WARRIOR EMPIRE THE MUGALS OF INDIA
 

I JUST WATCHED A TAPE OF A PROGRAM ON THE HISTORY CHANNEL ON THE MUGAL EMPIRE. I THOUGHT IT WAS QUITE GOOD AND FEATURED SEVERAL TYPES OF WEAPONS. THEY DID A GOOD JOB AND COVERED QUITE A LOT INCLUDING ELEPHANT ARMOR AND BATTLE TACTICS. I FINALLY GOT TO SEE ONE OF THE BLADES PUT ON THEIR TUSKS AND DESCRIPTIONS AS TO HOW THEY WERE USED. I WOULD RECOMEND IT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT.

I saw that program, too (or parts of it). I think there was also one on the Rajputs. The elephant armor, with tusk swords, was impressive. Unbelievable how much labor went into making just one set!

I must say that I was less than impressed by the "weapons expert" on the program who was explaining the hand weapons. He lost me when he made a blunt, straight chop on a goat carcas with a tulwar (which, by the way, he didn't even name as such). Sure, it made a nasty wound, but he completely overlooked the fact that it is designed for slashing. And firing a Mugal matchlock that hadn't been fired in centuries! :eek: The guy explaining the bows was great, on the other hand.

Aside from the chopping incident, and the cringe factor of watch that guy shoot the matchlock, I thought the program was excellent, though.

I saw part of it too. 17th c cannon that can shoot 15 miles! :eek: And Tipu Sultan's rockets with blades on them slashing through the air?!? :eek:

Excellent show.

Does anyone know when the history channel will be showing this again?

I just checked on their web site and it said there were no upcoming episodes (http://www.historychannel.com/global...6&NetwCode=THC). It seems that the "Da Vinci Code" is getting all the attention this week.

Let me guess - he was trying to perform kata he learned in his ninja-do dojo ?

THE HISTORY CHANNEL DOES SELL TAPES OF THEIR PROGRAMS BUT THEY ARE NOT CHEAP. I AM SURE THEY WILL SHOW IT AGAIN SOMETIME.

AS TO THE CHOP TO THE GOAT CARCAS IT WAS A VERY POOR WAY TO SHOW THE CUTTING ABILITY OF THE SWORD OR OF THE WIELDER. IT LOOKED LIKE HE WAS MORE INTERESTED IN USING A TECKNIQUE WITH THE SMALLEST RISK OF DAMMAGE TO SWORD OR WIELDER . THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE DONE WITH SUCH A POOR, WEAK TECKNIQUE GIVES AN IDEA OF WHAT DAMMAGE COULD EASILY BE DONE IF FULL FORCE AND PROPER TECKNIQUE WERE USED.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY HE FIRED THE OLD MATCHLOCK CROUCHED UNDER A TABLE TIMIDLY REACHING FORTH TO PULL THE TRIGGER ( COMIC RELIEF PERHAPS :D ). I DID LIKE THE DISECTION OF THE OLD MATCHLOCK BARREL TO SHOW HOW IT WAS MADE AND THE INFORMATION ON HOW THE LARGE CANNON WERE MADE. TO CAST IT SOLID AND THEN HOLLOW IT OUT MECHANICALLY MUST HAVE TAKEN A LONG TIME. WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE WEIGHT OF THE FINISHED BARREL ONE CAN IMAGINE HOW MUCH THE SOLID ONE WEIGHED.
DESPITE A FEW FAULTS IT WAS ONE OF THE HISTORY CHANNELS BEST OF THAT TYPE OF PROGRAM, OF COURSE IT LEAVES US WANTING MORE BUT WE CAN'T HAVE EVERYTHING :p

I BELIEVE THE KNEELING ON THE FLOOR AND STRIKING STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE FRONT FROM HALF CHAMBER COMES FROM THE (STRIKE COCKROACH ON FLOOR )KATA :D

He is a good piece of historical fiction on the Mogul empire. I met tom when he was writting this and his research as very extensive.

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

n2s

LOL! :D

In Hindu Arms and Ritual by Robert Elgood he shows an inventory list (Appendix II) made of the arms and armour in the Tanjore armoury May 1860 by H.D.Phillips Commissionaire to Tanjore.
About 3400 bladed weapons and armours of different kinds are mentioned, about 300 patta’s, about 400 firangi’s and a lot of other weapons, but only one elephant sword – “Puttah or double-edged sword to be held in an elephant’s trunk”. To me, this suggests, that arming an elephant with a sword cant have been common.

Also when reading The Mansabdari System and the Mughul Army, Lahore 1945, by Abdul Aziz (P 223), where he quotes ‘Monserrate’s Commentary from his journey to Akbar’s court in 1591, Oxford University Press 1922’, where Manserate writes about the ‘War elephants’, he writes. “But the use of elephants in the fighting line involved serious disadvantages and risks. Just as an advancing line of elephants belonging to a victorious army could trample the retreating foe and work haveloc, similarly the elephants of a defeated could often turn round and, in a headlong, disorderly flight, crush their own soldiery.
This contingency was foreseen, and partly provided against, by placing the elephants at the back.”

I doubt very much that any army would like to have war elephants, armed with swords in their trunks, at their back, not knowing when the elephants would attack.;)