Musketeer

Musketeers in Asia

Ottoman Empire

The Janissary corps of the Ottoman army were using matchlock muskets as early as the 1440s. The Ottoman Empire, centering on Turkey and extending into Balkans, Arabia and North Africa used muskets to conquer Constantinople (modern Istanbul) and were one of the earliest users of muskets in a military conflict. It also utilized large cannons, including the Great Turkish Bombard. The Ottomans, under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520-1566), embraced these weapons to maintain military superiority against European rivals such as the Habsburgs and the Safavids. By the late 17th century, the Ottoman military began to face increasing difficulties in keeping up with the rapid advances in European military technology and tactics, particularly regarding firearms. The stagnation of the Ottoman military was evident during key conflicts such as the Great Turkish War (1683-1699) and the Siege of Vienna in 1683, where the Ottomans were defeated by the combined forces of the Holy Roman Empire and its allies.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Ottoman Empire recognized the need to modernize its military, particularly in the face of defeats at the hands of European powers. Several sultans, most notably Sultan Selim III (r. 1789-1807) and later Mahmud II (r. 1808-1839), attempted to reform the army and introduce more modern firearms, including newer versions of muskets with flintlock mechanisms. It wasn't until the reign of Mahmud II that the Janissaries were finally abolished in 1826, during the event known as the "Auspicious Incident." This paved the way for further military reforms, including the widespread adoption of modern muskets and rifles. By the mid-19th century, the Ottomans had restructured their military to be more in line with European standards, though the empire continued to struggle in keeping pace with technological advancements.

Russia

Main article: Streltsy

Streltsy (, sing. strelets, стрелец, literally "shooter"; often translated as "musketeer", but more properly "harquebusier") were the units of Russian guardsmen l from the 16th to the early 18th centuries, armed with firearms and bardiches. They are also collectively known as Strelets Troops (Стрелецкое Войско).

The first streltsy units were created by Ivan the Terrible sometime between 1545 and 1550 and armed with the arquebus. They first saw combat at the Siege of Kazan in 1552. Military service in this unit became lifelong and hereditary. The bearded strelsty were organized into regiments, each with a long coat (kaftan) and pointed cloth hat of a distinctive colour. By 1680, there were 20 regiments of Moscow streltsy totaling 20,048 men and comprising about 12 per cent of the total army (along with cossacks, militia and an increasing number of regular soldiers). In addition, there were significant numbers of frontier and garrison streltsy serving outside Moscow, although these were less formally drilled and equipped.

The Muscovite government was chronically short of cash so that the streltsy were often not paid well. While "entitled" to something like four rubles a year in the 1550s, they were often allowed to farm or trade in order to supplement their incomes. Textiles for clothing and foodstuffs were sometimes issued as part of their pay. A commander of one hundred musketeers (sotnik) received up to 20 roubles a year and a regimental head (streletski golova) between 30 and 60.

In the late 17th century, the Streltsy of Moscow began to actively participate in a struggle for power between different government groups, supporting dissidents and showing hostility towards any foreign innovations.

After the fall of Sophia Alekseyevna in 1689, the government of Peter the Great engaged in a process of gradual limitation of the streltsy's military and political influence. In order to counter their power, Peter began to raise a new regular army, still armed with muskets but disciplined, uniformed and organised along West European lines. In spite of these measures, the streltsy revolted yet again while Peter was on his Great Embassy in Europe. The four regiments involved were disbanded and 1,200 of the mutineers were executed. The remainder were exiled, had their property confiscated and were banned from future military employment. The entire corps was technically abolished in 1689; however, after having suffered a defeat at Narva in 1700, the government retained some streltsy units in service.

Gradually, the streltsy were incorporated into the regular army. At the same time, the Tsarist government started to disband the Municipal Streltsy. Liquidation of the last streltsy units (by then social rather than military groups) was finally completed by 1728.

The Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments of the Imperial Guard replaced the streltsy as the political and military force closest to the tsar.

China

Arquebusiers and musketeers were employed in the armies of the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing dynasties (1644–1911). Zhao Shizhen's book of 1598 AD, the Shenqipu, contains illustrations of Ottoman Turkish and European musketeers together with detailed diagrams of their muskets. There was also an illustration and description of how the Han people had adopted the Ottoman kneeling position when firing, while favoring the use of European-made muskets. The Han people also built the first repeating firearm: several barrels behind a small wooden shield. The gunman would turn these barrels lighting each barrel with a slow match one by one. These weapons were most effective when fired from walls or high positions. Needham considered this weapon to be a "primitive machine-gun".

Central Asia

Introduced by the Chinese, muskets were popularised in Central-Asia under the Timurid dynasty.

Indian Sub-continent

Matchlock Muskets were first introduced by the first Mughal emperor Babur in the first Battle of Panipat 1526 CE. The weapon became an integral part of Indian warfare from the 16th century onward, mainly from the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar. It was used as an effective defense against war elephants. The Mughals, Marathas, Rajputs, Sikhs and Ahoms made use of musketeers, firing from cover, to ambush opposing infantry, cavalry and elephants. Many Indian gunsmiths created matchlock muskets for the Mughal infantry plus some combination weapons.

Africa

The Kingdom of Ndongo developed its musketeer forces in the 16th century amid war against the Portuguese in Angola. In 1585, 40 musketeers formed part of an attacking force deployed against Portugal. A small musketeer force was authorized in Kongo mostly made up of the mestiço, who were mixed race Kongolese with Portuguese ancestry. Over 300 musketeers served in the Kongo army against the Portuguese at the Battle of Mbwila in 1665. Musketeers were employed into the Wydah army from 1680 AD but they did not completely replace the spearmen, swordsmen and archers. In war, the Musketeers were first to go into action as they fought in the front ranks of the army.

Gallery

Aanwijzing 2 voor het hanteren van het musket - Marcheert ende draecht de furquet neffens de Musquet (Jacob de Gheyn, 1607).jpg Aanwijzing 3 voor het hanteren van het musket - V furquet sincken laet, en van u schouder u Musquet neemt (Jacob de Gheyn, 1607).jpg Aanwijzing 4 voor het hanteren van het musket - Mette rechter hant u Musquet om hooch hout, ende in de lincker hant sincken laet (Jacob de Gheyn, 1607).jpg Aanwijzing 9 voor het hanteren van het musket - V lont versoeckt (Jacob de Gheyn, 1607).jpg Aanwijzing 8 voor het hanteren van het musket - V lont opdruckt (Jacob de Gheyn, 1607).jpg Aanwijzing 10 voor het hanteren van het musket - V lont afblaest, en u pan opent (Jacob de Gheyn, 1607).jpg Aanwijzing 11 voor het hanteren van het musket - V musquet om hooch hout ende aenlegt (Jacob de Gheyn, 1607).jpg Aanwijzing 12 voor het hanteren van het musket - Schiet (Jacob de Gheyn, 1607).jpg Aanwijzing 13 voor het hanteren van het musket - V Musquet afneemt ende neffens u furquet draecht (Jacob de Gheyn, 1607).jpg Aanwijzing 14 voor het hanteren van het musket - V lont afneemt (Jacob de Gheyn, 1607).jpg Arkebusier.jpg Altblau regiment musketeer.jpg|Musketeer from Altblau regiment (1624–1650) from Swedish army with musket and with bardiche (long poleaxe) Musketeers from Swidnica.jpg|18th-century musketeers from Świdnica (reconstruction).

References

Sources

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