I just notice that OT2 reference (ottoman foot command) brings a cauldron carried by two men. The armybook Vlad the Impaler of warhammer brings also a pic of 28mm ottoman miniatures just with the same pose.
What was its use? where it came the source for this? was it really representative of all ottoman armies?
It's sort of a scared object. Supposed to boost morale.
IanS
The copper cauldron (kasgan) seems to have been regarded as some kind of unit emblem in the Janissary corps. Gush mentions that each orta (company) carried a pair, slung on a pole, on parade. Both he and David Nicolle (Armies of the Ottoman Turks 1300-1774) mention that the commander of an orta bore the title "soup-maker" and the sergeants were known as "scullions". It may be that the practice harked back to Janissary origins as household servants and pages.
As the Janissaries were all slaves of the Sultan it represented the food the Sultan provided, reminding them of their loyalty to him
That's make a lot of sense, thanks for the info!
picture request!!!
I'll upload some picture when when I return home from holidays, but OT2 reference is excellent
Interesting stuff :-bd :-bd
Proof (if it were ever needed) that an army marches on its stomach... :)
The BAOR marched on its Yellow Handbags ;)
And there is absolutely no truth whatsoever that all REME bods were pi**heads and that the Corps Motto Arte et Marte means 'Twist to Open' <:-P
;D ;D ;D
The loss of an orta's cauldron was the equivalent of a regiment losing its standard: Karakolluktçu after Jean Brindesi, 1855 (http://warfare.atwebpages.com/Ottoman/byEuropeans/Brindesi-10-large.htm)
Ranks of the janissaries were based on kitchen terms e.g. Baş Karakolluktçu = Chief Cook's Assistant (Officer).
Ladles were also used as standards (d'Alvimart). (http://warfare.atwebpages.com/Ottoman/byEuropeans/dAlvimart-08.htm)
Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume and Soldiers (http://warfare.atspace.eu/index.htm)
Brilliant, they're halflings in big trousers!
Thanks Druzhina, just thinking in building an ottoman army (is a long term proyect...) but your links are geourgous!!