Ottoman Slap

2010-01-06T07:14:00.000-08:00

Osmanlı Slap (Osmanlı Tokadı)

Ottoman Slap is unarmaed defense or offansive attack which is used by Soldiers in Ottoman Army. Main pupose is to stun enemy with bare hand. Ottoman slap can be performed by both sides of hand. It is performed with straight and quick move from shoulders to the enemy. Ottoman slap lands mostly both sides of face and back of the neck. It can be lethal with the force of the slap.

Ottoman Slap usually used in close combat battles when the soldier was disarmed or his weapon got broken. In Ottoman Culrure sides never attack each with punchs in a fight. Ottomans avoided the chance of giving permanent scar or damage to the face. And first side in a fight who atacks with fist is used to be ashamed for it. It is just like attacking with non-edged side of the sword to humiliate the enemy, ottoman slap used when its time and place with the known rules by the sides. Older one in a fight warns his foe with strong and loud slap that can be heared around and usually this could be enough to end a fight.

In Ottoman army Azab soldiers who stands in the front line of the army in open field battles used to have a purpose. Their purpose was exhaust enemies elite forces with their quick attacks and disable light weapons and when there was no time to arm heavy weapons they start to use slaps to attack enemy. Among the soldiers slaping was high level of courage and bravery and it began to be more populer. Psylogical damage that slap coused with its noise, ottoman slap began to be advanced in tactics. These soldiers in training course slap marbel stones and they had strong hands and arm. Their skin in hand became thick and callous.

Largest slappers were Bashi-bazouk ("damaged head", meaning "free headed", "leaderless", "disorderly") which is irregular soldier of ottoman army.