17TH CENTURY OTTOMAN ARROW

Almost surely the booty gathered after the rout of Grand Vizier Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha’s forces on September 12, 1683, at the siege of Vienna.  31” length with cane haft. Inset wood nock to the polychromed end. The other end is similarly decorated and set with a triangular iron point. See Der Karlsruher Turkenbeute (The Karlsruhe Turkish booty) Hirmer #182 for a near identical example. The Polish cavalry charge, led by the Winged Hussars with King John Sobieski at the front advanced all the way into the Turkish Camps slaughtering the resistance and scattering the rest. The Turks abandoned the camp and all their weapons, equipment, and support material. After the battle, 20,000 wagon loads of booty were gathered from which the collection at the Karlsruhe Museum was formed. Thus, it is almost certain that any surviving 17th-century Turkish weapons such as this were part of that massive booty.