Salvete Omnes,
so today let perform a swift jump-in-time to medieval Africa, more than 500 years ago... with a link to a Mamluk manuscript - Islamic Turkish-Kipchak-Circassian rulers of post-Saladin Egypt and Syria (1250-1517AD). - a handy 'Art of the Mamluk period' essay on the MET platform .- and the famous Baptistere de Saint Louis from Louvre.
Please note the research I have read uses the word 'Mamluk' - with a capital 'M.' While the later Ottoman period warriors of Egypt and Syria who came to fight under Napoleon, after his invasion of Egypt, are called Mamelukes (of the Imperial Guard)..
I have been a
student of Mamluk history and research (eg via Mamluk Studies Review etc) related to the
slave-soldiers concept and execution in the Islamic world, and their
state in Egypt and Syria, so I daresay I am somewhat familiar with the
history, especially military history and some of their 'furusiyya'
works, of this sultanate and material culture related to their
military and horse culture.
Below there are some military and war horse related
works studied and available in English via net libraries:
About 32 years ago a
Mamluk-Kipchak work titled Munyatu' l-Ghuzat was translated into
English (the Works of Turkish literature ) -
it is a treatise on
horseback riding and mounted training for, naturally, the Mamluk 'askari or warrior-soldier.
about 27 years ago preeminent researcher in the military history
dr David Nicolle wrote a very interesting paper: The Realitiy of Mamluk Warfare: Weapons, Armor and Tactics,( Al-Masaq 1994, pp77-100) - where dr Nicolle discussed a treatise by a writer from the
sultanate - Muhammed ben Isa al Hanafi al Aqsara'i (died 1347AD) -
titled The Complete Instructions in the Practices of the Military
Art.' Dr Nicolle went on writing many articles and books on the subject of medieval Islamic military, including one on the Mamluk 'Askari (from Osprey Publishing, Warrior series, 2014).
In 2001 Isolde Betty Nettles submitted her dissertation on the Mamluk Cavalry practices -
(Univ. of Arizona), where the author discussed aspects of the
furusiyya and various knightly equestrian traditions.
and finally the Mamluk horse manuscript from the British Library.
all images come from Wiki Commons - do take a look at
their glassware.
Valete
