HWS Late-Medieval Ottoman Woman Warrior Concept

A re-Drawing of the original Ottoman Turkish Woman Warrior in the  Historically Wrong Sketch Series: Medieval Revisited, which is roughly based on the Middle ages covering 800s AD to 1400s AD  She represents the Ottoman Empire who were carving their territories in Balkan and Anatolia in the 15th century, including the city of world's desire, Constantinople (modern day Istanbul). I took liberty naming the faction as Sublime State of Orhan, which is the HWS equivalent of the Ottoman State.





The Ottoman Empire was effectively an Empire lived for war. Every governor in the Empire was a general and every policeman was a Janissary. Every mountain pass had its guard and every road had a military destination. So it's no exaggeration that they fielded some of the best military force in late medieval to early modern era. The advantage of such reputation is that, the Ottoman Army is one of the most widely studied by the western world and as such, finding references about what they did, who joined their ranks and what they wore was a much easier task as compared to finding for other drawings in the series. Museums such as that in Topkapi Palace, Florence and England, have plenty of collections or Ottoman Arms and Armors, so technically speaking, I had an easy time finding references that I need. Also, I took liberty naming the faction as Sublime State of Orhan, which is the HWS equivalent of the Ottoman State.

In this drawing, Lady Aslihan is depicted in a late15th century Ottoman Heavy Armor. Her full Mail and Splints armor is covered by richly decorated thick jacket (which is a rather stylistic touch). Her çiçak-like helmet may be anachronistic, but I decided to use it to give a more feminine figure. The equipment itself suits the 15th century Ottoman Heavy Infantry, but also possible for mounted battle (albeit cumbersome) if needed be. There's almost no historical record of Ottoman Turkish women having fought in battle, so this drawing is historically wrong indeed.

On the other hand, I have included a 15th century Janissary on the left equipped in the typical Janissary tunic uniform on top of a mail hauberk. To the far right, a heavily armed Ghazi warrior or Sipahi, dressed in Ottoman Plated-mail armor and "Turban" helmet as well as being armed with composite bow, sabre and long mace. The one next to him is the proper heavy infantry, one of sultan's elite employed in the 15th century. There's also a badly drawn Hagia sophia in the background to give that "capture of Constantinople" dramatization. Incase if anyone notice, the dying person in the foreground is another character from the same series....

I hope you guys enjoy this drawing with whatever shortcomings it contain..