African knights - African armour collection thread

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by CharlesS

These mounted warriors from Kanem Bornu have always fascinated me. The Kingdom of Kanem Bornu is one of the few times in history two separate kingdoms (Kanem and Bornu) put aside their differences to unite for a cause, in this case desert raiders harassing both kingdoms. These mounted warriors essentially saved the two kingdoms from extinction.

These are some photos and drawings of such mounted warriors. The color photo shows how they are celebrated today.

Your photo and this one of Sudanese cloth armor for horse and man are quite similar, as mentioned in the caption of your photo. I have to wonder of one of the museums which own these items has made a mistake in identification.

Quilted Sudanese armour (Jibbah), made from several pieces of brightly coloured cloth sewn together. They are stuffed with kapok, the wool-like strands that surround the seeds of the silk cotton tree, creating a heavy garment. In full battle the warhorse would also have worn mail or pieces of leather across the flanks, and headpiece of metal and cloth. These colourful horses were often used by the bodyguards for leaders. Probably used during the Battle of Omdurman, 1898. British Museum.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

This is an excellent thread adding weight and depth to Forum Library~ I add the following unusual armour for reference;

Scale coat
Indian, Rajasthan, early 19th century

This coat has been covered with the scales of the pangolin or scaly anteater (Manis crassicaudata). The scales have been decorated in gold, and the larger have been used where more protection is required. This is the only known example of this type of armour. It originally had a helmet, also made of pangolin scales, with three plumes.

The scale coat was presented to the King George III in 1820 by Francis Rawdon, 1st Marquis of Hastinges (1754-1826), who was the East India Company's Governor General in Bengal, 1812-22.

As is noted this is from a source in India thus I wondered if African armour had similar items ...sure enough my last two pictures are Egyptian crocodile armour from the Nile. (the other being a Pitt Rivers ~ small jacket piece)

From one http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore...of_armour.aspx exhibit I Quote''

Crocodile-skin suit of armour
Roman, 3rd century AD
From near Manfalut, Egypt

'In ancient Egypt the crocodile was seen as sacred and divine, and worshipped as a god, so this suit might have been worn by priests of the crocodile sect who by wearing such a garment would take on the spirit of the deity. In many parts of Africa the crocodile is seen as a fearsome and invincible creature and so I think that by wearing crocodile armour and a headpiece like this, a warrior might be transformed in some magical way and take on the attributes of the animal.' Fowokan George Kelly, of Jamaican origin

When the province of Egypt became part of the Roman Empire, it put Romans into direct contact with Egyptian culture and religion. In Egypt Roman garrisons were closely integrated into civic and religious life and participated in local cults. Around Manfalout, on the banks of the Nile in central Egypt, Roman soldiers were particularly attracted to the crocodile cult centred on the sacred grottoes of the region.

This imposing armour is made from the skin of a crocodile. It comprises a helmet and cuirass (body armour) and would have been used in military-style ceremonies of the regional crocodile cult. The skin has been radio-carbon dated to the third century AD. It was presented to the British Museum in 1846 by a Mrs Andrews, who was among a group of European travellers to Manfalut who found grottoes containing the mummified remains of humans and animals, including many crocodiles.

Although the cold, dry environment of the grotto preserved the suit well, the cuirass in particular was flattened and brittle. It has been painstakingly remoulded by the British Museum's Department of Conservation".Unquote.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[estcrh]

I just ran into this fantastic photo, it shows a mounted Sudanese warrior wearing a heavy mail hauberk and carrying a rather nice kaskara. This alone is rare but one website claims this is actually a photo of the Madhi, if true this would be the only photo of him that I am aware of. I put a portrait of the Madhi next to this photo to compare, any opinions?

نشرت دار الوثائق البريطانية، لأول مرة الصورة الحقيقية للإمام محمد أحمد المهدي قائد الثورة المهدية في السودان وهو يرتدي الزي العسكري للثوار الأنصار، جدير بالذكر أن الثورة المهدية انطلقت في السودان بزعامة محمد احمد المهدي الذي ولد في عام 1843م في جزيرة لبب بمنطقة دنقلا شمالي السودان، وقامت الثورة المهدية كرد فعل غاضب على الحكم البريطاني المصري المعروف بفترة حكم الإنجليز الأولي في السودان.

