Sad attributes his limited resources and the color of his sons to his wife; in doing so, Sad provides a glimpse of the hierarchy of color that existed in the army and in the levels of authority. Historically, Circassian children, sold by their parents to the Ottomans in the system known as devshirme, were raised to become members of the ruling class; hence they were considered to be more valuable, and cost more than darker children, who would be groomed only as slaves or servants.

Eve M. Troutt Powell, A Different Shade of Coloni…, loc. 438