Turcopole
Sign in to savethumb|A 12th century turcopole, historical re-enactment During the Crusades, turcopoles (also "turcopoles" or "turcopoli"; from the , literally "sons of Turks"; singular: τουρκόπουλος) were locally recruited mounted archers and light cavalry employed by the Byzantine Empire and the Crusader states. A leader of these auxiliaries was designated as Turcopolier, a title subsequently given to a senior officer in the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller in charge of the coastal defence and fortifications of Rhodes and Malta. In addition to the two Military Orders, the army of the Kingdom of J
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12 sectionsContents
- Byzantine origins
- Composition
- Equipment
- Specialist roles
- Employment by military orders
- Funding
- Battle of Hattin
- Later history
- Turcopoliers and attendants
- See also
- References
- Further reading
thumb|A 12th century turcopole, historical re-enactment During the Crusades, turcopoles (also "turcopoles" or "turcopoli"; from the , literally "sons of Turks"; singular: τουρκόπουλος) were locally recruited mounted archers and light cavalry employed by the Byzantine Empire and the Crusader states. A leader of these auxiliaries was designated as Turcopolier, a title subsequently given to a senior officer in the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller in charge of the coastal defence and fortifications of Rhodes and Malta. In addition to the two Military Orders, the army of the Kingdom of Jerusalem employed ''king's Turcoples under the direction of a Grand Turcopolier.
== Byzantine origins == The crusaders first encountered Turcopoles in the Byzantine army during the First Crusade. Reference is made to 30 Turcoples being lent by the Emperor Alexius I to act as guides for one division of the Franks. These auxiliaries were of mixed Byzantine and Turkic origins.