Notice: This is the official website of the All Empires History Community (Reg. 10 Feb 2002)

  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Arabian Heavy Cavalry
 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
  Share Topic Share Topic  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
Faran View Drop Down
Knight
Knight
Avatar

Joined: 25-Dec-2004
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 65 		  Quote Faran Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Arabian Heavy Cavalry
    Posted: 25-Dec-2004 at 19:06

Hello.  I'm interested in obtaining information about Medieval Muslim heavy cavalry.  As I understand, there occasionally (rarely) were Muslims armored like European Knights.

 

Thanks
Back to Top
Fizzil View Drop Down
Pretorian
Pretorian
Avatar

Joined: 03-Nov-2004
Location: United Arab Emirates
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 197 		  Quote Fizzil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-Dec-2004 at 03:50

IIRC, mamelukes, were armoured with chainmail, there were some sources that say their horses were barded also, just like the byzantine clibinarii/cataphracts. Khorismian cavalry were also armoured, as was Jalaludeens cavalry when he fought ghengis khan (i heard from a chinese source). The turks and mughals also have armoured cavalry.

But as far as arabs are concerned, they did wear chainmail, but not heavy armour like lamellar or that sort.

As far as cavalry comparable to european knights, i think the turkish sipahias were as heavily armoured, also Granadine Lancers and Andalucian knights.
Back to Top
Guests View Drop Down
Guest
Guest
  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Jan-2005 at 10:39

 

  Muslim Cavalry can rout any cavarly of the world including Cossacks or other
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940 		  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07-Dec-2011 at 19:34

The Arabs were more likely to use light cavalry, although they did have some fully-armored knights like Saladin. In the the Middle East, all you had to do was lure the better-equipped Crusaders into the desert, deprive them of water and pick them off from a distance
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940 		  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-Dec-2011 at 20:31
Arabs also used camels as these could survive longer in the desert than horses. They also provided an emergency supply of meat and water
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
Arab View Drop Down
Pretorian
Pretorian
Avatar

Joined: 09-Jul-2010
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 197 		  Quote Arab Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-Dec-2011 at 13:21
While it's true Arabs used camels, it was more common for them to use horses in battle. Camels were mostly used as beasts of burden.
 
As for whether they were armored, usually they were not. The Mamluks were more well known for their well-armored knights. Also, while Arabs did have horse archers, they did not use them to the same degree as the Turks, Mamluks, Persians etc. Arabs would have employed light cavalry instead, and use hit-and-run tactics, ambushing the enemy and then disappearing into the desert where they could not follow.
"Prayer is when you talk to God. Insanity is when you talk to God and he answers back."
Back to Top
Baal Melqart View Drop Down
General
General
Avatar

Joined: 28-Mar-2011
Location: UK
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 869 		  Quote Baal Melqart Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10-Dec-2011 at 14:30
Originally posted by Nick1986

Arabs also used camels as these could survive longer in the desert than horses. They also provided an emergency supply of meat and water


They also scare the living hell out of horses and give the rider a higher platform to spear the enemy. That is the main reason why camel riders were equipped with longer spears.
Timidi mater non flet
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940 		  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25-Dec-2011 at 20:58
That might explain why Arab muskets like the jezail had such long barrels: so a rider could reload from the saddle. I've also read about dromedary riders firing swivel guns while charging the enemy
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
TheAlaniDragonRising View Drop Down
AE Moderator
AE Moderator
Avatar
Spam Fighter

Joined: 09-May-2011
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6084 		  Quote TheAlaniDragonRising Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-Dec-2011 at 12:03
I think I'm right in believing that there was shining armour being used in those areas long before Europe, albeit scale armour, including on the horses at times.
What a handsome figure of a dragon. No wonder I fall madly in love with the Alani Dragon now, the avatar, it's a gorgeous dragon picture.
Back to Top
Nick1986 View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor
Avatar
Mighty Slayer of Trolls

Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940 		  Quote Nick1986 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-Dec-2011 at 20:49
I seem to remember Ali once used Zulfiqar to kill a giant Meccan opponent covered from head to foot in chainmail
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
Back to Top
eurokiller View Drop Down
Janissary
Janissary


Joined: 16-Feb-2012
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17 		  Quote eurokiller Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Feb-2012 at 02:04
The Mamluk heavy cavalry in the 13th century was the best in the world, superior to anything the christians had at the time, but they were Turks for the most part and not Arabs. The Arabs really didn't use heavy cavalry, except for their general's units perhaps.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.56a [Free Express Edition]
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz

This page was generated in 0.063 seconds.