360:
20:
285:
A perennial problem for the
Christian states of Outremer was the limited quantities of Frankish manpower, horses and weapons available. To a certain extent this weakness was redressed through the employment of locally recruited Turcoples, riding indigenous horses and using the same equipment as their
248:
As lightly armed and mobile auxiliaries the
Turcopoles were of particular value when scouting and raiding expeditions were undertaken. On such occasions the heavily armoured and relatively slow moving horsemen of the western armies were at a disadvantage. Accordingly this was the sole occasion when
119:
writes that their fathers were Turks and their mothers Greeks. From the 12th century, evidence suggest that non-Turks fighting in the
Turkish fashion were also included in the Turcopoles, for example, in the 14th century Turcopoles who were employed by the Catalan company included Greeks who shaved
379:
included a
Turcopolier who commanded both the mercenary cavalry recruited by the Order in the east and the sergeant-brothers. The personal attendants of the Grand Master of the Temple included a Turcopole - possibly as an interpreter or orderly. The Hospitallers included in their rank-structure a
276:
An indication of the approximate numbers of
Turcopoles available to the military orders is given by a pledge made by the Hospitalers in 1186, when an invasion of Egypt was being planned. Of a total Hospitaler contingent of 1,000 men, half were to be Turcopoles.
239:
or jerkin and a conical steel helmet. Regulations of the
Hospitallers made a clear distinction between the heavy war saddles of the knights of the military order and the "Turkish saddles" issued to the Syrian Turcoples who served with them.
189:(Syrian-born Franks), as well as European Franks. In addition to indigenous Christians and converted Turks, the Turcopoles of Outremer may at various dates have included contingents from the west trained to serve as mounted archers.
306:
considers this number exaggerated, and notes that the Muslim light cavalry present were probably better armed than the
Turcopoles. The Turcopoles captured at Hattin were, as perceived renegades, probably executed at
265:. In the latter, Turcopoles had lower status than the Frankish sergeants and were subject to various restrictions. These included having to eat at a separate table from the other mounted soldiers of the
286:
opponents. The cost of paying the mercenary element amongst the
Turcopoles was one of the specific reasons for repeated cash donations being sent to the crusader states from Europe.
641:
of the Middle East. Poulains in this context were the
Frankish descendants of those original crusaders who had remained in Palestine after the capture of Jerusalem in 1099.
233:
knights and sergeants. Turcopoles had lighter and faster horses than the western mounted troops and wore much lighter armour. Usually this comprised only a quilted
1058:
115:
writes that they were called
Turcopoles because they were either reared with Turks or because their fathers were Turks and their mothers Christians.
185:
Christians living under crusader rule. By the second half of the 12th century the recorded names of individual Turcoples indicate that some were
375:
The Turcopoles had their own leaders called Turcopoliers who outranked ordinary sergeants, at least in battle. The senior office-holders of the
1026:
Jean Richard, "Les turcoples au service des royaumes de Jérusalem et de Chypre: musulmans convertis ou chrétiens orientaux?", in idem,
134:
accompanied the First Crusade and may have provided a model for the subsequent employment of indigenous auxiliary light horse in the
551:
323:
also considered Turcopoles to be traitors and apostates, killing all those whom they captured. The Turcopoles who survived the
1021:
1003:
974:
878:
797:
757:
732:
682:
613:
561:
477:
457:
273:. In contrast to the unsalaried brother-knights and brother-sergeants of the fighting orders, Turcopoles were paid warriors.
1053:
953:
930:
853:
828:
707:
588:
531:
903:
71:, in charge of the coastal defences of Rhodes and Malta. In addition to the two Military Orders, the army of the
773:
Foley, Alan. "Paid Troops in the Service of the Military Orders during the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries".
439:
380:
Turcopolier, who originally was probably a sergeant-brother but who in 1303 was accorded the senior status of
661:
Les Turcoples au service des royaumes de Jerusalem et de Chypre: Musulmans converted ou Chretiens orientaux?
