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Ottoman Soldiers from contemporary European Illustrations by Melchior Lorck, 1570-83
A Spahi
A Spahi; a cavalry soldier on horseback; in profile to left; a tuft of feathers on his pointed helmet and attached to his shield; on the shield a winged claw and flowers; from a series of 127 woodcuts. 1576
In "Hungarian style" tournaments, the participants wore Hungarian and Turkish costumes and used sabres to strike off feathers attached to their opponents' helmets and to the apex of their painted shields. The plume on this shield may indicate a similar Ottoman practice.