Published Dar British documents, for the first time the true picture of Imam Muhammad Ahmad commander of the Mahdist War in Sudan, wearing a military uniform rebel supporters, worth mentioning that the Mahdist War started in Sudan, led by Muhammad Ahmad, who was born in 1843 in the door to the island region of Dongola in northern Sudan, The Mahdist War angry reaction on the Egyptian British rule known as the initial period of the British rule in Sudan.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by estcrh

I just ran into this fantastic photo, it shows a mounted Sudanese warrior wearing a heavy mail hauberk and carrying a rather nice kaskara. This alone is rare but one website claims this is actually a photo of the Madhi, if true this would be the only photo of him that I am aware of. I put a portrait of the Madhi next to this photo to compare, any opinions?

I have seen the photo at the right of the mounted warrior with a great example of kaskara in a number of publications, but I have never seen it suggested to be the Mahdi. It seems most of the time it was simply a general image of unspecified warrior. It is a fascinating suggestion to possibly be the Mahdi himself, and there is a free association similarity that is compelling but speculative.
Regardless, the image is an excellent one showing the sword and armour.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Here is an interesting Abysinian picture portrayal......For the full script see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adal_Sultanate Note the footsoldiers bottom right wearing the simple cloth around their heads...still worn today in Arabia...

It is interesting to note that Quote" In the 16th century, Adal organised an effective army led by Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi that invaded the Abyssinian empire. This campaign is historically known as the Conquest of Abyssinia or Futuh al Habash.

During the war, Ahmed pioneered the use of cannons supplied by the Ottoman Empire, which were deployed against Solomonic forces and their Portuguese allies led by Cristóvão da Gama.

Some scholars argue that this conflict proved, through their use on both sides, the value of firearms such as the matchlock musket, cannons and the arquebus over traditional weapons.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

and in and around The Battle of Omdurman~plus some addition to the shield style...

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Here is an interesting Abysinian picture portrayal......

The Sultan of Adal (right) and his troops battling King Yagbea-Sion and his men. From Le Livre des Merveilles, 15th century.

The Adal Sultanate or Kingdom of Adal was a medieval Muslim Somali state located in the Horn of Africa. It flourished from around 1415 to 1577. At its height it controlled large parts of modern-day Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Eritrea.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

This is an astonishing picture displaying the Woven Armour of African cavalry Please see http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bullet-Proof.../dp/B004LS2ZGE where the actual newspaper report can be magnified on Ancient quilted armour...

[nKante]

If you google Benin warrior you will get hundreds of medieval bronzes depicting warriors in all sorts of body armor.

[nKante]

these are some of the re-creations I did.

[LinusLinothorax]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

This is an astonishing picture displaying the Woven Armour of African cavalry Please see http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bullet-Proof.../dp/B004LS2ZGE where the actual newspaper report can be magnified on Ancient quilted armour...

Wow, great picture! Didnt knew that even the Beja people (Which are assumed to be the sucessors of the Blemmyes by the way) wore quilted armour for men and horse. Thanks for that rare photo. Personaly, i would be interested to know if quilted horsearmour was already in use in Christian Sudanese times, or maybe even in ancient times. Concerning that i can offer some grafittos, but the dating is not entirely certain (The author says "Medieval era", but he dont explains why he assumes that. Armoured horses are not known in Christian Nuiban iconographies).

Originally Posted by CharlesS

These mounted warriors from Kanem Bornu have always fascinated me. The Kingdom of Kanem Bornu is one of the few times in history two separate kingdoms (Kanem and Bornu) put aside their differences to unite for a cause, in this case desert raiders harassing both kingdoms. These mounted warriors essentially saved the two kingdoms from extinction.

If i remember right the two kingdoms dont melted voluntary, but Bornu was conquered by Kanem in the early medieval ages, while later the political center shifted from Kanem to Bornu.

Originally Posted by CharlesS

These are some photos and drawings of such mounted warriors. The color photo shows how they are celebrated today.

Keep in mind though that your second picture shows a knight of the kingdom of Baguirmi, not Kanem-Bornu. Baguirmi was a smaller kingdom south of Kanem-Bornu, which often was subdued to either Kanem-Bornu or Wadai, the other central Sudanese kingdom of major importance. See my other two paintings of Baguirmi knights.

Your second picture also dont shows Kanuri/Kanembu warriors, but rather Hausa ones, depicted in ceremonial armour on one of the traditional Hausa fastivals (You can scan Google for "Durbar/Hausa-festival" for many great photos).