horse – Empire of History

Armour for horse and rider, early 16th century

This composite armour is made up of parts made in South Germany between c.1510-20, and reflected the status of its wearer as part of a military elite. By the 16th century the improved craftsmanship of western European plate armour had made shields unnecessary on the battlefield. It consists of an armet (closed helmet), a collar, aContinue reading “Armour for horse and rider, early 16th century”

Mughal heavy cavalryman and war elephant, 17th-18th centuries

The Mughal dynasty of Indian rulers has its origins in the 16th century; its founder, Babur, was of Turco-Mongol heritage, and expanded out from Central Asia. Islam had a presence in India long before Babur’s capture of Delhi in 1526, but Islamic rule gradually stretched across all of India, introducing a unique culture and strongContinue reading “Mughal heavy cavalryman and war elephant, 17th-18th centuries”