[1][2] Usually, the population of an entire village near some important pass would be assigned with derbendci status in exchange for tax exemptions.
[3][4] The Ottomans had common practice to exempt some of their tax-paying subjects (rayah) from paying certain taxes in exchange for some services.
[5] Usually the entire villages were assigned with this duty and exempted from paying war time taxes (Turkish: avarız-ı divaniyye), customary taxes (Turkish: tekâlif-i örfiye), service as oarsmen in the Ottoman navy and devşirme of their boys into janissaries.
[6][7] In the region of northern Macedonia at least 175 villages had derbendci status and enjoyed these kind of tax exemptions.
Significant part of this units were Christians who were, because of their derbendci duty, allowed to ride horses and carry weapon,[12] but only of conventional type.