162:) led infantry of Outremer is not available but there are specific references to their participation in the
150:, the term was a general one also applicable to indigenous Syrian footmen serving as feudal levies in the
918:
650:
Ian Heath, page 7 "Armies and Enemies of the Crusades 1096-1291", Wargames Research Group Publication
628:
Ian Heath, page 6 "Armies and Enemies of the Crusades 1096-1291", Wargames Research Group Publication
262:
1043:
167:
154:. Evidence that Syrian levies, whether designated as turcoples or not, provided the bulk of the
221:
to help combat the more mobile Muslim forces. The Turcopoles served as light cavalry providing
553:
The Medieval Way of War: Studies in Medieval Military History in Honor of Bernard S. Bachrach
302:
records 4,000 turcopoles as being part of the defeated Christian army. However the historian
324:
151:
72:
410:) was the order's Turcopolier; and in charge of the coastal defences of Rhodes and Malta.
8:
1016:
Michael Haag, "The Templars: History and Myth", p. 158, Profile Books, London 2009.
344:
112:
68:
368:
249:
Turcopoliers (Turcopole commanders) could issue direct orders to accompanying knights.
1017:
1000:
History of the Knights of Malta, or The Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem
970:
949:
926:
899:
874:
849:
824:
820:
814:
793:
753:
728:
703:
678:
609:
584:
557:
527:
473:
454:
History of the Knights of Malta, or The Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem
1048:
295:
163:
102:
64:
52:
359:
941:
638:
578:
419:
376:
332:
303:
226:
182:
147:
56:
44:
348:
173:
The Turcopoles employed by the crusader states were not necessarily Turkish or
159:
146:
It has been argued that, while Turcopoles certainly included light cavalry and
135:
106:
94:
36:
1037:
501:
364:
218:
124:
116:
98:
48:
327:
followed the military orders out of the Holy Land and were established on
19:
497:
270:
210:
222:
174:
1030:(Aldershot, Ashgate, 1992) (Variorum Collected Studies Series: CS383),
493:
206:
198:
120:
their heads like the Turks in order to be employed in this capacity.
637:
A twelfth century term designating Latin Christian settlers in the
403:
266:
258:
131:
28:
384:(official in the Central Convent). Since the establishment of the
229:, and sometimes rode as a second line in a charge, to back up the
509:
407:
395:
386:
308:
202:
178:
505:
336:
328:
320:
235:
1028:
Croisades et Etats latins d’Orient Points de vue et Documents
399:
340:
214:
177:
mercenaries. Many were probably recruited from Christianized
130:
Some Byzantine Turcopole units under the command of General
369:
Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem
351:
also called its own native light cavalry the "Turkopolen".
127:, mainly equipped with bows, regardless of ethnic origins.
422:, another foreign mercenary force in the Byzantine Empire.
663:, Melanges Dominique Sourdel/Revue des estates islamiques
63:, a title subsequently given to a senior officer in the
123:
The term underwent a semantic evolution, extending to
846:
A History of the Crusades - The Kingdom of Jerusalem
492:
The term "Turkic" refers to populations such as the
43:, literally "sons of Turks") were locally recruited
93:The crusaders first encountered Turcopoles in the
59:. A leader of these auxiliaries was designated as
201:, Turcopoles were more lightly equipped than the
23:A 12th century turcopole, historical re-enactment
1035:
257:Turcopoles served in both the secular armies of
252:
354:
69:Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem
812:
35:(also "turcoples" or "turcopoli"; from the
989:Francesco Balbi (1568): The Siege of Malta
576:
1059:Army reconnaissance units and formations
843:
358:
18:
16:Recruits by the Byzantines and crusaders
964:
893:
871:Hattin 1187. Saladin's Greatest Victory
790:Hattin 1187. Saladin's Greatest Victory
750:Hattin 1187. Saladin's Greatest Victory
722:
672:
549:
470:Hattin 1187. Saladin's Greatest Victory
390:of the Knights of St John in 1319, the
1036:
521:
603:
697:
545:
543:
101:. These auxiliaries were from mixed
88:
923:The Knights Templar - a New History
894:Richard, Jean (16 September 1999).
868:
787:
747:
698:Wise, Terrence (22 November 1984).
467:
289:
243:
13:
1010:
580:Armies and Enemies of the Crusades
550:Halfond, Gregory I. (2016-03-09).
367:(c.1458-1527), Turcopolier of the
14:
1070:
967:Knights Hospitaller (1) 1100-1306
844:Runciman, Steven (January 1952).
772:
725:Knights Hospitaller (1) 1100-1306
675:Knights Hospitaller (1) 1100-1306
540:
604:Small, R. C. (27 October 1994).
314:
992:
983:
965:Nicolle, David (25 July 2001).
958:
935:
912:
887:
862:
837:
806:
781:
766:
741:
723:Nicolle, David (25 July 2001).
