the control of the Sultan or anybody else.
Ten years later, several soldiers of the new Westernized corps which replaced the Janissaries are kidnapped and one by one gruesomely killed - in ways and at locations which suggest a revenge by surviving Janissaries hidden somewhere. Solving the mystery is entrusted to Yashim, an intellectual eunuch, who is resourceful and learned in both the Ottoman culture and that of the West, who enjoys the trust of the Sultan and high officials, and who prefers to live in a rather bohemian lodging outside the palace complex. Urgently called in at night, Yashim for the rest of the book races against time in an effort to decode the pattern of the killings, connected to points significant in the Janissaries' history, before the full plot comes to its shattering conclusion.
Simultaneously, he must also try to solve the murder of the Sultan's newest concubine, which might or might not be connected with the soldiers' killings. Being a eunuch, he has free access to carry out investigations in the harem and interview surviving concubines – which a whole man would have been debarred from doing in Ottoman Istanbul.
The background is the Ottoman Empire's precarious position as "The Sick Man of Europe", desperately seeking to reform, under the reforming Sultan Mahmud II
, who prefers the reading of French novels to the sensual pleasures of the harem. Foreign powers dabble in Ottoman affairs and seek to widen divisions. In particular, Yashim suspects an involvement by Russia
, the Ottomans' traditional enemy – but investigations at the Russian Embassy embroil Yashim with a beautiful and unhappy Russian woman, in a poignant affair which could never be fully consummated.
However, hints at a Russian-led conspiracy might be no more than red herrings, intended to hide a schemer closer to home, and in the murky atmosphere of the Ottoman court no one can be trusted – up to the explosive surprise climax.
The Janissary Tree won an Edgar Award
for Best Novel 2007.
Crime fiction
Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalizes crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be, and indeed are, blurred...
, written by Jason Goodwin
Jason Goodwin
Jason Goodwin is a British writer and historian. He studied Byzantine history at Cambridge University. Following the success of A Time For Tea: Travels in China and India in Search of Tea, he walked from Poland to Istanbul, Turkey...
. It is set in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
in 1836.
The first in a series featuring the eunuch
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
detective Yashim, it deals with the fictional aftermath of a real event in Ottoman history – the so-called Auspicious Event
The Auspicious Incident
The Auspicious Incident was the forced disbandment of the centuries-old Janissary corps by Ottoman sultan Mahmud II in June 1826....
, which took place in June 1826 – the disbanding (and mass killing) of the Janissaries, once elite troops of the Ottoman Empire but long an unruly element beyond the control of the Sultan or anybody else.
Ten years later, several soldiers of the new Westernized corps which replaced the Janissaries are kidnapped and one by one gruesomely killed - in ways and at locations which suggest a revenge by surviving Janissaries hidden somewhere. Solving the mystery is entrusted to Yashim, an intellectual eunuch, who is resourceful and learned in both the Ottoman culture and that of the West, who enjoys the trust of the Sultan and high officials, and who prefers to live in a rather bohemian lodging outside the palace complex. Urgently called in at night, Yashim for the rest of the book races against time in an effort to decode the pattern of the killings, connected to points significant in the Janissaries' history, before the full plot comes to its shattering conclusion.
Simultaneously, he must also try to solve the murder of the Sultan's newest concubine, which might or might not be connected with the soldiers' killings. Being a eunuch, he has free access to carry out investigations in the harem and interview surviving concubines – which a whole man would have been debarred from doing in Ottoman Istanbul.
The background is the Ottoman Empire's precarious position as "The Sick Man of Europe", desperately seeking to reform, under the reforming Sultan Mahmud II
Mahmud II
Mahmud II was the 30th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. He was born in the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, the son of Sultan Abdulhamid I...
, who prefers the reading of French novels to the sensual pleasures of the harem. Foreign powers dabble in Ottoman affairs and seek to widen divisions. In particular, Yashim suspects an involvement by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, the Ottomans' traditional enemy – but investigations at the Russian Embassy embroil Yashim with a beautiful and unhappy Russian woman, in a poignant affair which could never be fully consummated.
However, hints at a Russian-led conspiracy might be no more than red herrings, intended to hide a schemer closer to home, and in the murky atmosphere of the Ottoman court no one can be trusted – up to the explosive surprise climax.
The Janissary Tree won an Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
for Best Novel 2007.