[Epic] (Semi-OT) IG-Turk connection

From: <KrazyLlama_at_...>
Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 21:45:26 EDT

In the course of reading a fascinating book about Vlad the Impaler
(Dracula:Prince of Many Faces, by Radu Florescu and Raymond McNally), I came
up with an interesting fact about the Ottoman army under Mehmed the Conqueror
(The sultan preceding Suleiman).

 In the Ottoman army, "More important to the smooth functioning of the
sultan's forces were the ceausi, or ushers, considered the 'eyes and ears of
the sultan.' They watched over the regular progress of each unit, ready to use
the whip or even behead anyone guilty of hesitation or cowardice." Hmm, sounds
like the old-style RT-era fluff Commissars, eh?

On a historical note, this book has taught me more about the history of
Quattrocento Eastern Europe than any I've ever read. Dracula and his family
played great roles in shaping Eastern Europe even today. To quote the back of
the book,

"Dreaded by his enemies, emulated by later rulers like Ivan the Terrible,
honored by his countrymen even today, Vlad Dracula was surely one of the most
intriguing figures to have stalked the corridors of European and Asian
capitals in the fifteenth century."

And he was. Anyway, I hope you like the connection.

Shervin
Received on Fri Jul 10 1998 - 01:45:26 UTC