Gladius, II (1963), pp. 69-74 ISSN 0435-029X

A. Rahman Zaky

ISLAMIC ARMOUR An introduction by by

dr. dr. A. Rahman Za~ky fuky THE arming of Eastern races dep€nded depended on the standard of their teas well as as on the climate and teculture and the materials to hand as rrain. Whereas in the North of Africa mail was worn, worn, as as it was in Arabia, Arabia, Turkey, Turkey, Persia, Persia, Egypt and India, the Kaffir of the south fought almost naked and carried only aa large large hide shield for his def ense. defense. Armour was used by the the Arabs Arabs before the the advent of Islam. Islam. It It Armour consisted then of a mail shirt (dera') consisted (dera') cove'ring covering the the greater part of the the body. The Arabs Arabs had many names for for their coats of mail, according body. size, shape, shape, material, material, place of manufacture, or name of the to their size, maker. Arabic name for for aa cuirass or shirt of mail and Dera' is the general Arabic Zereh the Persian. It is a long, long, narrow, narrow, blouse-like blouse-like garment, having short sleeves sleeves descending to the middle of the upper arms, arms, which was formed of interwoven rings, or chainwork. chainwork. sometimes formed In the hot near eastern climate and in India mail was preferred for its flexibility flexibility to complete plate armour, although plates were used for for certain parts of the body, but body armour of plate was never as in Europe. developped to the same extent as Europe. Zndo-Persian armour consisted as as aa rule ruIe of aa helmet with nasal Indo-persian plates, front, front, back and plumes, aa coat of mail with four four plates, and three plumes, sides, known known as as the the «four sides, ((fourmirrors», mirrors)), and short vambraces on the the arms, arms, and a circular metal shield with four four bosses. bosses. Rich ornamentation was lavished upon it, it, especially especially damascening damascening with with gold gold and and silver. silver. was Changes of form form were were not as as rapid as as in in the the west. west, Changes As aa substitute for As for mail aa padded garment faced with velvet velvet and worn. studded with rivets was worn.

Eigypt Syria Syria and and Egypt fashion in armour, armour, which was most Islamic Orient retained aa fashion The Islamic developped in E;urope Wrope during during the the 12th 12th and 13th 13th centuries. centuries. In highly developped the crusades, the the Arab Arab chiefs wore armour of ring or chain mail, the wrought, strong, strong, and capable capable of great resistance, yet light admirably wrought, flexible, and in every every respect very greatly greatly superior to to the more and flexible, 69 Digitalizado por InterClassica http://interclassica.um.es

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas http://gladius.revistas.csic.es

A. Rahman Zaky

Gladius, II (1963), pp. 69-74 ISSN 0435-029X

massive and cumbersome personal equipment of the Crusaders. Crusaders. In In Ayyubid society (1171-1250) seems to have been (1171-1250) the wearing of armour seems the privilege of the military aristocracy, aristocracy, and we are indebted to the memoirs of 09 Usama ibn Munkidk, an Arab knight, knight, that the armour of a prince during the Ayyubid period can be visualized visualized (l). (1). It I t consisted consisted (khawdha), a mail shirt (dera' (dera' or zardiya), zardiya), stockings of a helmet (khawdha), (ranat), (sak al-muza) boots (khufn (khuff) with spurs (mihmaaz), (mihmagz), (ranat), leggins (sak al-muza) and boots while his arms (saif), dagger (dashan (dashan or nimdja), arms comprised sword (sain, nimdja), or knife (sikklna), (sikkina), lance (rumh), (rumh), javelin (harba), (harba), and shield (turs (turs or dadaraka). Egypt from from Three kinds of armour were mainly in use in Syria and Egypt 12th to the 15th 15th century, if not also also after: the coat of mail, mail, the the 12th -the most common kind was the splint armour and the brigandine -the plain coat of mail. singly or double, double, From casual references, coats of mail were worn singly short or long, long, and some some of them were not merely long long but dragging, dragging, legs. Links Links of this and earlier chain chain mail mail covering the horseman's legs. sometimes bear a stamped ornament, ornament, in the the form form of lines, lines, grooves, grooves, sometimes

