Spahi or Sepoy?

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United States of America musketeer925
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Spahi or Sepoy?

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Post by musketeer925 »

The word [Spahi] is derived from Persian: سپاهی‎, translit. sepāhī, meaning "soldier". The term is also transliterated as spahi and spahee; rendered in other languages as: spahiu in Albanian and Romanian, spahis (Σπαχής) in Greek, spahija or spahiya in Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian and Macedonian (Cyrillic: спахија, спахия). The Portuguese version is also sipaio (with variants like sipai, cipaio and cipai), but in Spanish it was adapted as cipayo. The word sepoy is derived from the same Persian word sepāhī.[1]In Dhivehi Language (Maldives) the army's soldiers are referred to as {ސިފައިން} "sifain".


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sipahi#Name

I just thought this was an interesting AoE3-related history fact, that the words "Sepoy" and "Spahi" are derived from the same Farsi word.
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Re: Spahi or Sepoy?

Post by Sputnik »

This is interesting indeed thanks for sharing. I dont know the exact history of sepoy( tho i am pretty sure they are not powerful than brit musks as the game suggested:p), but sipahis were really unique in terms of recruiting in ottoman army. Its kind of like the vassal levies in europe, ottoman state gave lands to common people and expect them to send unique soldiers called ' tımarlı sipahi' in turkish. They were well trained, easily mobilized and there were no upkeep cost like the game suggested. The interesting part is that, since otto had a really powerful centralist state at their peak, the investment was risk-free, meaning no feudalism, no uprising because of the ' timar system '.
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Re: Spahi or Sepoy?

Post by Djigit »

Apparently, the historical city of Ispahan is related to this word too.
"It is believed that Spahān derives from spādānām "the armies", Old Persian plural of spāda (from which derives spāh 'army' and spahi (soldier – lit. of the army) in Middle Persian)."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isfahan#Etymology
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Re: Spahi or Sepoy?

Post by Chief_fys »

Sipahi is still used as the go to word for privates in armies of iran india pakistan afghanistan.
subdue the enemy without fighting... Give him tribute. :food: :wood: :coin: :grin:
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Re: Spahi or Sepoy?

Post by TNT333 »

Sputnik wrote:This is interesting indeed thanks for sharing. I dont know the exact history of sepoy( tho i am pretty sure they are not powerful than brit musks as the game suggested:p), but sipahis were really unique in terms of recruiting in ottoman army. Its kind of like the vassal levies in europe, ottoman state gave lands to common people and expect them to send unique soldiers called ' tımarlı sipahi' in turkish. They were well trained, easily mobilized and there were no upkeep cost like the game suggested. The interesting part is that, since otto had a really powerful centralist state at their peak, the investment was risk-free, meaning no feudalism, no uprising because of the ' timar system '.

The Sepoy ís from an Indian thing
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Re: Spahi or Sepoy?

Post by Squamiger »

Djigit wrote:Apparently, the historical city of Ispahan is related to this word too.
"It is believed that Spahān derives from spādānām "the armies", Old Persian plural of spāda (from which derives spāh 'army' and spahi (soldier – lit. of the army) in Middle Persian)."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isfahan#Etymology


https://youtu.be/_ubok2laPtk?t=6
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Re: Spahi or Sepoy?

Post by glorious_ »

Sputnik wrote:This is interesting indeed thanks for sharing. I dont know the exact history of sepoy( tho i am pretty sure they are not powerful than brit musks as the game suggested:p), but sipahis were really unique in terms of recruiting in ottoman army. Its kind of like the vassal levies in europe, ottoman state gave lands to common people and expect them to send unique soldiers called ' tımarlı sipahi' in turkish. They were well trained, easily mobilized and there were no upkeep cost like the game suggested. The interesting part is that, since otto had a really powerful centralist state at their peak, the investment was risk-free, meaning no feudalism, no uprising because of the ' timar system '.


well Sepoy were soldiers for the british east indian company. Which is in fact the biggest privat owned company that ever existed. They needed sepoy because they understood the local language. For every sepoy division there were british officiers because a sepoy could not get higher in rank. Eventually how many of the british colonies ended, sepoy revolted against the british and eventually won.
(there it may come from that the sepoy are stronger than musketeers)
But india elite units were at that time and still are gurkhas. Ironically they are still trained by british forces.
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Re: Spahi or Sepoy?

Post by Djigit »

Djigit wrote:Apparently, the historical city of Ispahan is related to this word too.
"It is believed that Spahān derives from spādānām "the armies", Old Persian plural of spāda (from which derives spāh 'army' and spahi (soldier – lit. of the army) in Middle Persian)."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isfahan#Etymology
Also, spada means sword in the Garjaic language.

Another (extremely solid) proof that the prefix "spa" has a lot to do with the martial vocabulary: the similarities between the Spa race track in Belgium and the Israeli Uzi.
[spoiler=Spa race track]Image[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Uzi]Image[/spoiler]

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Re: Spahi or Sepoy?

Post by Ashvin »

TNT333 wrote:
Sputnik wrote:This is interesting indeed thanks for sharing. I dont know the exact history of sepoy( tho i am pretty sure they are not powerful than brit musks as the game suggested:p), but sipahis were really unique in terms of recruiting in ottoman army. Its kind of like the vassal levies in europe, ottoman state gave lands to common people and expect them to send unique soldiers called ' tımarlı sipahi' in turkish. They were well trained, easily mobilized and there were no upkeep cost like the game suggested. The interesting part is that, since otto had a really powerful centralist state at their peak, the investment was risk-free, meaning no feudalism, no uprising because of the ' timar system '.

The Sepoy ís from an Indian thing

It's an Arabic word used in Hindi. There are many such words. Like Farz, ghusalkhana(bathroom), mareez(patient), mubarak...
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India Ashvin
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Re: Spahi or Sepoy?

Post by Ashvin »

glorious_ wrote:
Sputnik wrote:This is interesting indeed thanks for sharing. I dont know the exact history of sepoy( tho i am pretty sure they are not powerful than brit musks as the game suggested:p), but sipahis were really unique in terms of recruiting in ottoman army. Its kind of like the vassal levies in europe, ottoman state gave lands to common people and expect them to send unique soldiers called ' tımarlı sipahi' in turkish. They were well trained, easily mobilized and there were no upkeep cost like the game suggested. The interesting part is that, since otto had a really powerful centralist state at their peak, the investment was risk-free, meaning no feudalism, no uprising because of the ' timar system '.


well Sepoy were soldiers for the british east indian company. Which is in fact the biggest privat owned company that ever existed. They needed sepoy because they understood the local language. For every sepoy division there were british officiers because a sepoy could not get higher in rank. Eventually how many of the british colonies ended, sepoy revolted against the british and eventually won.
(there it may come from that the sepoy are stronger than musketeers)
But india elite units were at that time and still are gurkhas. Ironically they are still trained by british forces.

Um sorry to say but this is incomplete and incorrect information. The sepoy mutiny of 1857 was crush by British forces, the Gurkha unit was a main unit of the kingdom of Nepal. Sepoy is used in British india because of the fact it's an Hindi word derived from Arabic because of Islamic influence in India since 16th century during the reign of Muslim leaders like Sher shah suri, Akbar the great...


EDIT: as to how india got decolonized, is an entirely different issue and I would rather not write it here because it might make Brits people here sad.
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