Actual Seljuk Clothing and Armors

[Altaylı]

number 39 Based on a seljuk bowl from 12-13th century http://warfare.6te.net/Turk/Seljuk_Bowl-12-13C-lg.jpg
number 40 based on romance of Warqa wa Gulshah http://warfare.ga/Turk/Romance_of_Varqa_and_Gulshah.htm

39, 40, 41 & 42. TURKISH CAVALRYMEN

Contemporary Christian chroniclers generally used the term 'Turk' to describe Seljuks, Turcomans and Syrians(Northern Syria was mostly Turkic) or armies comprised mainly thereof - Saladin's armies, for example, are described as Turkish even though they also contained many Bedouins, Kurds, Negroes and others. Of these four figures two are from Syria (41, from the Jazira, a region of Northern Syria round Mosul, Raqqa and Diyar Bekr, and 42, from Raqqa) and two are Seljuks (39, from a Persian ceramic, and 40, from Azerbaijan; these are typical of Seljuk warriors in general, figures identical to 39 appearing on Seljuk painted bowls as early as the 11th century).

All 4 wear longish topcoats with a right-over left flap (the Muqallab) at the front, plus embroidered hems, cuffs and collar; round the upper arms are the usual Tiraz bands. Tall, loose boots, baggy trousers and, in the case of 39, a small cap with a turban wrapped round it, complete the costume; 39a shows the same type of turban but without the embroidered, trailing headband. Turbans proper such as that of 40 (who dates to c. 1200) were also being worn at least as early as the late-11th century. 41 wears instead a fur-trimmed hat which bears a striking resemblance to the mitre-caps of 18th century grenadiers and was characterised by a metal plate above the forehead. This stiff, triangular type of hat, called by the name Sharbush, was of Turkish origin and seems to have been worn only by amirs and chieftains as an indication of rank, even Saladin being recorded to have worn one (concealing a mail cap beneath). It was worn under both the Ayyubid and Bahriyyah dynasties but was later abolished by the Circassian Mamluks. It appears in illustrations only from the late-12th century but had probably been in use somewhat earlier, the illustrations themselves being principally of Rumi, Jaziran, Iraqi and Azerbaijani origin.

As can he seen here and in other illustrations the Seljuk and Syrian Turks generally wore their hair very long in 3 tails, one at each side of the head and one at the back. Moustaches were usually long (Alp Arslan could allegedly tie the ends of his behind his head!) while beards could be full, short or very wispy, sometimes comprising no more than a 'shadow' on either side of the jaw and a small tuft under the bottom lip.

As for arms, the Itinerarium Regis Ricardi, describing Saladin's largely Syrian army at Arsouf in 1191, records that 'the Turks are . . . almost weaponless, carrying only a bow, a mace furnished with sharp teeth, a sword, a lance of reed with an iron tip, and a lightly hung knife'. Some Turks carried in addition a small axe suspended from the saddle. The short but powerful composite bow was their principal weapon. The arrows were light, limiting their penetration somewhat so that although they could pierce armour they often did not and when they did might inflict only a shallow wound or no wound at all. The bow was often slung behind the left shoulder during close combat.

The bowcase, which could double as a quiver, hung on the left, while the quiver was suspended from the belt at the right; these are occasionally depicted the other way round. Quivers could contain up to 60 arrows. In addition spare bows and extra quivers were often carried, sometimes as many as 3 of each, so it was quite feasible for well over 100 arrows to be carried. The light lance could be used for thrusting or throwing, but javelins might also be carried. Small shields held by a single, central grip were in general use, that of 40 being of a rather unusual design; the rose painted at the centre may very well he an heraldic device.

Swords could he curved or long like that of 40, or short and straight. From its length and shape that of 42 is quite definitely an Indian weapon, Indian swords still being held in high esteem throughout the Moslem world during this era, just as they had been since as early as the 7th century. Whether this was because Indian swords were particularly good or because Egypto-Syrian swords were particularly had is not altogether clear. Certainly al-Tartusi reckoned Egyptian blades as inferior not only to Indian swords but also to Andalusian, Maghribi and Chinese swords too. Whatever the reason, Indian blades, either of the traditional type shown here or of more 'modern' design, were imported into the Moslem world in great numbers, often then being rehilted and decorated according to local taste and prevailing fashion. Captured Frankish swords also feature and underwent similar adaptation. Other equipment imported from India included lances and corselets (type unspecified but probably scale and/or lamellar).

