ripstefano

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Le Prince Des Brigands (The Robber Prince) (17th Century)

French School (French, 16th-20th Century)

I haven’t a clue what this blog is becoming, I’ll get back to posting scans of uniforms in a bit, I even remembered I have my own book of weapons and armour I can pull from. For now, enjoy this art work I’ve been ripping.

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Childhood portrait of Zygmunt Krasiński (1812–1859) in the Polish costume with his father’s sword (1815-1816)

Henri-François Riesener (French, 1767 - 1828)

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Goetz von Berlichingen Being Dressed in Armor by His Page George (1826–27)

Eugène Delacroix (French, 1798-1863)

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Saint Martin Dividing His Cloak (c. 1640-1645)

Jan Boeckhorst (Flemish, 1599-1668)

Aegon V-coded for my ASOIAF friends out there.

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The Knight in Black (1567)

Giovanni Battista Moroni (Italian, 1525-1578)

When I come into money, you won’t be told, but the signs will be there. Or however the meme goes, he’s dripped out.

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Great Bastards together.

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Queen Shireen Baratheon, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm

Based on Holbein's Anne of Cleves

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Leo Tolstoy on the 4th Bastion at Sebastopol, 1954 (oil on canvas)

By Zernova, Yekaterina Sergeyevna (1900-95) / Russian

Yes, it’s that Tolstoy. You don’t see much art of the Crimean War, especially the Russian perspective.

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A. S. Chagadaev – Izyum Hussars Near Borodino (2001)

from @1547_1917 on Twitter

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▪️A Serbian lady dressed in serbian traditional city clothes 🇷🇸

▪️Mina Karadzitsh(srb. Мина Караџић/lat. Mina Karadžić) Serbian painter and writer

▪️Time: 1847

Author: Deker Gabriel

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National costumes of the Slavic peoples (1920)

Art by Margaret Hubbard

This post isn’t like my normal military uniforms but I came across this work on some of the costumes of my fellow Slavs, so I thought it’d be a neat thing to share. Nearly a third of Europe (territorially) is made up of Slavic countries.

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The Army of Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great's soldiers were some of the most disciplined, innovative, and battle-hardened forces of the ancient world. His army was primarily composed of Macedonian and Greek troops, augmented by soldiers from conquered regions as his empire expanded. Here’s a brief overview of key elements of Alexander’s military forces:1. The Macedonian PhalanxCore Infantry: The backbone of Alexander's army, the phalanx consisted of tightly-packed infantry armed with the sarissa, a 4-6 meter (13-20 feet) long spear.Formation: Soldiers in the phalanx operated in close ranks, creating an impenetrable wall of spear points. Their discipline and cohesion were unmatched.2. The Companion Cavalry (Hetairoi)Elite Cavalry: The most prestigious unit, composed of noble Macedonians who served as Alexander’s shock troops.Role: They carried out devastating charges, often led personally by Alexander himself, breaking enemy lines and exploiting weaknesses.3. The HypaspistsElite Infantry: Highly-trained and versatile soldiers who acted as a bridge between the phalanx and cavalry.Role: They protected the vulnerable flanks of the phalanx and participated in siege warfare and special missions.

From "The Army of Alexander the Great"

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Wellington's Heavy Cavalry

At the Battle of Waterloo, Wellington’s heavy cavalry played a dramatic and decisive, though ultimately costly, role in the unfolding of the conflict. Early in the battle, as French infantry advanced in columns against the Anglo-Allied lines, Wellington ordered his heavy cavalry to counterattack. The Household Brigade and the Union Brigade surged forward in a thunderous charge that smashed into the French infantry formations. The sheer weight of their attack broke through several columns, scattering soldiers and causing significant chaos among the French ranks. The Scots Greys, part of the Union Brigade, famously charged through the melee and captured a French eagle standard, a rare and prestigious feat in Napoleonic warfare.

However, the cavalry’s enthusiasm turned into overreach. After their initial success, many troopers pursued the retreating French far beyond the safety of their own lines, losing cohesion and becoming disorganized. This exposed them to devastating counterattacks by French lancers and cuirassiers, as well as artillery fire. While their charge inflicted heavy casualties on the French and temporarily halted their momentum, the heavy cavalry themselves suffered significant losses, including the death of Major General Sir William Ponsonby, the commander of the Union Brigade. Despite their high cost, the charge underscored the power and peril of heavy cavalry in battle.

From "Wellington's Heavy Cavalry"

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The Army of Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great's soldiers were some of the most disciplined, innovative, and battle-hardened forces of the ancient world. His army was primarily composed of Macedonian and Greek troops, augmented by soldiers from conquered regions as his empire expanded. Here’s a brief overview of key elements of Alexander’s military forces:1. The Macedonian PhalanxCore Infantry: The backbone of Alexander's army, the phalanx consisted of tightly-packed infantry armed with the sarissa, a 4-6 meter (13-20 feet) long spear.Formation: Soldiers in the phalanx operated in close ranks, creating an impenetrable wall of spear points. Their discipline and cohesion were unmatched.2. The Companion Cavalry (Hetairoi)Elite Cavalry: The most prestigious unit, composed of noble Macedonians who served as Alexander’s shock troops.Role: They carried out devastating charges, often led personally by Alexander himself, breaking enemy lines and exploiting weaknesses.3. The HypaspistsElite Infantry: Highly-trained and versatile soldiers who acted as a bridge between the phalanx and cavalry.Role: They protected the vulnerable flanks of the phalanx and participated in siege warfare and special missions.

From "The Army of Alexander the Great"

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"Officier des Chasseurs à Cheval de la Garde Impériale de Napoléon"

Oil on canvas cm 50×70

(Private collection)

By @giuseppe.rava on Instagram, he sells prints of a lot of Napoleonic topics. Very good work in my opinion.

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The Ancient Greeks: Armies of Classical Greece, 5th and 4th Centuries BC

The ancient Greek hoplite armor was a formidable ensemble designed for protection and mobility in battle. At its core was the linothorax, a cuirass made of layers of linen or leather, often reinforced with bronze scales or plates, providing a balance between flexibility and defense. Hoplites wore a bronze korinthian helmet, characterized by its full-face coverage with slits for the eyes and mouth, adorned with a crest for intimidation. Greaves and additional bronze armor protected the legs and shins, while a large, round shield called an aspis or hoplon was essential for the phalanx formation, both as a defensive tool and a weapon. The hoplite carried a long spear (doru) and a short sword (xiphos) for close combat, making them highly effective heavy infantry. The combination of materials, craftsmanship, and design reflected the Greek emphasis on unity, discipline, and the martial prowess of their city-states.

From "The Ancient Greeks: Armies of Classical Greece, 5th and 4th Centuries BC"

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The Roman Army from Caesar to Trajan

Roman legionary armor was a sophisticated and adaptable system designed for the effectiveness and endurance of the soldier in battle. The most iconic component was the lorica segmentata, a series of interlocking iron or steel strips that protected the torso while allowing mobility, reinforced with leather straps and buckles. Earlier armor styles included chainmail (lorica hamata) or scale armor (lorica squamata), offering flexibility and widespread use. The helmet (galea) featured a protective brow ridge, cheek guards, and a neck plate to shield vital areas without obstructing vision or movement. A rectangular shield (scutum), made of layered wood and covered in leather or canvas, provided both personal and group defense, particularly in formation tactics like the testudo. Complementing this, the legionary carried a short thrusting sword (gladius) and a throwing spear (pilum), emphasizing their role as disciplined and versatile heavy infantry in the Roman military machine.

From "The Roman Army from Caesar to Trajan"