Yuhym Bozhko has organized in 1918 the volunteer "Zaporozhian Sich" Division which became a part of the armee of the People’s Republic of Ukraine and was fighting with Russian Red Armee.

Russian link in Wiki:
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91...84%D0%B8%D0%BC

Ukrainian link in Wiki:
https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91...85%D0%B8%D0%BC

interesting : a Scandinavian site mentions him in 1756 as a leader.
Gues 2 different men with the same name, centuries separate..:)

https://mewikisv.com/wiki/%D0%A0%D1%...BD%D1%96%D0%B2

a picture of an Austrian gent during WWI in 1915.
Remarkable to me is the weapon he is posing with:
a long Werndl bayonet .

You would expect a special knife ( like the Ottoman bichaq or Indonesian Kris) but a bayonet on a picture like this ? I never saw before. Even if it was a long one like this.

and a few pics from different folks, yet in a region close to eachother; Albanian, Dalmatia, Herzegovina, Bosnia, Montenegro between 1860 -1910

and not to make it a male dominated issue, hereby some women who we need to show some respect....

2 ladies from Armenia, 1895 during the 1895 Hamidian massacres, the Armenians of Zeitun (modern Süleymanlı), took up arms to defend themselves against the Ottomans

Next a lady from the Balkans ( Herzegowina around 1878)

followd by an Albanian lady from 1924 and a second Albanian lady with her spousse a little earlier ( most likely 1910-1920)

an Armenian Gentleman , picture taken in 1908

an Egyptian foto from around 1900

Mullah Abdugafur Mirza Raim Khodjaev.
Volost administrator of the Namangan district, an administrative-territorial unit of the Fergana region of the Turkestan Governor-General. 1913.
With Bukhara shashka on the belt.

After the inclusion of Turkestan into the Russian Empire, the Russian government retained the existing system of self-government of the native people. It was based on the management of rural and urban quarter communities by elders. Among the Muslim population, such elders were called aksakals (oқsokol - literally "white beard" in Uzbek). Such a structure was close to that which existed in Russia, where from the 16th century elders were elected to manage small administrative-territorial units and public groups. Therefore, the Central Asian form of self-government turned out to be familiar to the Russian administration.
The population of Turkestan in each county was divided into volosts. The volost administrators were at the head of the volosts
The elections of the volost administrator were two-stage, first a village gathering was held, at which one elective was elected from 50 home ownership. Then the elected representatives of rural societies gathered at the volost congress, which was held in the presence of representatives of the Russian administration. As a rule, it was the county chief or his assistant, who observed the order, while not interfering in the course of the elections itself. The volost congress was considered invalid if it was attended by less than 2/3 of the total number of elected.
Police and administrative power was concentrated in the hands of the volost administrator. He was responsible for maintaining general order and tranquility.

Azerbaijanis

Could be a studio prop! I remember a weird story about Austro-Hungarian photos from this era, Travelling salesmen sold the country girls pics of their loved one in the army.. They had two images, with a moustache, and without but the girls accepted these as a true likeness.

Very nice detail! Thank you, David!

although the nickname of the Moroccan Footbal Team is Lions of the Atlas, here some pictures of the real Lions who ruled the Atlas / Riff mountains some hundred years and more ago and were not to be messed with ...( as the Spanish can confirm)

I am surprised you created a new thread for these, and in the Miscellaneous Forum. Wouldn't these be better placed in THIS thread?
http://vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15325

I am surpised none of the mods didn't mention it 21st June 2020, when I created it when I just became a member ...
and wasn't aware about all these threads...☼☼☼
reason to continue it was to have all my Moroccan pics in one place, but you can easily transfer it to the link; no problem!

Question: what do you think about the pics? do you like them ?

Yes, the photos are awesome. This thread could be merged with the other, but the Ethno Forum isn't my section. Maybe one of their Mods will think it is a good idea. Maybe not. Either way this thread seems to be focussed on the weapons so it probably does not belong in Miscellaneous at any rate. Not my call though. ;)

Threads merged ... as it makes sense :cool:.

man from Mingrelia (now part of Georgia), early 1900

Bornu warriors ... undated.



.

Albanians from Iballja with Peabody-Martini and the boy with miquelet Zlatka pistol, 1905

Afghans. Ishak Khan with his son, generals and adjutants. The photo was taken in Samarkand in the 1890s.

.

Russian officer with Caucasian dagger Bebut

Looks like a shasqua on his left side.

Yes, of course you are right. You are very observant. Bravo. I did not focus on this, since the shashka is poorly visible.

I noticed the suspension staple on the side of scabbard.

I always have been fascinated by the old Silk route ( a nice book on that topic is by Peter Frankopan),
and specially the region from China to what was called in those days Turkestan ;
the region around Samarkand...
when I stumbled on a publication by Svetlana Gorshenina with these 2 nice pictures included.
Not my specialty so looking forward to contributions of members with knowledge.
I for sure like the dagger in the gent's belt ...!

Caucasian man and his Kindjal

Hi,
Plate from The Country of Balochistan by Albert William Hughes 1877.
Regards,
Norman.

2 pics from Albanians, one from the Dibër / Dibra region 1904 and the other of the Skreli clan in 1890

some called them brigands, others freedom fighters: they called themselves komitadzis

fierce men from Makedonia ( a region presently stretched over several countries, hence the geo-political sensetivity still till the present day)
who fought first the Ottomans and later any one threathening the freedom of their country.

Pictures dated between 1885 - 1920

Considering they have their native Bulgarian language on their flag, is it so hard to call them what they are?

Brazilian cangaceiros with their 1908 Mauser rifle and the famous deadly (bleeding) punhais (1920-30).