\.~ -~~~

Fig. 1. I . Mail-shirt M4ail-shirt ot of Sultall Sultsrn Qaitbay. Qaitbay. Egypt, Egypt, Fig. 15th cCII/lIry. century. (Topkapu (Topkapu Saray MuMu15th seum, Istanbul). Istanbul). seum,

70

Digitalizado por InterClassica http://interclassica.um.es

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas http://gladius.revistas.csic.es

A. Rahman Zaky

Gladius, II (1963), pp. 69-74 ISSN 0435-029X

dots, Each link link of of Islamic Islamic mail is riveted, riveted, somesome dots, or or scriptural scriptural texts. texts. Each mail is times armour pegs, which pierce the metal metal right right through through (2). times with with two two armour pegs, which pierce the From (12th cent.) cent.) onward, onward, coats coats of of mail From early early Mamelukes 02th mail reinforreinfor(djawshan) had been extensiextensiced by rectangular overlapping splints (djawshan) vely later under Circassian dynasty dynasty in in Egypt Egypt and some some time time later under the the Circassian vely used, used, and (14th-15th almost exclusively exclusively for for the the ex04th-15th Cent.) Gent.) they they were were employed employed almost expensive armour of (princes). To the same type, belongs of high emirs (princes). the coat of 1468-1496) which is is exhibited of mail of of Sultan Qaitbay (ruled 1468-1496) (fig. l). 1). Two armguards armwards of at Top Kapu museum in Istanbul (3) (fig. Sultan can be seen at a t the the same same museum. museum. Sultan Qanzuh Qanzuh a1 al Ghuri Ghuri (1501-15161 0501-1516) can be seen The wear the the splint splint armour, armour, yet The Turks Turks of of Asia Asia Minor Minor used used to to wear yet there exists a variety of of Turkish mail-shirts, mail-shirts, perhaps the most imporimportant of of which is that in the Badisches Landesmuseum in Karlsruhe (fig. Mostafa Agha Rhodesi, the comcom(fig. 2). 2). The shirt once belonged to Mostafa. mander of the Janissairies during the siege siege of Vienna, 1683. 16183.A complete colmplete Turkish armour of is at Moser ColColof man and horse (16-17th (l6-17th cent.) is lection, Bern. Bern. The brigandine (kazaghand) (kazaghand) mentioned by prince Usama must have been a common garment in his days, days, although it was fine enough to be

'!> .

Fig. Fig. 2. Z. Turkish Turkish mailbshirt mail-shirt of of MVsMlJstafa tafa Agha Rhodesi, commander of of the Janissaries in Vienna Vienna 1683. 1683. (Badisches L a n d e s m u s e u m , KarlsLandesmuseum, ruhe). ruhe).

71 Digitalizado por InterClassica http://interclassica.um.es

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas http://gladius.revistas.csic.es