Turkish clothes were often of brocade or silk and were very bright, usually involving geometric patterns or floral or arabesque motifs on a bright base colour.


number 41 based on http://warfare.ga/Turk/Kitab_al-Diryaq-13C-frontis.htm, http://warfare.ga/Turk/Kitab_al-Aghani.htm and http://ids.si.edu/ids/deliveryServic...FS-F1943.3_001
number 42 based on "Horseman of Raqqa" http://warfare.ga/Turk/Horseman_of_Raqqa.htm

Description of "Horseman of Raqqa": A figurine of a bearded horseman with Asian Turkoman facial features, long braided hair and a helmet. Around the right front hoof of the horse is a snake that is climbing towards the rider from his left. The snake is shown opening its mouth to bite the rider through his armour, but he repels it with his shield. He carries a straight sword lifted into the air, ready to strike. There is a grooved cylindrical column coming out of the stomach of the horse that probably supported the statue, keeping it upright. The horse wears blue reins that are executed in relief. The reins continue around the horse's mouth and hang in front of its neck, then, like a harness, run across the sides of the horse's body down to the lower part of its hind legs. The object is glazed in off-white and blue and, therefore, can be compared to the laqabi-style ware of Persia, also known to have been produced in Raqqa. Laqabi ware is often seen as luxury bowls and dishes with moulded decorations. Production probably centred on the city of Kashan in Persia. Raised areas were often coloured in bright-blue, yellow, green, purple and pink to differentiate them from the white or off-white background.

Seljuk Turcoman Armory:


in Turkish series Seljuk clothing is completely wrong
Seljuk clothing in Turkish TV series(Actual Seljuk clothing isn`t like that)



Seljuk clothing in Reality(actual Seljuk clothing):

[Altaylı]

SELJUK HEAVY CAVALRYMAN


Although the majority of Turkish cavalry seem to have been unarmoured horse-archers, 'heavy' cavalry were also to be found in their armies, these being generally supplied by the retinues and mamluks of the amirs and other chieftains. The chronicler Bar Hebraeus makes much of Alp Arslan, the victor of Manzikert, putting on his armour before the battle, adding that 'all the Turks did likewise'.

This late-12th or early-13th century Seljuk from Azerbaijan wears armour that is of typically Eastern design, comprising a mail hood, Persian-style helmet with neckguard and a waist-length Djawshan that reaches only to the chest.

'Djawshan' seems to have described a lamellar corselet of any length and al-Tartusi says it was of Persian origin. The lamellae were chiefly of iron, horn or treated leather and could be gilded, varnished or painted (Sultan Khai Khosrou I is recorded wearing red armour in 1210), though Seljuk armour was apparently often blackened. That worn here may very well be attached to the tunic itself in the same way as is 48a (with alternate rows of lamellae painted different colours), from a store of arms and armour depicted in an early-13th century source. It is possibly an armour of similar length that is recorded being worn by an Abbasid amir in one of Usamah's anecdotes; describing the Battle of Qinnasrin in 1137 he mentions how a Frankish horseman's lance pierced this amir through the chest and came out at his back, despite his gilded Djawshan.

This man's equipment includes lance, shield, and sword as well as a bow, though Bar Hebraeus states that Alp Arslan cast aside his bow and arrows and fought with spear and shield when he donned his armour. The length of the sword should be noted, such long weapons frequently appearing in Syrian and Persian sources of the 12th and 13th centuries. The helmet could be plumed.

By the late-13th century and probably somewhat earlier most Seljuk heavy cavalry would have closely resembled http://warfare.ga/WRG/Crusades-58-Ma...ull_armour.jpg and
http://warfare.ga/WRG/Crusades-89-Il...vy_Cavalry.jpg

[Altaylı]

Seljuk Turcoman male hair style is long like early medieval Turks(Gokturks etc.)

[Alexandro]

Nice thread.

[Altaylı]

Nice thread.

Thanks

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[Mejgusu]

There is nothing more honourless than insulting someone’s mother.

“Heaven lies beneath the feet of mothers”

Ahlak and adab are important virtues, lack of both lead to words which come from seytan.