Ottoman Military Illustrations by Nicolas de Nicolay, 1576

Illustrations de Les navigations, pérégrinations et voyages faicts en la Turquie par Nicolas de Nicolay

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Name: Nicolay, Nicolas de. Silvius, Willem [publisher]
Published: En Anvers, M D. LXXVI. Par Guillaume Silvius, Imprimeur du Roy.
scope: [24], 305 s., [60] p. Ill. 21 cm
Language: French
Subject: Civilization Types
Material Type: Books
Metadata source: NO-OsNB (991238911914702202)
Norsk bokmål: Illustrasjon hentet fra boken "Les navigations, peregrinations et voyages, faicts en la Turquie, par Nicolas de Nicolay" av Nicolay, Nicolas de og utgitt av Par Guillaume Silvius (no, 1576)
National Library of Norway

In 1551, King Henry II of France ordered Nicolas de Nicolay to follow Gabriel d'Aramon (envoy and ambassador to the Grand Turk), during an embassy to Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. During this trip his mission was to make informal surveys. The mission passed through Malta, Algeria, Tripoli, the Greek islands and Istanbul. He returned with 800 to 900 drawings of sites, cities, islands, ports, castles and fashion.
The original costume plates by Nicolas Nicolay were first published in Nicolay’s work "Les navigations peregrinations et voyages, faicts en la Turquie" (Lyon 1567). It was translated into various languages and left a deep mark on later publications on the same topic. Its success was largely due to the 60 (later expanded to 62) illustrations of the different costumes worn in the area Nicolay visited.

Source: BnF

Janissary in 'Giannizzero andando alla la guerra'

A coloured version appeared in the Italian Edition Le navigationi et viaggi nella Turchia, 1577.

More illustrations after Nicolas de Nicolay in Histoire Des Turcs, by Blaise de Vigenere.

Text links to the larger images.
Janissaire Turc jouant de la cithare. Azamoglan ou Iamoglan, enfant du tribut. Turkish Janissary playing the zither. Acemioglan of the devşirme.
Costume de Janissaire Turc. Azamoglan rusticque. Acemioglan. Janissary trainee who works on a farm.
Janissaire allant à la guerre. Janissary going to war.
Janissaire ou Janissarler soudart à pied de la garde ordinaire du Grand Seigneur. Janissary foot soldier of the usual guard of the Great Lord
Boluch Bassi, Capitaine de cent Janissaires. Boluk Bashi
Aga, Capitaine général des Janissaires. Aga, Captain General of the Janissaries
Solachi ou Solacler, archer ordinnaire de la garde du Grand Seigneur. Solak, ordinary archer of the guard of the Great Lord.
Peich ou Peicler de nation perse, laquais du Grand Seigneur. Peyk of the Persian nation, lackey of the Great Lord
Habit et manière ancienne des Peichs ou laquais du Grand Seigneur. Dress and old way of Peyk or servant of the Great Lord.
Ivrognes Turcs appartenant aux Azamoglans, Leventis et Azapis. Drunken Turks belonging to Ic Oglans, Levents and Azabs
Costume de cuisinier Turc. Turkish Cook
Cadilesquer. Costume de l'Exécuteur des Lois en Turquie. Kadi el Askar. The Executor of the Laws in Turkey.
Delly qui signifie fol hardy. Deli which signifies fool-hardy.

Other illustrations of Ottomans:
Ottoman Soldiers from other European Illustrations.
Ottoman Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers in the 15th to 19th Centuries
Index of Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers