Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Crimean Tatars, Poles and Hungarians - 1680s woodcuts


Salve,
today( after a two day discussion on a Polish history forum  on Crimean Tatars during the XVI-VII Historycy tatarzy  ) , I went into google books and I found a nice German woodcut, I think,  showing a Crimean (Perkop) Tatar couple or les petites Tartares de Krim from a XVII century  - the source is this book: ''Description de l'Univers contenant les differents systèmes du monde , les cartes generales et particulieres de la geographie anciennee et moderne...'' vol. 4 ( published 1686).


Interesting comment about the horses:
lls sont belliqueux & fort adroits à cheval : Leurs Chevaux sont infatigables , & propres aux longues irruptions de ces Coureurs, qui ne cherchent que la guerre..
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Turkish warriors and soldiers:

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Nice woodcuts of Polish king Jan III Sobieski and Polish noble couple

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 A Muscovite noble couple:

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and finally two noble Hungarians in their fine costumes

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7 comments:

Kadrinazi said...

Nice findings! Permission to copy and use? ;)

Dario T. W. said...

Michal, copy and use to your heart desire

Samuel said...

Thanks for posting Dario! The Sipahi seems to be drawn with some interesting detail - including a pistol in a holster and an estoc.

Good stuff,
Samuel

Philip said...

Great stuff Dariusz!
The Spahi is very interesting. Can you tell me which type of armor and helmet he's wearing? I was wondering if his body armor has leather extensions which covers his knees and upper part of his legs? It does seem like.
I'm I right to say he's also carrying a panzerstrecher?
Hope you can answer my questions.
Greetings
Philip

Dario T. W. said...

Philip - thanks for your comment.
ad rem, I can guess about the armor and helmet - it seems to me that he is wearing a coat-of-mail and has a 'missyurka' or 'zirh kulah' mail-and-plate coif on his head. He has no lower leg protection - it is his kaftan that is extending past his knees, typical Turkish costume of the era, and he has soft leather boots and substantial stirrups. He does seem to have a tuck/estock/[anzerstrecher underneath his thigh and a pistol in a holster, pretty unusual feature for Spahis cavalrymen. Judging by a lance pennon and its length he is caring a dzida-lance, yet he seems to be holding it in a fashion of a javelin-dzirit, and javelins were very popular with the Turkish cavalrymen, still surviving today in the Turkish equestrian game of 'zirit' - so perhaps the engraver had the things confused a bit here..

Philip said...

Dariusz,
Don't know where to put it, so here it is.
A while ago I saw a fragment of a (Polish?) film called '1610' in which a great scene of attacking Polish Winged Hussars could be seen. I tried to find more info on this film, but without success.
Do you know this film and can you perhaps tell me if this film is available for buying?
Many thanks
Greetings

Philip

Dario T. W. said...

hey Philip,
I think it is '1612'? Russian film of little historical value but quite entertaining - to buy eg http://www.amazon.com/1612-Pyotr-Kislov/dp/B001PCNZEU