Section 3: Military Discipline

Rycaut's section on the Ottoman military takes a technical and mathematical approach to educate the reader on the Ottoman military. Rycaut combines information on the Ottoman treasury and military forces to estimate the total military size of the Ottomans. Based on the length and detail of Rycaut's calucations, this content was clearly intended for an audience of British government officials. His meticulous account of Ottoman military forces was more pertinent to government officials than to the average citizen. These calculations provide the basis for Rycaut's utimate recommendation that Britain avoid military confrontation with the Ottoman Empire.

Rycaut uses engravings in this section to show his British readers the outward appearance of various Ottoman military units. These depictions are very similar to previous portrayals of these troops, which often include long robe-like tunics and tall hats. These depictions, along with descriptions of the different units treated in the text, were also directed toward British state officials who would benefit from knowing exactly how to approach the Ottoman military. Fear of Ottoman expansion pervaded Western Europe at this time. Understanding and recognizing the Ottoman military would significantly help in repelling any potential aggressions.