Magazine devoted to military history, uniformology and war equipment since the Ancient Era until the 20th century Publishing Director: Bruno Mugnai Redational Staff: Anthony J. Jones; Andrew Tzavaras; Luca S. Cristini. Collaborators: András K. Molnár; Ciro Paoletti; Riccardo Caimmi; Paolo Coturri; Adriana Vannini, Chun L. Wang; Mario Venturi; Christian Monteleone; Andrea Rossi. Cover: Sonia Zanat; Silvia Orso. * * * Scientific Committee: John Gooch; Peter H. Wilson; Bruce Vandervort; Frederick C. Schneid; Tóth Ferenc; Chris Stockings; Guilherme d'Andrea Frota; Krisztof Kubiak; Jean Nicolas Corvisier; Erwin A. Schmidl; Franco Cardini. #9–2016 PUBLISHER’S NOTE None of images or text of our book may be reproduced in any format without the expressed written permission of publisher. The publisher remains to disposition of the possible having right for all the doubtful sources images or not identifies. Each issue Euro 3,90; Subscription to 11 issues Euro 40,00. Subscriptions through the Magazine website: www.historyanduniforms.com or through Soldiershop ,by Luca S. Cristini, via Padre Davide 8, Zanica (BG). Original illustrations are on sale. Please contact: [email protected] © 2016 Bruno Mugnai HaU_009_ENG - Web Magazine - ISSN not required. Contents: Warriors and Warfare of the Han Dynasty (part three) Chun L. Wang Four Centuries of Italian Armours (12 th -15 th century) (part two) Mario Venturi French Ensigns of the Late-Renaissance (part one) Aldo Ziggioto and Andrea Rossi The Venetian Army and Navy in the Ottoman War of 1684-99 (part nine) Bruno Mugnai The Austrian Light Infantry, 1792-1801 (part two) Paolo Coturri and Bruno Mugnai Forgotten Fronts of WWI: the Balkans, 1916 (part two) Oleg Airapetov Book Reviews The Best on the Net Dear Friend, Dear Reader! The Issue 9 is an important turning point for our magazine. With this issue ends the (for someone too ...) long essay on the army and navy of Venice in the 1684-99 war. In fact a magazine would be mainly an agile and able to stimulate the reader for focusing matters and topics, however, the argoument was too wide and above all full of news which would be a shame to compress it in a few pages. It was also a commitment maintained with who knew how this research began several years ago, but due to an unfortunate coincidence, it had not been possible to complete, and thist was really a shame to leave it on the shelf. With the Issue 9 also finishes the series of articles devoted to the armies of the Han Dynasty and that which András K.Molnár wrote on a topic often summarily dealt by the literature on the Napoleonic armies, namely, the Austro-Hungarian light infantry in the age of the first coalition wars. Finally, the excellent Oleg Airapetov takes his leave from us with the second part of the article on the Balkan front in WWI. Bruno Mugnai #H ISTORY &UNIFORMS Warriors and Warfare of the Han Dynasty (part three) By Chun L. Wang - Soldiers of the Emperor Painted pottery light cavalryman in breastplate armour and scarlet dress, 1 st -2nd century AD (Authors’ archive) 4 #H ISTORY &UNIFORMS Light Cavalryman – This painted pottery is very similar to the figures carved in the funerary reliefs of the Hsiao-t’ang in Shandong province. Imperial Guard Ligth cavalrymen and their officer wore a red headgear with feathers for the latters; black headgear for the ordinary ones. Incidentally, some source shows the Han light cavalry without brigandine armour, but in scale armour, covering the chest, abdomen and arms. No shield is to be seen for light cavalry in any fresco and relief of the Han period. Light Spearman Heavy Infantryman Light Spearman – This soldier is to be found on the Wu-Liang tz’u shrines of Shandong Province, specifically ‘Battle of the Bridge’, dated 147-168 AD. The spear is shown in two sizes, the Chi Ying Wo (cm. 487) and the Ma Hsiao (cm 243). The shield borne is common to other soldiers in the aforementioned source. 5 #H ISTORY &UNIFORMS Although there is the possibility of uniform colours prior to this date, by 21 AD the Emperor Wang Mang’s edict decreed that certain colours would denote social class. Infantry, militia, pioneers and commoners were to wear blue and green. Probably these two colour would dominate, though brown, black and grey-white could still be present. The Battle of the Bridge , 2 nd century AD, (graphic recontstruction) Heavy Infantryman – This figure represents an enigma. Copied from a funerary relief in I-nan, Shandong Province, it is in the later Han dynasty style o 25-221 AD. This soldier is left-handed, as are several others in his group. As left-handed warriors are also present in the famous ‘Battle of the Bridge’, and a terra cotta statue of the Han period, currently preserved in Paris, this further