Gladius, II (1963), pp. 69-74 ISSN 0435-029X

A. Rahman Zaky

worn by Sultans as well (!) d a h el-Din (!) Sultan S Sa,!ah el·Din Ayyubi (1138-1191) (1138-1191) used to wear a brigandine constantly when riding. IItt had a collar, and although a knife could cut it, the blade could not penetrate as far as to the body. No actual specimen of of an Ayyubid Ayyub:d studded jerkin jerkin is known; only one of of a Mameluke brigandine, once kept in the storeroom of of the Museo Nazionale in Florence. It is a short jacket, not more than 70 cms. long, made of very strong material, with long sleeves sleeves and collar, covered with crimson velvet and sprinkled over with small brass nails, nails. The inscription on the collar reads in trantranslation: ((Glory «Glory to our Lord, the Sultan al-Malik a!-Malik al-Zahir al-Zahir Abu Sa'id Djaqmaq Djaqmgq may God Strengthen his victories)) victories» (4). M. Herz dates the brigandine very closely, closely, 1438-56. 1438-56. Persian armour The armour of Persia and Central Asia seems to have enjoyed great renown in the eighth century. For the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth centuries, we have only a few documentary references and no illustraillustratlons a t all, but from the beginning 13th century on, miniatures tions at begiIming of the 13th manuscripts of the provide accurate pictorial records, especially manuscripts Shah-Ndma,which describes the arming of Persian horses for single Shah-N(ima, combats and for battle. organised by Ghazan-Khan Ghazan-Khan The manufacture of armour was well org'anised (1295-1304). There were in each province and town many armourers, (1295-1304). both Persians and Mongols, arrows, quivers, swords, swords, Mongols, who made bows, bows, arrows, received annually a salary from from the State, State, and were in reetc., they received refurnish a certain number of arms. turn to furnish With the XVth century, century, we come to the point where we have such as as corslets, and and these can be actual pieces of Persian armour such comparison with the miniatures which are are fairly well identified by compar:son rich in illustrative material and are are often dated. The mail shirt once in in the Oriental Oriental department of the the reinforced with iron plates, once Zeughaus, Berlin, Berlin, is a good good example example of the protective protective armour of the Zeughaus, first half of the the XVth cent. cent. The The rings in the chain mail of this period first have, as as aa rule, rule, a flat flat rectangular cross-section. cross-section. Until Until late late in in the XIXth. cent. cent. the rings were were always always fastened fastened with rivets. rivets. XIXth. In addition to to mail shirts, shirts, the Tartar-Mongolian Tartar-Mongolian form form of armour armour also used, used, consisting of two two round shields, shields, one one on on the breast, the was also other on the the back, together with side side plates, plates, neck piece piece and and stomach othEr All these these were were usually usually made of damascened steel, steel, connected connected plates. All segments of chain chain mail. mail. It It is is noteworthy noteworthy that in the necessary segments by the the XVIth cent., cent., the breast and back pieces pieces were ornamented ornamented with the 72

Digitalizado por InterClassica http://interclassica.um.es

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas http://gladius.revistas.csic.es

A. Rahman Zaky

Gladius, II (1963), pp. 69-74 ISSN 0435-029X

flutings. flutings. Two Two such such suits suits of armour, armour, in in the the Museum Museum of of the the palace palace of Topkapu, Topkapu, Instanbul, Instanbul, are are decorated decorated on on the the rim rim and and the the centre centre of of the tlreast reast and and back disks disks with with gold gold inlaid inlaid inscriptions, inscriptions, while while the the side side the plat~ are ornamented ornamsnted with with vines vines and and flowers, flowers, exceptionally exceptionally rich rich and and plat are elegant elegant in in execution. execution. In the the XVIth century, century, aa new new type type of of armour armour appears, appears, called called «the ((the four four mirrors)) mirrors)) (charaina) (charaina) consisting consisting of of four four iron iron plates, plates, hinged hinged totogether: gether: two two large large ones ones to to cover cover the the breast breast and and back back respectively, respectively, and and one on on either either side side with with an an arm arm hole hole cut cut out. out. This This corslet corslet which which was was one often lined lined with with silk silk and and trimmed trimmed with with coloured coloured silk silk bindings, bindings, was was often worn over over the the mail mail shirt. shirt. On On the the plates plates were were areas areas of of rich rich ororworn nament, nament, incised incised or or inlaid inlaid in in gold, gold, with with decorative decorative designs designs -and -and inscripinscriptions, tions, usually usually quotations quotations from from the the Quran. Quran. To conclude, conclude, the the typical typical armour armour suit suit . New York, 1930, p. 245. 1930, (3) (3) L. A. Mayer: Saracenic Sw:acenic arms and armour. armour. (Ars (Ars Islamica. Islamlca. Vol. X, 1943.) 1943'> (4) M. H m : Armes et armures mbes. Hen: a.ra.bes. (Bdl. (Bull. institut francais fran (5) Handbook ta to the Ethnographical Ethnog:raphical Collections Collections in the British Museum. Museum. 1925, 1925, p. .44. 44.

74 Digitalizado por InterClassica http://interclassica.um.es

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas http://gladius.revistas.csic.es