First I did a sketch:
The I digitally colored it (I think my favorite version):
As a base of reference to try using watercolor pens to finish it (didn’t quite come out as intended but still was fun):
First I did a sketch:
The I digitally colored it (I think my favorite version):
As a base of reference to try using watercolor pens to finish it (didn’t quite come out as intended but still was fun):
Thank you so much! Wow I hadn’t heard of many of these (maybe mamluk), I would totally love to draw one of these guys they’re badass 😍😍😍 I would also want to try janisarries, strelets, some late Renaissance Western armor is also pretty crazy. I’m a sucker for cool soldier looks, I’d probably want to draw something from everywhere at some point!
Ghulams were, like mamluks, elite slave soldiers, but usually for turkic emirs so less numerous since no emir could spend up so much as the wealthy Egypt (mamluks were the only army that defeated the dreaded Mongols in a pitched battle). Druzhina means “fellowship” and it was military formation in tribal and early feudal slavic states - heavy cavalry but entirely funded by ruler, not landed - for example polish king Bolesław the Brave was famous for having enormous druzhina.