Final answer:
The Ottoman devshirme system and the Ming civil service examination are historical examples of rulers using bureaucratic elites and military professionals to maintain centralized control. These systems were meant to suppress nepotism and ensure loyalty to the state.
Step-by-step explanation:
The recruitment and utilization of bureaucratic elites and military professionals were crucial strategies for rulers wanting to maintain centralized control over their states. Among the choices given (A. Ottoman devshirme, B. Salaried samurai, C. Ming civil service examination, D. European knights), the Ottoman devshirme system and the Ming civil service examination are the most representative examples of this strategy.
The Ottoman devshirme system was a method of recruitment where non-Muslim boys were taken and trained to serve the empire, ensuring loyalty to the state rather than their family or local ties. The Ming dynasty implemented a civil service examination that laid the groundwork for a meritocratic bureaucracy, ensuring that the scholar-official class was selected based on knowledge and ability to administer. Both systems were designed to suppress nepotism and foster dedication to the central authority, thereby promoting a stable and controlled management of resources and populations.