De Ruiterschool - de Gheyn - part I

 Salvete Omnes,

a new month and new challengers - farmers around the world unite while world needs more peace, no war and mayhem. 

ad rem, my first posting of the month - the 'modern' cavalry of the late XVI century, when Western European  lancers were giving way to the 'modern' firearms blazing reiter cavalry

 

Here a collection of miltiary horsemanship prints by Jacob de Gheyn from Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands - done in 1599 AD.

part one - 'pistoliers' (reiter cavalry)  and arquebusiers of the late XVI century

 for your study and enjoyment 

Valete 

Orsza 1514 - a 1515AD woodcut

 Salvete omnes,

so yet another anniversary of 9-11 -  in the link my old post about my experiences that day - pacem aeternam to all the victims 

a quick return to the Orsza battle and victory over the Muscovy ..

 so probably the very first image of the battle appeared in 1515AD in printed  poem written by Andrzej Krzycki, Kotwicz coat of arms, who was queen Barbara Zapolya secretary, Ad Divum Sigismundum Poloniae regem et Magnum Ducem Lithuaniae semper invictum post partam de Moskis victoriam Andree Krziczki inclite coniugis sue Cancelarii carmen, Kraków 1515, 

the printer was Jan Haller and they published  this poem in Krakow, then the capital of the Polish state.

perhaps Polish commander hetman Janusz Swierczowski, Traby coat of arms, on the left while horsemen of opposing armies are dueling between the armies 

there is a horse drummer next to the Polish hetman

emjoy

valete

Johann Casimir of Sachsen-Coburg

 Salvete Omnes,

 

a short entry about another Saxon prince and some interesting iconography associated with this German ruler 

Johann Casimir (1564-1633) of the Ernestine branch of the House of Wettin, ruled over his principality of Schsen-Coburg where he was known for his projects to strengthen, enrich, and stabilize his realm. 

 

He fortified his primary fortress Veste Coburg - and at your own leisure you can peruse the Wiki Gallery for some rather remarkable vistas of this schloss - and thanks to his diligence  Catholic Imperial and allied Bavarian  armies were unable to take this fortress when Protestant prince Johan Casimir decided to enter the war on the Swedish, Protestant, side. Nota bene during his reign the witch trials were at their height in his lands, and he most likely used this mass formation psychosis to accuse of adultery, divorce and imprison his first wife, Anna of Saxony, at the fortress.

 

bridle with a curb-bit

another bridle

Beautiful epitaph at the Moritzkirche in Coburg. John Casimir had  master sculptor Nicolaus Berger  build this monument for his father Johann Frederic II of Saxony and his mother Elisabeth of Simmern-Sponheim. The monument was finished in 1598.

Finally, presently Veste  Coburg contains an arms and armour collection - so when you are in Bavarian north do visit this castle.

beautiful rapier from Solingen

Valate

Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria on horseback

 Salvete Omnes,

Peter Snayers pinxit

I already posted one Ferdinand Hapsburg , the joint- victor of Nordlingen 1634, hence it behooves me to post these portraits of cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria. They were painted by many masters of brush and oil paint.

Let us start with this one by Gaspar de Crayer

and other famous masters of the ear - don Velazquez, maestro Rubes,

Diego Velazquez pinxit

Rubens or his atelier pinxit

Jan van den Hoecke pinxit

Cornelisu Schut pinxit

Alexander Voet I fecit

now, this portrait is accredited to Adam Franois/Frans van der Meulen (1632-1690 ) while whereas our Cardinal-Infante died in 1641.
So this is an imaginary portrait I suppose

 

this bridle is adjusted above the browband

large padding under the saddle?

Valete

Horse Armor via Armourer and His Craft

Salve,
and here we have the second day of Christmas.
or as the British call it - the Boxing Day.

A short entry, between the delicious lunch and eventual and equally delicious dinner.
Many times I mentioned armored horses - dextrarius opertus [singular] -but today I would like to use the available diagram from an archived book on the World Library aka Archive.
 Charles John Ffoulkes, British historian and the curator at the Royal Armouries, wrote several important works on the arms and armor of the Medieval and Early Modern European history (here  his books available via archive org library) during the early XX century.
  So in his quite famous and enduring work - Armourer and His Craft - he wrote a chapter devoted to the task of proofing the armor made by the historic armorers.
  and from the same book comes multi-language diagram showing horse armor [including the armored saddle elements] and its parts:

1.chanfron

2.peytral

3.crinet

4.pommel

5.cantel(cantle)

6.crupper

7.tail-guard

8.flanchard

 

Valete