Turkish Gunner in 1690

This illustration was inspired by events told by Count Luigi Ferdinando Marsigli, in his book L’État militaire de l’empire ottoman, ses progrès et sa décadence (The military state of the Ottoman Empire, its progress and its decline), Amsterdam, 1732.

According to Count Marsigli, during the course of the Great Turkish War, and while fighting for the domination of Hungary, the Turkish army had several camels equipped with two guns, which were operated by a gunner riding the animal. This stratagem didn’t prove effective at all.

The caption reads in the original French: Un canonnier Turc, en 1690.