Ottoman Empire, 1810

During the history of the Ottoman Empire, a variety of flags were used, especially as naval ensigns, displayed on ships. On land the horse-tail standard or tuğ (tugh) was first used, rather than flags, reflecting the origin of the Turkish peoples in Central Asia, going back to the Mongol Empire. War flags came in use from the 16th century onwards and often depicted the bifurcated Zulfiqar sword, as this early 19th-century example.