716:
691:
673:Nicolle, David (25 July 2001).
666:
653:
644:
631:
813:Riley-Smith, Jonathan (1987).
622:
597:
570:
515:
486:
461:
446:
432:
300:Historia Regni Hierosolymitani
141:
1:
426:
253:Employment by military orders
192:
7:
606:Crusading Warfare 1097–1193
522:Health, Ian (5 July 1979).
413:
355:Turcopoliers and attendants
10:
1075:
1054:Christians of the Crusades
556:. Routledge. p. 181.
280:
524:Byzantine Armies 886-1118
79:under the direction of a
40:
27:During the period of the
896:The Crusades c1071-c1291
577:Ian Heath (2019-03-03).
526:. pp. 23 & 39.
394:(head) of the Langue of
168:Raymond de Saint-Gilles
372:
24:
700:The Knights of Christ
362:
261:and the ranks of the
22:
848:. pp. 489–490.
608:. pp. 111–112.
213:), being armed with
152:Kingdom of Jerusalem
73:Kingdom of Jerusalem
345:Knights Hospitaller
113:Raymond of Aguilers
998:Whitworth Porter,
775:The Crusader World
452:Whitworth Porter,
373:
25:
1022:978-1-84668-153-0
976:978-1-84176-214-2
880:978-1-85532-284-4
799:978-1-85532-284-4
759:978-1-85532-284-4
734:978-1-84176-214-2
684:978-1-84176-214-2
615:978-0-521-48029-1
563:978-1-317-02419-4
479:978-1-85532-284-4
382:conventual bailli
89:Byzantine origins
82:Grand Turcopolier
1066:
1005:
996:
990:
987:
981:
980:
962:
956:
939:
933:
916:
910:
909:
891:
885:
884:
869:Nicolle, David.
866:
860:
859:
841:
835:
834:
810:
804:
803:
788:Nicolle, David.
785:
779:
778:
770:
764:
763:
748:Nicolle, David.
745:
739:
738:
720:
714:
713:
695:
689:
688:
670:
664:
657:
651:
648:
642:
635:
629:
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619:
601:
595:
594:
574:
568:
567:
547:
538:
537:
519:
513:
490:
484:
483:
468:Nicolle, David.
465:
459:
450:
444:
443:
436:
296:Battle of Hattin
294:At the decisive
290:Battle of Hattin
244:Specialist roles
164:Siege of Tripoli
160:Western European
125:light cavalryman
77:king's Turcoples
65:Knights Templars
53:Byzantine Empire
51:employed by the
42:
1074:
1073:
1069:
1068:
1067:
1065:
1064:
1063:
1034:
1033:
1013:
1011:Further reading
1008:
997:
993:
988:
984:
977:
963:
959:
942:Piers Paul Read
940:
936:
919:Helen Nicholson
917:
913:
906:
898:. p. 207.
892:
888:
881:
867:
863:
856:
842:
838:
831:
811:
807:
800:
786:
782:
771:
767:
760:
746:
742:
735:
721:
717:
710:
696:
692:
685:
671:
667:
658:
654:
649:
645:
639:crusader states
636:
632:
627:
623:
616:
602:
598:
591:
575:
571:
564:
548:
541:
534:
520:
516:
491:
487:
480:
466:
462:
451:
447:
438:
437:
433:
429:
420:Varangian Guard
416:
377:Knights Templar
357:
333:Knights Templar
317:
304:Steven Runciman
292:
283:
263:military orders
255:
246:
227:mounted archers
195:
183:Syrian Orthodox
148:mounted archers
144:
136:crusader states
91:
57:Crusader states
45:mounted archers
17:
12:
11:
5:
1072:
1062:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1046:
1044:Byzantine army
1032:
1031:
1024:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1006:
991:
982:
975:
969:. p. 16.
957:
934:
911:
904:
886:
879:
873:. p. 78.
861:
854:
836:
829:
805:
798:
792:. p. 52.
780:
765:
758:
752:. p. 48.
740:
733:
727:. p. 30.
715:
708:
702:. p. 34.
690:
683:
677:. p. 40.
665:
652:
643:
630:
621:
614:
596:
589:
583:. p. 15.
569:
562:
539:
532:
514:
485:
478:
472:. p. 47.