demonstrates the fighting technique. Finally , similar soldiers are represented on a funerary rubbing dated 147 AD in the Smithsonian Institute. This also shows left-handed heavy infantrymen. This proves without a doubt that at least some armoured soldiers of the Han’s army fought left-handed, though no written source will confirm it. The heavy infantryman wore a full tunic of padded leather reinforced with iron rings. The helmet he wore would probably be bronze up to the end of the han period, and iron thereafter. Convict Spearman – The convicts, the Ch’ih-hsiung were criminals who had opted to serve in the army for a reduced period of time. These should not be confused with convict pioneer troops. The Ch’ih-hsiung s were clothed the same as pioneer troops, but were equipped with javelins and probably shield. They constituted a strong light-skirmishing force, even though poor trained. Construction troops were seldom even armed. The convicts were distinctively dressed in red-ochre coloured garments with shaved heads and iron collars for neck and ankles. 6 #H ISTORY &UNIFORMS Convinct Spearman Light Crossbowman Light Crossbowman – The Pey-Yuan tomb give us some information about colours that were possibly common for earlier Han soldiers. All headgear were black, tunic and trousers were mixed or matched black, grey-white, vermillion and green. The crossbow of Li-Kuang li (99 BC) was painted in yellow. During the Han period the crossbow was proven to be an effective weapon. The secret of this weapon, the triple compound lever, was a closely guarded mechanism. Even when other nations captured this weapon, the technology skill of most of them could not duplicate the device. Pieces cast of bronze would be insert into the bow stock. Several types of crossbow were introduced and maintained. They ranged in size from three shih (87,08 kg) pull to ten shih (290,29 kg). A crossbow of six shih pull had an effective range of 255 meters. By 90 BC the Chinese had also developed crossbow that shot several bolts ayt one time. 7 #H ISTORY &UNIFORMS The prevalence and praise of the crossbow in ancient Chinese texts is so widespread that is possible find this single weapons notable enough to write entire articles cantered on it. No doubt from its inception during the 6th century BC, the crossbow revolutionised Chinese warfare. By the second century BC the crossbow had replaced the bow as the long range weapon of choice for the Han armies. Its power and accuracy were particularly attractive to the Chinese generals, which spurred them to make this a critical component of the armies. It utilized bronze triggers, which would hold the force of the strings behind it until released. The Crossbow was largely adopted and updated by the Han dynasty, although it was one of the primary weapons in Chinese history for a much longer time than the dynasty itself. The Han introduced the concept of massed crossbow attack by line of crossbows, and even mounted crossbowmen. Range would be about 280 meters. Just how powerful a crossbow could be, is glimpsed in the excavated Chu-yen slips from which records of crossbow maintenance was kept. From the slips already excavated, a set of record is now available to the scholars. A set shows six crossbows shooting from 168 to 280 meters. Each of this crossbows had only draw weights of 3,5 stone (1,87 kg) as compared to typical Han era crossbow of 6 stone . Of these crossbows, two were tested for their penetration ability, both puncturing a wooden shields at 252 meters, and both achieved good results. Imperial Guardsman – Distinctive dress of this soldier focused on headgear, armour and weaponry. All of the guardsman were portrayed with red ‘turbans’ about their helmets. The officer were distinguished with black feathers on the headgear. Originally the guardsman carried a shield with the right handm and a halberd in his left. The Han halberd was known as the C’hi Chi . At the Imperial court a smaller version was carried; the Pi Chi . A small pennant usually adorned this weapon. The apparent trim on his armour may be a loose robe underneath the armour, but allowed to protrude from beneath, The edict of 21 AD bestow the colour of carmine red to the Imperial Guard and retainers. The pennant colour would be red, or yellow starting form Empereor Kao Tsu. 8 #H ISTORY &UNIFORMS Terracotta with original paint coating, China early Western Han dynasty (3rd to 2nd century BC) height cm. 45,5, from the tomb complex of the first Han emperor, Gaozu (206 – 195) or surrounding graves. Imperial Guardsmen from this tomb complex until today remain one of the most favorable finds ever excavated (Author’s archive). 9 #H ISTORY &UNIFORMS Back view of a Han ceremonial bronze armour , first century BC.