Kuleli Military High School in the context of Abdülmecid I

The Ottoman Army was the military of the Ottoman Empire after the country was reorganized along modern western European lines during the Tanzimat modernization period. In 1826, Sultan Mahmud II abolished the Janissary Corps, which had existed for centuries but was unable to adapt to modern military tactics and frequently rebelled. In its place, he established the Asakir-i Mansure-i Muhammediye (Victorious Soldiers of Prophet Muhammad) army that same year. The Sultan continued his reform efforts by establishing modern institutions to support the army. In 1826, he established the Seraskerlik , equivalent to a modern Ministry of Defense. In 1827, the first military medical school,Imperial School of Medicine, was opened to train doctors and surgeons for the army. In 1834, Harbiye Military School was opened with the support of French military instructors to train officers for the army.

On June 14, 1843, Sultan Abdülmecid changed the army's name to Asâkir-i Nizâmiye-i Şâhâne (Royal Regular Soldiers). From this date onward, the army began to be known simply as the Nizami Ordu (Regular Army). In 1845, he established Kuleli Military High School, the first modern military high school, in the capital Istanbul. In 1848, the first military academy, Erkan-ı Harbiye Military Academy, was opened to train army staff officers and high-ranking officers, or pashas. The Crimean War was the first war effort in which the modern army took part in, proving itself as a decent force. The last reorganization occurred during the Second Constitutional Era.