Devshirme (Ottoman دوشيرمه, Greek παιδομάζωμα, Paedomazoma - collection of children; Armenian: Մանկահավաք, Mankahavak') - child-gathering; Romanian: tribut de sânge; Croatian: Danak u krvi, Slovene: Krvni davek, Serbian: Данак у крви / Danak u krvi, Macedonian: Данок во крв / Danok vo krv, and Bulgarian: Кръвен данък/ Kraven Danak - blood tax) was the practice by which the Ottoman Empire forcibly took boys from Christian families, who were selected by skilled scouts to be trained and enrolled in one of the four imperial institutions: the Palace, the Scribes, the Religious and the Military.

Although the primary objective of the devshirme system was to select and train the ablest children for leadership positions, either as military leaders or as high administrators to serve the Empire, converting to Islam was mandatory to stay in the system. The devshirme candidates were not supposed to be orphans, or the only child in their family (to ensure the candidates had strong family values); they must not have already learned to speak Turkish or a craft/trade. The ideal age of a recruit was between 10 and 20 years of age, although they recruited much younger boys. As the devshirmah were recruited to rise up to the grand vizier status, a few Christian parents were known to bribe scouts to take their children in Bosnia. Nevertheless, the devshirme system was locally resented and was resisted, even to the point of disfiguring their sons. This system as explained by Kara Khalil Chendereli, founder of the Janissaries, "The conquered are slaves of the conquerors, to whom their goods, their women, and their children belong as lawful possession..", indicates the clear opinion of an Ottoman official regarding devsirme.

Sırrı Süreyya Önder is a Turkish fim director, actor, screen writer, columnist, and an MP elected in the Turkish general election, 2011.