460:
445:
440:"Tourkopouloi"
430:
428:
425:
424:
423:
415:
412:
356:
353:
349:Teutonic Order
316:
313:
291:
288:
282:
279:
254:
251:
245:
242:
225:, scouts, and
194:
191:
143:
140:
95:Byzantine army
90:
87:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1071:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1041:
1039:
1029:
1025:
1023:
1019:
1015:
1014:
1004:
1001:
995:
986:
978:
972:
968:
961:
955:
954:1-84212-142-1
951:
947:
943:
938:
932:
931:0-7509-3839-0
928:
924:
920:
915:
907:
901:
897:
890:
882:
876:
872:
865:
857:
855:0-521-06162-8
851:
847:
840:
832:
830:0-300-04700-2
826:
822:
818:
817:
809:
801:
795:
791:
784:
776:
769:
761:
755:
751:
744:
736:
730:
726:
719:
711:
709:0-85045-604-5
705:
701:
694:
686:
680:
676:
669:
662:
656:
647:
640:
634:
625:
617:
611:
607:
600:
592:
590:9780244474881
586:
582:
581:
573:
565:
559:
555:
554:
546:
544:
535:
533:0-85045-306-2
529:
525:
518:
511:
507:
503:
499:
495:
489:
481:
475:
471:
464:
458:
455:
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441:
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431:
421:
418:
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411:
409:
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389:
388:
383:
378:
370:
366:
365:Thomas Docwra
361:
352:
350:
346:
342:
338:
334:
330:
326:
322:
315:Later history
312:
310:
305:
301:
297:
287:
278:
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133:
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118:
117:Albert of Aix
114:
110:
108:
104:
100:
99:First Crusade
96:
86:
84:
83:
78:
74:
70:
66:
62:
58:
54:
50:
49:light cavalry
46:
38:
34:
30:
21:
1027:
999:
994:
985:
966:
960:
946:The Templars
945:
937:
922:
914:
905:0-521-625661
895:
889:
870:
864:
845:
839:
816:The Crusades
815:
808:
789:
783:
777:. p. 5.
774:
768:
749:
743:
724:
718:
699:
693:
674:
668:
660:
659:J. Richard,
655:
646:
633:
624:
605:
599:
579:
572:
552:
523:
517:
488:
469:
463:
453:
448:
434:
391:
385:
381:
374:
325:Fall of Acre
318:
299:
298:in 1187 the
293:
284:
275:
256:
247:
234:
230:
196:
186:
172:
155:
145:
129:
122:
111:
92:
81:
80:
76:
60:
41:τουρκόπουλοι
32:
26:
498:Oghuz Turks
311:'s order.
271:Hospitalers
223:skirmishers
211:men at arms
142:Composition
97:during the
61:Turcopolier
1038:Categories
948:, p. 133,
925:, p. 118,
819:. p.
427:References
181:, or from
175:mixed-race
33:turcopoles
494:Pechenegs
371:1499-1501
343:with the
331:with the
209:(mounted
207:sergeants
199:Holy Land
193:Equipment
109:origins.
103:Byzantine
75:employed
414:See also
404:Scotland
267:Templars
259:Outremer
231:Frankish
187:Poulains
156:Frankish
132:Tatikios
67:and the
55:and the
29:Crusades
1049:Cavalry
1002:, p.287
510:Bulgars
456:, p.287
408:Ireland
396:England
387:Langues
335:, plus
321:Mamluks
309:Saladin
281:Funding
203:knights
197:In the
179:Seljuqs
1020:
973:
952:
929:
902:
877:
852:
827:
796:
756:
731:
706:
681:
612:
587:
560:
530:
506:Cumans
476:
398:(with
392:Pilier
347:. The
337:Rhodes
329:Cyprus
236:aketon
215:lances
107:Turkic
400:Wales
341:Malta
37:Greek
1018:ISBN
971:ISBN
950:ISBN
927:ISBN
900:ISBN
875:ISBN
850:ISBN
825:ISBN
794:ISBN
754:ISBN
729:ISBN
704:ISBN
679:ISBN
610:ISBN
585:ISBN
558:ISBN
528:ISBN
508:and
502:Uzes
474:ISBN
406:and
363:Sir
339:and
319:The
219:bows
217:and
205:and
105:and
47:and
269:or
166:by
85:.
1040::
944::
921::
823:.
821:79
542:^
504:,
500:,
496:,
402:,
170:.
138:.
39::
31:,
979:.
908:.
883:.
858:.
833:.
802:.
762:.
737:.
712:.
687:.
618:.
593:.
566:.
536:.
512:.
482:.
442:.
158:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