.

it always was and still is a sensitive topic in the region, to put it diplomaticly.
As one recently noticed in the official name ( The Republic of North Macedonia (Macedonian: Северна Македонија, Severna Makedonija; formerly the Republic of Macedonia, also FYROM and FYR Macedonia) based upon Greek resistance or better sensitivities...
also during the last days of the Ottoman Empire, Balkan Wars of 1912/13 and "differences"of opinion between these Kzomitadzis and Bulgaria...
Not easy as they used the same cyrillic script and Makedonia as the Makenonians claim is now also still part of Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia and the former Yugoslav republic called Makedonia.

Refraining from (geo)politics, just going back to the picture:

it originates from The Sydney Mail 1903 - The Rebellion in Macedonia.

In August 1903 the Macedonians rose against Ottoman rule. The Turks brutally suppressed the uprising, after which there were countless attacks on the population.
By regular Ottoman troops, but also by irregular formations consisting of Albanians in the service of the Ottomans.

The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser reported on Wednesday, September 23, 1903, about "terrible excesses by Turkish troops, particularly the Albanians, in the vilayets of Bitola and Adrianople".

The Ottomans named an administrative district as a vilayet, which they in turn introduced as an occupier.


Austria and Russia have protested to Turkey against the horrible' excesses of Turkish troops, especially of Albanians, in the vilayets of Monastir and Adrianople. Some Albanians have been recalled, and sent to their homes.
A general insurrection has been proclaimed in that portion of the vilayet of Salonika eastwards of the River Vardajr.

The district has been subdivided into eight sections, a Bulgarian officer commanding each. Colonel Zontcheff is Commander-in-Chief of this body of insurgents.

Owing to the scarcity of officers the Sultan has promoted all sergeant-majors to be lieuteuants.

Diplomatists agree that indiscriminate condemnation of Turkey is unjustifiable. Both sides are guilty of atrocities.

The ' Standard ' says that a few British and French ships are keeping in touch with Salonika in the event of the Powers acting in concert.

Russia and Austria have returned unfavourable replies to the Bulgarian Note asking for the interference of the Powers.

The regicides completely rule King Peter of Servia, whose chief Minister threatens to reveal an incriminating letter whenever the King is refractory.

The rebellion was not just in Macedonia, but also in Eastern Thrace. Hence the atrocities in Bitola and Adrianople. If you look at a map and see what is between Bitola and Adrianople, the ethnicity of the insurgents should not be too hard to figure out. I still do not understand why it is so hard to call things with their real names.

Just wanted to post some pics of Makedonian Komitadzis with focus on their cold weapons and avoid a discussion about the sensitivity around it.

If you feel offended about 1 out of the 4 pics and my interpretation of a newspaper comment of 130 years ago mentioning the men as Makedonian Komitadzis, my sincere apologies as it was not my intention to upset your Bulgarian feelings…
Perhaps next a Greek person can object to the Saloniki picture as this is presently in Greece….
Should we really go down that road?

The comment on the newspaper originates from an Australian historical review, so not bias by any connection to the region.

I have got an inlaw who might differ from your opinion concerning the men on the picture as he is Makedonian, but I sincerly do want to refrain from going there…. as I personally witnessed in Sarajevo 1988- 1992 what “ calling things by there real name “ can result to…
Obviously neither disrespect nor offence intended and without accusing you of going down that road..
Let’s agree to focus & discuss the arms and not politics please. Thank you very much.

What we collect here are not replicas, but historic weapons. The study of these weapons is meaningless when they are removed from their historic context, and that context most certainly includes the people who used the arms, and their motivation to take up arms in the first place.

The pictures you posted from the Ilinden Uprising are those of ВМОРО chetniks. The abbreviations stands for Вътрешна Македоно-Одринска Революционна Организация, which translates into Internal Macedonian-Adrianopolitan Revolutionary Organization. It was established by Bulgarians, its followers were overwhelmingly Bulgarian and after the failure of the uprising, they continued to support Bulgarian goals and interests, including the Bulgarian army through the Balkan Wars and WWI. These are historical facts, which contribute to the knowledge and study of the weapons on the pictures.

If we strive to attribute swords and daggers to particular tribes in Africa and South-East Asia, there should not be any sensitivity in pointing out the correct ethnicity of armed people in the Balkans either.

Thank you for your reply but this is what I wanted to avoid: the Bulgarian “claim” on everything relating to Macedonia or justification of the many “interpretations” between two “brothers” or if you like “cousins” in the region.

Being Bulgarian does not mean you are right, neither do I claim it to be: I am just a simply “cloggy” , i.e. Dutch with a connection to several Balkan countries ( Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania)
Nor do I want to start a polemic like Edith Durham and R. W. Seton-Watson had on Serbia and Albania.

Hence my request to the mods to delete the 3rd picture which is the source of TVV’s “firm” reaction.

Question to TVV: what type of weapons did they ( Bulgarians and Makedonians on the pictures) use and what is the difference between the weapons : if there's one ?

For that particular period of time, especially when it comes to the fighters in question, you can use the term Macedonians and Bulgarians interchangeably, since we are talking about the same people. While the weapon of choice was probably a Mannlicher carbine, the panoply included almost every imaginable system available in Europe at the time that they could get their hands on, though standard military patterns are outside the scope of this forum. When it comes to edged weapons, the kamas and yataghans that were used are virtually indistinguishable from those used throughout the Balkans, especially the Eastern Balkans in these times and the preceding century.

and now for something completely different....


drawings of the Pandurs between 1742 -1760 ; in service of the Habsburg Empire in Hungary / Croatia ...the borderland and mostly know as Baron Franz von der Trenck's pandurs. not to be mistaken with his cousin Friedrich Freiherr von der Trenck. Although both lead a colorful life .

some close up details; Pandurs and zhusars in battle