This month's cover design is of an Arnaut, one of the elite Greek/Albanian troops which served throughout the Ottoman Empire as mercenaries during the Napoleonic Period. As with last issue's cover illustration of an Ottoman artillery officer, this sketch is based on a color plate from the booklet, MILITARY COSTUME OF TURKEY by T. McLean, originally published in London in 1818 (though most of the illustrations date from about 1803).

The Albanians were the most renowned of the various mercenaries who served throughout the Ottoman Empire. The soldier pictured is wearing a red skull cap; dark green jacket with red piping; a yellow shirt with white piping and insets; white slcirt and pants; a brown sash with broad red stripes, and yellow shoes with red leggings. For protection against the cold and rain, most Albanian troops wore a sleeveless mantle of black wool which reached the haunches and ended in a kind of hood. Unlike most Ottoman troops, Albanians did not carry packs, using their woolen cloaks as their only protection against the weather.

Officers would be dressed in a similar manner, only using richer fabrics and with much more gold and silver braid. The Albanians seem to have had a passion for silver, decorating all their weapons with copious quantities of it. Many, while illiterate, also carried a silver inkwell and pen, just to show off that they could afford such trinkets.

Unlike most Ottomans, who prided themselves on their full beards, most Albanians shaved their beards, leaving only the mustaches.

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