An Exploration of Non-Western Art and the Ottoman Empire
Whenever I think about weapons and armor of the European Renaissance during the 15 th and 16 th centuries, I think of the Arthurian style. Knights would wear shiny full plate mail with a lion embossed on a shield. They would wield a giant gleaming great sword with a cross hilt. During this era, however, there was another entirely different style of arms and armor not prevalent in the West. The Ottoman Empire reigned over much of what we now refer to as the Middle East and Southern Europe from 1299 to 1922 AD, a little over six centuries. The reign of Süleyman is often referred to as the “Golden Age” of this empire and lasted from 1520-1566 (Yalman) . Perhaps better known for its contributions to architecture through the construction of mosques and religious complexes, namely through the works of Sinan, the style of its men of war often exhibited a reflection of this pinnacle of Ottoman art and culture. Here we will look at three works that exhibit the style of arms and armor durin