Final answer:
Sinan's service as an architect in the Ottoman state exemplifies the Ottoman Empire's recruitment methods of officials through the devshirme system, which capitalized on the ethnic and religious diversity of its subjects by training Christian boys for state service, particularly as Janissaries. The correct answer is option c.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sinan's service to the Ottoman empire best illustrates methods of recruitment of officials that made use of the ethnic and religious diversity of their subjects. This is due to the system known as devshirme, which was a form of 'gathering' Christian boys from European subjects of the Ottoman Empire, primarily for the purpose of creating a loyal administrative and military elite. Boys taken through this system were converted to Islam and extensively trained to serve in various roles, including as Janissaries, an elite infantry corps that reported directly to the Sultan.
The devshirme system allowed the sultans to build a loyal body of administrators and soldiers who were entirely dependent on their ruler and detached from their original familial ties. This approach suppressed potential loyalties to ethnic and family ties and instead cultivated loyalty solely to the sultan and state, thereby effectively minimizing the risk of political power struggles and uprisings from within the government. As a result, Sinan's service as an illustrious architect from the devshirme system reflects the strategic recruitment methods pursued by the Ottoman Empire during 1450-1750 to maintain powerful, centralized control.
The correct answer to the student's question is (C) methods of recruitment of officials that made use of the ethnic and religious diversity of their subjects.